Zenyatta Stakes No Slam Dunk for Include Me Out

A winner of the Grade I Clement Hirsch at Del Mar on Aug. 4, Jay Em Ess Stable’s Include Me Out is a winner of four of her last five starts—all this year—and she could be the horse to beat Saturday in the Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles—a prep for the Grade I Ladies Classic at 1 1/8 miles on Nov. 2.

Trained by Ron Ellis and ridden by Joe Talamo, Include Me Out, a 4-year-old filly by Include, is three for three at the distance and has a 5-3-1-0 record at Santa Anita.

The lone blemish on her 2012 resume is a second-place finish in the Grade I Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park on June 16, at odds of 3-5. Include Me Out has a tractable style and usually stalks the early pace. Her career record stands at 11-6-3-0, with earnings of $683,600.

Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out Grade I Personal Ensign winner Love and Pride in Saturday’s Zenyatta. The Personal Ensign, run Aug. 26 at Saratoga, was contested at 1 1/8 miles and was the third win of the year for the 4-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy. Love and Pride has been on or near the lead in all of her career wins and is expected to vie for the lead again Saturday.

George Krikorian’s homebred Star Billing, who was second, beaten a neck from well off the pace by Include Me Out in the Hirsch at Del Mar, would appreciate a fast pace. She’ll be reunited with Victor Espinoza, who was aboard for her lone Grade I tally in Hollywood Park’s Matriarch last November. Trained by John Shirreffs, the 4-year-old filly by Dynaformer is 9-3-3-1 lifetime, with earnings of $415,067.

CRK Stable’s multiple Grade I winning Switch, who opened up early in Del Mar’s Hirsch and was fourth, beaten 2 ½ lengths, will again be ridden by Martin Garcia and will attempt to pad her lifetime bankroll of more than $1.3 million. Trained by John Sadler, the 5-year-old mare by Quiet American has a 5-1-2-1 record at the distance of 1 1/16 miles.

Trainer Larry Jones and jockey Rosie Napravnik will venture west to team up with Joyful Victory, one of many Zenyatta entrants with a forwardly placed running style. Most recently second in the Grade II Gardenia Stakes at Ellis Park on Aug. 11, the 4-year-old daughter of Tapit’s lone graded stakes win came in the Grade II Fantasy at Oaklawn Park in April, 2011.

Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale has procured the services of Rafael Bejarano for the Chilean-bred Amani, who was a non-threatening sixth against males in the Aug. 26 Pacific Classic. A multiple Group I winning champion in her native Chile, Amani will be making her third stateside start on Saturday.

The complete Zenyatta field, which will be run as the eighth race, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Amani, Rafael Bejarano, 121; Love Theway Youare, David Flores, 124; Switch, Garrett Gomez, 119; Joyful Victory, Rosie Napravnik, 119; Star Billing, Victor Espinoza, 121; Include Me Out, Joe Talamo, 124; Love and Pride, Martin Garcia, 124; Via Villaggio, Martin Pedroza, 116, and Miss Mittagong, Mario Gutierrez, 119.