Za' Seeks New Trainer's 'Approval'

Previously trained by Christophe Clement, the now 7-year-old MGSW Za Approval (Ghostzapper) makes his first start for new trainer Mark Casse today in the GII Fort Lauderdale H., contested at 1 1/16 miles over the Gulfstream Park turf course. Fifth after a troubled trip in Woodbine's GII Nijinsky S. July 19, the Live Oak Plantation homebred returned to his winning ways in Belmont's Real Courage S. Sept. 7 and was a close second last time in Del Mar's GII Seabiscuit H. Nov. 28. Boasting a record of 6-3-2-0 over this turf course, the gray gelding has fired a series of bullets in preparation for this seasonal debut, most recently breezing a best-of-29 half-mile in :49 over the Palm Meadows turf course Jan. 5. Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro) hopes to provide Al Shaqab Racing with their first graded stakes victory on American soil. Winner of the G2 Zabeel Mile last term, the Todd Pletcher pupil was sixth in his U.S. debut in Monmouth's GIII Oceanport S. July 27 and crossed the wire first next out in a Saratoga optional claimer Aug. 30, but was disqualified and placed third for interference. Third next time in Belmont's GIII Knickerbocker S. Oct. 11, the dark bay scored the first U.S. black-type win for his owners in this venue'ss 7 1/2-panel El Prado S. Dec. 13. Mshawish also displays a very speedy worktab in Florida, most recently working a best-of-32 half-mile in :47 2/5 over the Palm Beach Downs main track Jan. 4. “He's always trained well; we just kind of had to fine-tune him a little bit in terms of how he's ridden,” Pletcher said. “He's a European horse that likes to be covered up a bit. He can get a little headstrong when he doesn't get covered up, but we're hoping for a similar setup to what we got last time. I think Javier has gotten to know him a little bit now, so hopefully we can build off that.” Also exiting the El Prado is sixth-place finisher Howe Great (Hat Trick {Jpn}) and seventh-place finisher Fredericksburg (Speightstown). Winner of last term's GI Gulfstream Park Turf H., Crossed Sabres Farm's Lochte (Medaglia d'Oro) captured the course-and-distance The Vid S. Sept. 13 and was second in a Gulfstream Park West allowance next out Oct. 12. The Marcus Vitali trainee was fourth last time there in the turfy 1 1/8-mile GIII Tropical Turf H. Nov. 22. “He's a horse for the course,” Vitali said. “He loves Gulfstream. He loves firm courses. If he likes the course, you're going to see the real Lochte. If he doesn't like it, he won't try.” Kiaran McLaughlin saddles another interesting contender in Shadwell Stable's Mutin (Fr) (Kentucky Dynamite). The bay opened his account with four straight wins in France in 2012 and 2013, and failed to fire in his next four starts in France and Meydan for trainers Jean-Claude Rouget and Michael de Kock, respectively. The 5-year-old captured his American debut for the McLaughlin barn last time in a turfy 1 1/16-mile optional claimer at Aqueduct Nov. 9.