Zayat 3YOs Continue Cross-Country Derby Preps
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Zayat Stables will continue its chess game of 3-year-old prep racing by shipping Mr. Z to the March 28 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, while its 2-year-old champ American Pharoah makes his 2015 debut in the March 14 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park as previously announced.
Meanwhile, in New York, Jerome Stakes (gr. III) winner and Withers Stakes (gr. III) runner-up El Kabeir will remain on that circuit to target the March 7 Gotham Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
El Kabeir currently ranks fourth on the road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) with 25 points, while Mr. Z has 14 to stand ninth on the list. American Pharoah has 10 points and is 14th under the system, which awards the top 20 horses a spot in the starting gate for the first Saturday in May.
Mr. Z, trained by Hall of Fame horseman D. Wayne Lukas, comes off a third-place effort in the Feb. 22 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn and was also third in the Smarty Jones Stakes there Jan. 19. In 10 starts the son of Malibu Moon has raced at seven different tracks, but will add an eighth to his resume with the Fair Grounds start.
His only other outing in Louisiana came Nov. 22 when he ran second to Ocho Ocho Ocho in the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) at Delta Downs.
Bred by Richard D. Maynard, Mr. Z was a $135,000 buy from the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky 2013 fall yearling sale when selected by Patrice Miller/EQB, agent for Zayat Stables, from the Maynard Farm consignment. Corey Nakatani will have the Louisiana Derby mount.
American Pharoah has been training forwardly at Santa Anita Park under the supervision of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert since returning from what has been described as a deep foot bruise. The injury knocked the homebred Pioneerof the Nile ridgling out of the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), but his consecutive victories in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) and FrontRunner Stakes (gr. I) in September of 2014 were enough to secure the championship.
American Pharoah last breezed six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 Feb. 21 at Santa Anita, second-fastest of 31 at the distance on the day. Victor Espinoza will be in the irons for his Oaklawn Park start.
BALAN: 'Chrome,' American Pharoah Top CA Worktab
El Kabeir, a son of Scat Daddy bred in Florida by Rustlewood, won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs for trainer John Terranova II before taking the Aqueduct prep route this winter. He last breezed Feb. 22 at Belmont Park, going four furlongs in :48.88 to rank third of 35 at the distance on the day.
The gray or roan colt was a $250,000 purchase from the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. August selected and open sale of yearlings when chosen by Patrice Miller/EQB, agent for Zayat Stables, from the Summerfield consignment. C.C. Lopez has ridden him in his past two starts and has the mount again for the Gotham.