Louisiana Derby Runner-Up Zozos Tunes Up for Kentucky Derby 148

Apr 08, 2022

Barray and Joni
Butzow’s Zozos returned to the work tab for the first time since his
runner-up effort behind Epicenter in the $1 million TwinSpires.com
Louisiana Derby (Grade II) on March 26 with an easy half-mile move in :48 early
Friday morning at Churchill Downs.

         
With exercise rider Kelvin Perez in the saddle, Zozos began his 5:30
a.m. workout in a rather leisurely opening quarter-mile of :25. Zozos increased
his speed to the wire and completed the final quarter in :23 and galloped out
five furlongs in 1:00.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

         
“It was a good first work back after the Louisiana Derby,” trainer Brad Cox
said. “He came out of the race in great shape and I think got a lot out of
finishing second. He really finished up well in today’s work.”

         
Named after a restaurant in the Virgin Islands, Zozos broke his maiden in
January at Fair Grounds and returned against first-level allowance competition
for an emphatic 10 ¼-length score. The sun of Munnings finished 2 ½ lengths
back of Epicenter in the Louisiana Derby after getting pressured for much of
the early pace.

         
Zozos is one of three Kentucky Derby contenders for Cox. He’s also scheduled to
run Gold Square’s $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (GI) winner Cyberknife
and Peachtree Stable’s $600,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) runner-up Tawny
Port.

All three of
Cox’s Derby contenders are stabled in Barn 22 at Churchill Downs.

 

DOWN THE STRETCH – Teruya
Yoshida’s $1 million UAE Derby (GII) winner Crown Pride (JPN)
jogged in the one-mile chute before galloping 1 ½ miles Friday at Churchill
Downs with exercise rider Masafumi Matsuda in the saddle. He’ll remain
stabled in Churchill Downs’ quarantine facility through the Kentucky Derby. …
Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter galloped about 1 ½ miles at 6:15 a.m.
with exercise rider Roberto Howell aboard. The Not This Time colt is
scheduled to work Sunday. … $1 million Blue Grass (GI) contenders Smile
Happy and Rattle N Roll returned to Churchill Downs on Wednesday and
are stabled in Kenny McPeek’s Barn 6. … “Inside Churchill Downs”
will begin its eighth season on ESPN Louisville’s ESPN 680/105.7
on Friday at 6 p.m. Those outside the Louisville radio market can listen live
online at www.espnlouisville.com or
via podcast on the station’s website.