Grade 1 Winner Zulu Alpha Training Toward Comeback

Michael Hui's Zulu Alpha , winner of the 2020 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T), has resumed breezing following an injury to his left front leg last fall that kept him out of the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T). The 8-year-old Street Cry  gelding has recorded a pair of breezes since rejoining trainer Mike Maker's stable this spring.

"He's had a couple three-eighths works since he's been back, just easy," Maker said May 7 at Churchill Downs. "We'll stretch him out tomorrow to a half."

Maker indicated it was too early to forecast when Zulu Alpha might return to racing.

Last year at age 7, Zulu Alpha won the Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T) and TVG Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) in the months after his upset in the Pegasus World Cup Turf. An earner of more than $2. 2 million, he last raced Sept. 12, finishing third in the Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs. 

Another Maker trainee, Three Diamonds Farm's Fire At Will, is sidelined. Last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America (G1T) winner exited a workout last month with an injury and will be out "a while," Maker said. The 3-year-old Declaration of War  colt was third most recently in the April 2 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland.