Private Zone (Macho Uno) makes his belated 7-year-old debut in Saturday's GIII Belmont Sprint Championship S. A sharp wire-to-wire winner in this contest last year, the speedy bay made his final start for trainer Jorge Navarro with a game second-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland Oct. 31. He tired to fifth in his GI Cigar Mile H. title defense in his first attempt for trainer Brian Lynch last November. Private Zone has plenty of bullets for his return, including a five-furlong move in :58 1/5 (1/18) in Elmont June 25. The multiple Grade I-winning sprinter was scheduled to make his first start of the year in the GII True North S., but never reached the starting gate after a much talked about ruling from the New York State Gaming Commission forced Lynch to surrender his trainer's license when a random drug test found THC in his system.
Anchor Down (Tapit) is listed as the 3-1 second-choice on the morning-line. He followed a 6 3/4-length romping in the GIII Westchester S. May 7 with a distant runner-up finish to the ultra-impressive Frosted (Tapit) in the GI Metropolitan H. June 11.
The 7-year-old Joking (Distorted Humor) faces his stiffest test to date. The winner of three straight enters off a career-best decision in the True North.
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