Private Zone Training Well for Belmont Sprint Championship
Multiple Grade 1 winner Private Zone goes in search of his second stakes win of the year on Saturday when he heads a field of eight in the Grade 3, $400,000 Belmont Sprint Championship, one of six graded stakes in the lineup for the second annual Stars & Stripes Day at Belmont Park.
Most recently third behind Honor Code after setting the pace in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day, the 6-year-old Private Zone opened his 2015 campaign with a half-length loss when second to Honor Code in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap. He rebounded with a 4 ¼-length triumph in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.
"He's been training really well for the race," said Jorge Navarro, who trains Private Zone for Good Friends Stable. "Initially, our plans were to give him a couple months off and head to the [Grade 1] Forego [August 29, Saratoga Race Course], but he came out of the Met Mile so well we decided to run him here."
With more than $2 million in career earnings, and finishing no worse than third in his last six starts, Private Zone's consistency has long been a trademark along with his front-running style.
"I feel he likes the challenge," said Navarro. "He's one-dimensional as he likes to be on the lead, but he likes horses to come at him. He responds well in those situations as he's shown previously. Hopefully nobody tries to come for the lead with himSaturday, but we've all seen what he can do."
Regular rider Martin Pedroza will be aboard Private Zone when he departs from post position 4 under high weight of 124 pounds.
Looking to rebound from a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack is The Big Beast. The Tony Dutrow trainee stamped himself a top sprinter last year with a victory in the Grade 1 Ketel One King's Bishop at Saratoga Race Course. The now 4-year-old colt by Yes It's True opened 2015 by winning an allowance race at Oaklawn Park. He will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez from post position 3.
Looking for his first win since setting a track record of 1:19.96 in last year's Belmont Sprint Championship is Clearly Now. Most recently, the multiple graded stakes winner finished sixth in the Grade 2 True North on Belmont Stakes Day.
However, trainer Brian Lynch is optimistic about the chances of a successful title defense as the horse has since undergone a myectomy to improve his breathing and subsequently turned in a bullet work on June 23, covering four furlongs in :47.
"I think the other day, [Grade 2, True North], he broke a bit slow and had to chase the pace, he showed speed up until the quarter-pole and then tired having to move four-wide into the stretch," said Lynch. "Since then he had minor myectomy surgery and he's been training very well so I'm excited to see how he'll run. He's been training great."
Godolphin Racing will enter the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Bay of Plenty. Cutting back for the Belmont Sprint off a troubled ninth-place finish in the Met Mile, the Medaglia d'Oro colt will look to upset the field while expecting to be placed from off the pace.
"Obviously we're in a little tough with Private Zone, I have a lot of respect for that horse" said McLaughlin. "But, he's training well and we're turning back to seven-eighths to see how it goes. A tough race but he is doing very well.
Drawing the rail, Bay of Plenty will leave with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard.
Also entered is 4-year-old C. Zee for Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito and Jacks or Better Farm Inc. Last out he finished fifth in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs, and previous to that race was caught at the wire in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland on April 4. Rounding out the field is Stallwalkin' Dude for owner and trainer David Jacobson, Green Gratto, who last out won an optional claiming race going seven furlongs at Belmont, and 8-year-old gelding and New York-bred Moonlight Song for Charlton Baker, who in his most recent start won the Hudson Handicap at 6 ½ furlongs October of 2014.
Source: NYRA Communications