Private Zone Runs Them Off Their Feet in Forego

Private Zone (Macho Uno) ran the rest of the field off their feet yet again to collect his fourth victory at the highest level in Saratoga’s GI Forego S. Instantly surging to the head of affairs, the favorite registered what could be considered easy early fractions for him of :22.67 and :45.10 as he glided comfortably along the rail. Showing the way into the lane, the gelding continued to pour it on in the stretch and crossed the line a never in doubt winner over last year’s GI King’s Bishop S. hero The Big Beast (Yes It’s True). Viva Majorca (Tiago) came running late to be third. The victory guaranteed Good Friends Stable colorbearer a spot in the gate at Keeneland for another shot at the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Winning trainer Jorge Navarro was quite pleased with his charge, who fired a quarter of bullets leading up to this event, most recently breezing a best-of-96 half-mile in :45 4/5 Aug. 22. “After the workout, the first time working the horse over the track and knowing people who knew the track, they told me, ‘He went easy,'” Navarro said. “After I saw [Runhappy go gate to wire in the King’s Bishop], I said, ‘Now we have a chance.’ I was worried about the workout. I didn’t want him to go that fast, but he came back so good and cooled out 45 minutes after the workout. He’s a special horse. He’s all horse. I just talked to the owners, and our plan is to train him up to the Breeders’ Cup. I didn’t have him last year, but I think he’s getting better and better. The more I have him, the more he shows me.”

Tony Dutrow, trainer of “TDN Rising Star” The Big Beast, was also happy with his pupil’s performance. “I thought things with our horse were very good. We have no excuses. Our horse ran well. The winner was very good, and there was not a lot of speed in the race. The winner is a very, very good horse and he has done this before. But The Beast ran well.”

Private Zone scored his first victory at the highest level in Belmont’s GI Vosburgh Invitational S. in the fall of 2013 while under the care of California-based conditioner Doug O’Neill. Failing to fire when 10th in that year’s BC Sprint, the bay finished second in the GI Cigar Mile that November and spent 10 months on the shelf. Fourth in his return in the GIII Turf Monster H. at Parx Sept. 1, the gelding was transferred to Alfredo Velazquez and won his second Vosburgh in his debut for that conditioner Sept. 27. Private Zone finished third by less than two lengths in last year’s BC Sprint Nov. 1, and came back to win the Cigar Mile four weeks later in his final start for Velazquez before being transferred to Jorge Navarro. Second to GI Whitney S. winner Honor Code (A.P. Indy) in the GII Gulfstream Park H. Mar. 7, the speedy bay scored a dominant victory the GII Churchill Downs S. May 2 and finished third behind an ultra-impressive Honor Code and MGISW Tonalist (Tapit) in the GI Metropolitan H. at Belmont June 6. The 6-year-old was last seen speeding home to a decisive victory in the GIII Belmont Sprint Championship S. at this distance July 4.

Private Zone hails from the family of Canadian champion Chief Bearhart (Chief’s Crown) and GISW Explosive Red (Explodent). His dam’s last foal was a colt by Agnes Gold (Jpn), who is now a 2-year-old and has yet to race.

Saturday, Saratoga
PRIORITY ONE JETS FOREGO S.-GI, $700,000, SAR, 8-29, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:21.09, ft.
1–PRIVATE ZONE, 124, g, 6, by Macho Uno
1st Dam: Auburn Beauty, by Siphon (Brz)
2nd Dam: Sundown Serenade, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Amelia Bearhart, by Bold Hour
($15,000 Ylg ’10 KEESEP). O-Good Friends Stable
LLC; B-Adena Springs (ON); T-Jorge Navarro;
J-Martin A. Pedroza. $375,000. Lifetime Record: Ch.
Imp. 2yo-Pan, MSW-Pan, 30-10-8-3, $2,608,120.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”bred-raised-sold-adena”][bullet ad=”ontario-bred”] 2–The Big Beast, 118, c, 4, Yes It’s True–V V S
Flawless, by Deputy Minister. ($32,000 Ylg ’12
KEESEP; $150,000 2yo ’13 OBSAPR). O-Alex &
JoAnn Lieblong; B-Green Willow Farms (MD);
T-Anthony W. Dutrow. $130,000.[bullet ad=”stevelongtbreds-yrlgpurchase”][bullet ad=”endswell-shell”][bullet ad=”maryland-shell”] 3–Viva Majorca, 118, g, 4, Tiago–Quick Town, by
Cape Town. O/B-Marylou Whitney Stables LLC (KY);
T-Ian R. Wilkes. $70,000.[bullet ad=”bradshaw-randy-shell”] Margins: 3 3/4, HD, 3/4. Odds: 1.60, 3.60, 32.50.
Also Ran: Wildcat Red, Salutos Amigos, Tamarkuz, Falling Sky, Den’s Legacy, Race Day, Run for Logistics, Takajo, Bourbon Courage. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.