Zanjero lands Kentucky Cup Classic

Winchell Thoroughbreds' ZANJERO (Cherokee Run) split horses to reach the lead

at the top of the stretch and comfortably captured Saturday's $350,000

Kentucky Cup Classic (G2), recording a 1 1/2-length decision over the

Polytrack at Turfway Park. Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Shaun

Bridgmohan, the four-year-old is now likely headed to the Breeders' Cup Dirt

Mile on October 25.

Sent off the 5-2 third choice in the six-horse field, Zanjero stalked the

pace in fourth through an opening quarter-mile in :23 3/5 and dropped back to

fifth after a half-mile in :47 3/5. Pacesetter and 8-5 favorite Honest Man

(Unbridled's Song) surrendered the advantage on the far turn to Extreme Supreme

(Deputy Minister), who reach the three-quarters mark in 1:11 4/5, and Zanjero

was starting to uncork his rally. He encountered traffic leaving the far turn

but bullied his way through rivals to strike the front, and the dark bay colt

was never threatened in the final furlongs, eventually stopping the teletimer in

1:49 1/5 for 1 1/8 miles.

Zanjero returned $7.40, $3.80 and $3.20, and Extreme Supreme, who held well

to be a clear second at 12-1, paid $10 and $5. Canela (El Corredor), the longest

shot on the board at 42-1, snagged third and yielded $6.60. The exacta tallied

$52, the trifecta $565.60 and the 2-3-5-1 superfecta, with Honest Man in fourth,

was $1,631.20. Yate's Black Cat (Black Minnaloushe) and Stream Cat (Black

Minnaloushe) rounded out the order of finish.

Bred in Kentucky by Tony Holmes and Walter Zent, Zanjero sold for $700,000 at

the 2005 Keeneland September sale. He's out of the unraced Checkered Flag (A.P.

Indy), which makes him a half-brother to the multiple stakes-winning filly

Victory Lap (Touch Gold) and a yearling colt by Ghostzapper, and he's a full

brother to the Grade 2-placed filly Acacia. Winner of the Indiana Derby (G2) and

West Virginia Derby (G3) last year, Zanjero finished a close third in the 2007

Blue Grass S. (G1) and placed in the Pennsylvania Derby (G2), Louisiana Derby

(G2), Northern Dancer S. (G3) and Risen Star S. (G3). He also counts a runner-up

finish in the 2006 Remsen S. (G2) on his resume. The colt entered the Kentucky

Cup Classic off a victory in the West Virginia Governor's S., and he's placed in

the Lone Star Park H. (G2) and Texas Mile S. (G2) this season. With Saturday's

$220,260 payday, Zanjero's now bankrolled $1,620,786 from an 18-6-5-4 line.