King Kranz Breaks Maiden in Lost In The Fog
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
King Kranz breaks his maiden in the Lost In The Fog Stakes.
Zayat Stables' King Kranz, equipped with blinkers for the first time, went from maiden to stakes winner Jan. 1 in the Lost In The Fog for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The colt by Munnings , the leading second-crop sire of 2015 by progeny earnings and wins, raced very well in five previous starts but wasn't able to break through with a win. He rallied from 10th to fifth in his career debut at Saratoga Race Course, finished second to currently undefeated Mohaymen in his second start, and came in second in the grade II Futurity Stakes in his third outing.
He followed up with a third-place finish in the James F. Lewis III Stakes at Laurel Park, and on Dec. 5 at Aqueduct fell a neck short of Condo King in another maiden event.
"It was frustrating last year, but at least he started off the new year right," said Tonja Terranova, assistant to her husband, trainer John Terranova. "We just left it up to (jockey) Cornelio (Velasquez). He had the perfect draw, and could position himself wherever he needed to.
"We had worked him in blinkers, and it seemed to focus him more. Cornelio said today he was in the bridle the whole way."
King Kranz sat off front-running Zen Papa in the five-horse field, through fractions of :23.13 for the opening quarter-mile and :46.17 for a half-mile. He reeled in the leader in the stretch and comfortably held off slight favorite Jan's Reserve, who rallied from last, by a length in 1:11.84 for six furlongs. Sallisaw finished third, with Zen Papa fourth and Atizapan fifth.
Purcell and Condo King, who will run in the Jan. 2 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct, were scratched. King Kranz was entered in the two-turn Jerome as well, but his connections opted for the New Year's Day sprint. King Kranz paid $5.40 to win.
A $95,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March 2-year-olds in training sale, King Kranz was bred in Kentucky by Bob and Alice Austin. The winner's share of the $122,500 Lost In The Fog pushed his earnings to $146,990 on a record of 1-2-2 in six starts.