Zulu Alpha Repeats in Mac Diarmida Stakes
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Zulu Alpha wins the Mac Diarmida Stakes at Gulfstream Park
At an age when many Thoroughbreds have hung up their saddle towels in favor of a second career off the racetrack, Michael Hui's Zulu Alpha is making his 7-year-old season his best yet.
After opening the year with a dominating upset win in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T) Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park, Zulu Alpha showed off his impressive turn of foot once more around the South Florida track Feb. 29 and won the $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T) for the second consecutive year.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Zulu Alpha was not the first from the gate. Settled near the back of the pack, the Mike Maker trainee bided his time as longshot Morocco, at odds of 52-1, led the way. With almost a five-length lead through six furlongs, Morocco clicked off fractions of :23.37, :46.49, and 1:11.65 before A Thread of Blue, who made brief contact with Nessy at the break, moved up three wide to make a run at the leader entering the turn.
The move came a step too late as Admission Office launched his own bid for the lead four wide off the turn and overtook both runners at the top of the stretch. Zulu Alpha, who ran close to the rear with an unhurried pace, went even wider than Admission Office to come within striking distance of the new leader and A Thread of Blue on the far outside.
Zulu Alpha and Admission Office dueled through midstretch and pulled away from the field with the finish line in sight. But it was Zulu Alpha who called upon his trusty final kick to get the upper hand at the wire and finish one length in front to complete the 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:11.47.
"He's incredible," said Gaffalione, who was also aboard for Zulu Alpha's Pegasus victory. "He just gives you so much confidence, and he's so fun to ride. It was great because coming down the stretch for the first time, I looked at the infield screen, I saw :23, and I was smiling. I knew they were setting a nice tempo in front of me, so I wasn't too worried."
Admission Office stayed up for second, followed by Sadler's Joy, Channel Maker, Spooky Channel, A Thread of Blue, Nessy, Morocco, and Armistice Day.
"Tyler rode him last time," Maker said. "Not much to say. Give him a shot and put him in a position to win at the quarter pole. He's been effective at 1 1/2, 1 3/8, and 1 3/16—he's a nice horse to have."
Maker, who claimed the son of Street Cry for a mere $80,000 in 2018, said the win sets up his horse nicely for a possible start in the May 2 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs. From there, Maker hopes the gelding will continue to move up the grade 1 ladder with a possible berth in the Aug. 15 Arlington Million (G1T) at Arlington International Racecourse before heading to the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland.
Bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm out of the A.P. Indy mare Zori, Zulu Alpha is a half brother to stakes winner Bank the Eight. He has an 11-4-5 record from 32 starts with earnings of $2,021,714.