Zaino Boyz Upsets Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
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Zaino Boyz wins the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
Zaino Ventures' Zaino Boyz proved to himself and the entire Tampa Bay Downs audience Dec. 7 that longshot odds are just numbers and talent can hail from any state.
The sole Arkansas-bred colt entered in the $50,000 Inaugural Stakes, Zaino Boyz was unlikely to prevail in a field that featured several stakes-tested competitors, including Another Miracle, third in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) at Santa Anita Park.
But it took just 1:09.95 for Zaino Boyz to prove the handicappers wrong.
Guided by Daniel Centeno, Zaino Boyz was brushed briefly exiting the gate in the six-furlong dirt sprint but was not deterred from taking command. Sprinting clear of his rivals, the colt opened a 2 1/2-length advantage as the first quarter-mile went in :21.49.
Stakes winner Cajun Casanova chased the leader through the opening stages before being angled off the rail to the outside of the pacesetter. With Zaino Boyz in his sights, the colt, under Alonso Quinonez, was able to cut the leader's margin to 1 1/2 lengths as they reached the half-mile point in :44.67.
Asked for more from Centeno at the top of the stretch, Zaino Boyz pulled away with relative ease and crossed the wire six lengths clear. The second-highest price on the board at 28-1 odds, he returned $58 for a $2 win wager.
Not Getting Over Me swung four wide off the turn and battled past a waning Cajun Casanova to take place honors. Valiant Virtue finished fourth, 1 3/4 lengths behind third-place Cajun Casanova. Favored Another Miracle never fired and took fifth. Breckenridge ran last to complete the order.
Bred by Jarett Wolfe, Zaino Boyz is the ninth foal out of the stakes-winning Elusive Quality mare Elusive Sara. The son of Daaher was purchased by Susanne Zaino from Stuart Morris for $19,000 at the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sales October Yearling Sale.
Trained by Robert Raymond, Zaino Boyz broke his maiden Oct. 20 in a five-furlong turf maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park West. He has won two of four starts—all in Florida—and earned $53,800.
Lucrezia Holds Strong to Win Sandpiper
Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's homebred filly Lucrezia wrested a late-running victory from Two Sixty in the $50,000 Sandpiper Stakes later on Saturday's card.
Under Centeno, who won both stakes races at Tampa, the daughter of Into Mischief broke just a touch behind Two Sixty, who was angled in sharply by Antonio Gallardo at the start to take the lead.
Setting the pace through fractions of :21.82 and :45.05 through the half-mile, Two Sixty held on to the lead by a slim head coming off the turn as Lucrezia was shifted out and moved up to challenge.
Lucrezia wins the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
Lucrezia led Two Sixty by a half-length midway through the stretch before steadily pulling away under steady left-handed pressure from Centeno. There was no competition left to turn back the winner as she reached the wire 1 3/4 lengths in front. The final time for six furlongs was 1:10.16 on a track rated fast.
Two Sixty took second, followed by Bridge Dancer, Willoughby Gap, Mintchocolatechip, and Delta Hutch.
Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Lucrezia entered the Sandpiper off a fifth-place finish in the Nov. 10 Stewart Manor Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. The filly broke her maiden Oct. 23 at Keeneland.
Bred in Kentucky by her owners and Krista Seltzer, Lucrezia is out of the grade 3-winning Rahy mare Verdana Bold and is a half sister to stakes winner Ghalia and stakes-placed Copperplate. Lucrezia has a 2-1-0 record from four starts and earnings of $90,800.
Video: Inaugural S. (BT)