Zayat homebred Nanoosh wins stakes debut in Zia Park Derby
Nanoosh, a Zayat Stables homebred, made his stakes debut a winning one in Wednesday’s
$250,000 Zia Park Derby, the centerpiece of the New Mexico track's Land of Enchantment card. The son of Paynter also picked up his third win in a row.
Originally in the care of D. Wayne Lukas, Nanoosh found success after making his first start with trainer Robertino Diodoro in September. While he was able to break his maiden as a 2-year-old at Keeneland, his two other starts in Kentucky were off the board, as was his race debut at Saratoga.
Nanoosh was away for nearly 10 months before Diodoro entered him in an allowance optional claiming event on the Canterbury Park turf. Nanoosh prevailed by 1 1/2 lengths before returning to the dirt at Zia Park in another allowance optional claiming, where he drew away by four.
In the Zia Park Derby, Nanoosh broke with odds of 12-1 against Super Derby (G3) winner Limation and multiple graded stakes placed horses Combatant and All Out Blitz, both of whom were on the Kentucky Derby trail this spring.
Limation sped to the front and set opening fractions in
23.46 and 46.89. Del Mar maiden winner Air Strike, the favorite, stuck close with Nanoosh and jockey Orlando Mojica on his heels. All Out Blitz was also in the mix while Combatant sat in sixth.
Throughout, Air Strike and Nanoosh continued to battle and took over as three-quarters went in 1:10.53. Limation backed up and the lead first went to Air Strike.
The pair pulled clear from the field, but Nanoosh was the first to hit the wire by three-quarters of a length. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:41.96, which was .16 seconds off Alert Bay's track record.
Finishing third behind Air Strike was Combatant and All Out Blitz.
The daughter of Violence sat in third under Richard Eramia and was able to get up for the win despite being carried seven wide. She finished the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.97. She's a Julie, a multiple Grade 3 winner who was second in the Alabama Stakes (G1), was fourth.