Zulu makes his first start in eight months in Tamarac

Zulu, whose racing career got off to a brilliant start at last year’s Gulfstream Park Championship Meet, will make his first start in more than eight months when he meets six rivals in Sunday’s Race 3, the $60,000 Tamarac Stakes. The seven-furlong Tamarac is for 3-year-olds that have never won a sweepstakes.

 

Owned by Stonestreet Stables and the Coolmore triumvirate of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, Zulu is trained by Todd Pletcher.

 

Zulu launched his career with a pair of stunning victories at the 2015-16 Gulfstream Park Championship meet, and then went on to finish second behind Mohaymen in the Fountain of Youth (G2), his stakes debut. After running 12th as the favorite in the Blue Grass (G1) went to the sidelines.

 

"He seemed a little burnt out after the Blue Grass, and needed some time,” Pletcher said. “I think he’s ready. He ran well his first couple of starts and I don’t think he is kind of horse who needs a lot work to be ready. It just seemed like looking through the options this was a logical place to bring him back.”

 

Pletcher remarked that Zulu accomplished a great deal in a short period time to start his career.

 

“He went from maiden to a-other-than to a quality second in the Fountain of Youth,” he said. “We always felt like we were playing a little bit of catch-up with him, so I think the time off, mentally and physically, has done him well.”       

 

Zulu has had a steady workout pattern this fall, first at Belmont Park and then at Palm Meadows Training Center. His latest move was a five-furlong bullet in 1:01.60 at Palm Meadows Dec. 10.

 

Pletcher has named Javier Castellano to ride Zulu, who figures to be prominent in the early running from post 7.

           

A son of Bernardini, Zulu was purchased by his connections for $900,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s Florida Select 2-year-old in training sale. That was the second sale the colt went through, following his $400,000 purchase as a yearling at Keeneland.

 

Among Zulu’s rivals on Sunday is Yellow Chips, who was claimed here last winter for $75,000 from a maiden race by trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. for owner Morris Bailey. The son of Majesticperfection has since become a graded-stakes performer - he finished second in the Jersey Shore (G3) at Monmouth Park during the summer - and enters the Taramac following a third-place finish in an optional claimer, where he was eligible to be claimed for $62,500, here on Dec. 4.

 

                       

Among the 14 nominees to the $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3), which will be run on a special Monday card on Dec. 26 at Gulfstream Park, is last year’s winner, Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm’s X Y Jet.

 

Jorge Navarro, X Y Jet’s trainer, said Wednesday that he is pointing the 4-year-old to a defense of his title in the six-furlong dirt race for 3-year-olds and up. The gelding, who was sidelined for several months because of knee surgery, seeks his first win since taking last year’s Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship (G3) in February. 

 

Navarro also nominated Delta Bluesman, winner of this year’s Smile Sprint Handicap (G2), and Shaft of Light, who emerged victorious in the Claiming Crown Rapid Transit on opening day of the Gulfstream Park Championship meet.

 

Also among the nominees to the 62nd running of the Mr. Prospector is Jacks or Better Farm’s homebred Awesome Banner from the barn of trainer Mark Casse. The 3-year-old’s fondness for the Gulfstream Park main track is evidenced by his six wins from nine starts here. Among his notable victories at the South Florida oval are the Swale (G2) and Hutcheson (G3).