Zito colts breeze at Saratoga

Zito colts breeze at Saratoga

Birdstone will be trying for his third straight Grade 1 win while competing in the Classic (Joseph DiOrio/Horsephotos.com) Two colts trained by Nick Zito — BIRDSTONE (Grindstone) and SUN KING (Charismatic) – breezed over a muddy Oklahoma training track at Saratoga on Friday. Birdstone breezed six furlongs in 1:16 4/5 in preparation for Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Lone Star Park. The bay colt won the August 28 Travers S. (G1) in his last start off an 84-day layoff after denying Smarty Jones the Triple Crown in the June 5 Belmont S. (G1). Birdstone could contend for both three-year-old and Horse of the Year honors with a victory in the 1 1/4-mile Classic. Sun King breezed seven furlongs in 1:29 4/5 in advance of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). The dark bay colt broke his maiden impressively at Belmont Park in his second start, then dueled for the early lead before finishing gamely for third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths, in the 1 1/16-mile Champagne S. (G1) on October 9. The Juvenile at Lone Star will be his first start around two turns.

In Kentucky:

IN THE GOLD (Golden Missile) breezed five
furlongs in 1:01 over a fast track at Keeneland in preparation
for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The chestnut filly,
who is also trained by Zito, finished third by a head in the
Alcibiades S. (G2) in her most recent outing on October 8.

Birdstone, Sun King and In the Gold, as well as Pies Prospect
(Crafty Prospector), who is slated to run in the Lone Star Derby
(G3) on October 29, are scheduled to fly to Texas on a private
charter Saturday.

In California:

Multiple Grade 2 winner KATDOGAWN (GB)
(Bahhare), prepping for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
(G1), breezed five furlongs in 1:02 1/5 over a good track at
Santa Anita. The James Cassidy trainee, who finished third in the
WinStar Distaff H. (G3) over the Lone Star turf in late May,
comes off a third-placed effort in the 1 1/4-mile Yellow Ribbon
S. (G1) on October 2 at Santa Anita.

In other Breeders’ Cup News:

Officials of the Breeders’ Cup Limited and the National
Thoroughbred Racing Association have increased medical coverage
for jockeys competing at Lone Star Park on October 28-30 from the
existing limit of $100,000 to a limit of $500,000.

Six horses — ROSES IN MAY (Devil His Due) (Classic), DYNEVER
(Dynaformer) (Classic), KITTEN’S JOY (El Prado [Ire]) (Turf),
MAGISTRETTI (Diesis [GB]), WONDER AGAIN (Silver Hawk) (Filly
& Mare Turf) and CULINARY (El Amante) (Juvenile Fillies) — are all scheduled to
put in their final major works at Lone Star Park on Saturday.

Spinster S. (G1) runner-up TAMWEEL (Gulch), who is headed to
the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), is scheduled to work at Keeneland
on Saturday with her trainer, Wayne Catalano, astride.

Jockey Corey Nakatani has been booked to ride in all eight
Breeders’ Cup races. Jerry Bailey established the record of
riding in all eight Breeders’ Cup races in 1999 and equaled the
feat in 2002 and 2003. John Velazquez had eight Breeders’ Cup
mounts in 2002 and 2003. There were only seven Breeders’ Cup
races prior to 1999.