Zito Saddles 2,000th Winner

Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito saddled the 2,000th winner of his career Jan. 16 at Gulfstream Park, where Forever Plus registered a gate-to-wire victory under Nik Juarez in the second race.

"The way these young trainers win 4,000 and 5,000, I feel like the oldest guy in Little League," said the 68-year-old conditioner following a winner's circle ceremony marking his career milestone.

Forever Plus, sent off at 3-1, held gamely to prevail by a head in the 1 1/16 mile turf race for $16,000 claiming fillies and mares.

"It feels great. It's been a long journey. Thank God, were probably at the top of the stretch, where we still have a quarter of a mile left. That's what we're trying to do, keep it going," Zito said.

Zito's horses have earned nearly $110 million during a training career that began in 1972, when he saddled Palais for his first victory at Liberty Bell Park in Pennsylvania after serving as an assistant to John Campo and LeRoy Jolley.

Zito's 2,000 career victories include a pair of triumphs in the Kentucky Derby (G1) with Strike the Gold (1991) and Go for Gin (1994), as well as successes in the Preakness Stakes (G1) with Louis Quatorze in 1996 and the Belmont Stakes (G1) with Birdstone in 2004 and Da'Tara in 2008. He also captured the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in 2003 with Bird Town.

Zito also enjoyed Breeders' Cup victories with Storm Song (1996 Juvenile Fillies, G1) and War Pass (2007 Bessemer Trust Juvenile, G1), both of whom were honored with Eclipse Awards.

The native New Yorker was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, the same year in which he saddled High Fly for the first of three Florida Derby (G1) victories. He's had considerable success at the track where he reached his milestone, saddling back-to-back winners of the Triple Crown prep in 2010-11 with Ice Box   and Dialed In  , respectively; and winning the Donn Handicap (G1) in 2000 with Stephen Got Even.

"The Florida Derbys were special, and the Donn isn't a bad race either," Zito said. "I've had a lot of great memories here and hopefully we'll keep it going."