Tricky Zippy Beats Willet in Union Avenue
Newman Racing's Tricky Zippy held her own against her elders as the lone 3-year-old in the $100,000 Union Avenue for New York-bred fillies and mares, drawing off to a 4 ¾-length victory in her stakes debut under Hall of Famer John Velazquez on Thursday at Saratoga Race Course.
Sitting just off a sharp early pace set by Irish Whisper, who led the field of 10 through a quarter-mile in 21.82 seconds and a half in 44.87, Tricky Zippy seized control at the top of the stretch and opened up on her rivals with ease to complete the 6 ½-furlong sprint in 1:15.78.
"I just let her do whatever she wanted, whatever she was happy to do," said Velazquez. "She was doing it pretty easily. It seemed like we were going fast on the teletimer but it seemed like she was handling it very easily. I let her gallop along and run down the lane."
Returning $7.70 for a $2 win bet, Tricky Zippy boosts her career record to four wins, a second and a third from eight starts with earnings of $183,048. The daughter of City Zip turned in back-to-back wins at the allowance level in July for previous trainer Carlos Martin before joining the barn of Jimmy Jerkens later this summer.
"Carlos had her in terrific shape. All we had to do was keep her the same so a lot of credit goes to him," Jerkens said after picking up his first victory of the meet. "She broke running and I knew we were in business when she was laying that close without even asking her. You know you're always in business when they're running like that. She's a City Zip and they're tough, hardy animals. They can be difficult to train and do things with, but you get them in the gate and the gate opens and they're tough. This the first one I've had. I wish I had more."
Willet, the 8-5 post-time favorite, traveled wide throughout and held on to finish second, a half-length ahead of Miss Da Point in third. Sister Margaret, Uncle Southern, Court Dancer, Make the Moment, Atlantic's Smile, Prairie Stone and Irish Whisper completed the order of finish.
Source: NYRA Communications (Heather Pettinger)