Undefeated C Z Rocket Ships Out, Steps Up for Malibu

Al Stall Jr. admits he might be exaggerating just a touch, or maybe he just saw Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

The trainer called what Frank Fletcher Racing Operation's C Z Rocket showed in his last start Nov. 23 at Churchill Downs a trip into "hyperspace."

The lightly raced, undefeated City Zip colt hadn't showed a ton of punch (in his trainer's opinion, at least) in his first two starts, but after a slow break from the inside post at Churchill, jockey Jose Lezcano got him off the rail and Stall saw something special.

"He showed a turn of foot I hadn't seen yet," Stall said. "In his first two races, he was grinding a bit, but when he got off the rail in his last race, he went from seventh to third in 100 yards. You blinked your eyes and he was in a perfect stalking position in third."

One of the horses C Z Rocket shot past in the Churchill backstretch was J Boys Echo. The graded winner came on again at the top of the stretch to challenge C Z Rocket, but had to settle for second as his rival found more and pulled away late to win by two lengths.

Stall had handled C Z Rocket patiently to that point—he won his debut Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course by two lengths with a closing drive from seventh and took an Oct. 11 allowance at Keeneland by 2 1/2 lengths with another closing trip from seventh—but the trainer determined now is the time to try top-level company in the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26.

"He's been impressive enough and he's got enough of a reputation (as an $800,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales June sale in 2016), it was time to hunt something down," Stall said.

Stall breathed a sigh of relief after the Malibu draw, as C Z rocket was assigned the outside post in the field of nine. In each of his first three starts, the colt drew the rail.

"If we had drawn the one hole four times in a row, it would have been time to get the knives out," Stall joked.

C Z Rocket isn't the only invader from the East—grade 2 winner Favorable Outcome shipped in for trainer Chad Brown and owner/trainer James Chapman entered last-out Steel Valley Sprint Stakes winner Heartwood—but he's the only entrant with the mystique of an undefeated colt.

The large bay colt—Stall says he's nearly 17 hands—got a late start to his racing career after going through the rigors of the sales process as a 2-year-old.

"He's a huge horse and was a little bit beat up coming out of the 2-year-old sales, more mentally than physically. I mean, he went :21 4/5 or something crazy (for his quarter-mile under tack work)," Stall said. "He's a big animal and that doesn't match up with his physical. We slowed down on him and gave him some serious time."

Stall believes that big frame is ideal for longer, one-turn races, and the seven-furlong Malibu should be a fit.

Talented locals loom, however, including a pair from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's Dabster would also be undefeated if not for a disqualification in his debut, and Donegal Racing's Irish Freedom brings stakes experience, with placings against older horses in his last two starts—the Comma to the Top and the Native Diver Stakes (G3).

Hronis Racing's Edwards Going Left is also coming into the Malibu hot off back-to-back wins, including the Cary Grant Stakes for California-breds last time out at Del Mar Nov. 19, but the wild card appears to be Reddam Racing's Pavel.

Although he broke his maiden sprinting in his debut July 1, the Creative Cause  colt trained by Doug O'Neill has gone long in all four of his starts since, and has had success. He finished fourth in the Jim Dandy Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) at Saratoga, won the Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing by daylight, and finished a hard-trying third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) against older horses. Pavel may have been a bit over his head last time out in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), when he was never seriously involved and finished 10th, 34 lengths behind winner Gun Runner .

Stall won't be at Santa Anita to see if C Z Rocket is a fit in grade 1 company (being around family at home during the holidays held sway), but since he arrived at the track in early December, the colt has been looked after by a pretty good replacement—Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. Mandella also has Paradise Woods entered in the La Brea Stakes (G1) on the opening-day card.

"I hope Richard saddles two winners," Stall said.

Entries: Malibu S. (G1)

Santa Anita Park, Tuesday, December 26, 2017, Race 8

• Grade I
• 7f
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo
• 3:48 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1City of Light (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	120	Michael W. McCarthy	8/1
2	2Edwards Going Left (CA)	Tyler Baze	120	John W. Sadler	8/1
3	3Irish Freedom (KY)	Mike E. Smith	120	Bob Baffert	5/1
4	4Favorable Outcome (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	Chad C. Brown	3/1
5	5The Street Fighter (CA)	Edwin A. Maldonado	120	Bruce Headley	30/1
6	6Pavel (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	122	Doug F. O'Neill	4/1
7	7Heartwood (KY)	Hector L. Rosario, Jr.	120	James K. Chapman	15/1
8	8Dabster (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Bob Baffert	6/1
9	9C Z Rocket (FL)	Jose Lezcano	120	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	7/2