Ice Box pointed toward the Classic by trainer Nicholas Zito
Robert V. LaPenta’s 4-year-old colt Ice Box hasn’t won a race since 20 March, 2010, when he bagged the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park over at 1 1/8 miles under jockey J Lezcano on dirt as he defeated Pleasant Prince and Rule to cover the distance
in 1 minute and 49.19 seconds.
Nicholas Zito trained was then expected to make a big impact in the biggest race of the spring/summer season of 2010, the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, which if wasn’t for a rough ride, Ice Box would have topped Super Saver to win it.
Little did his connections know that he will not turn in a performance like that in his coming races. Ice Box raced 4 races after the 2010 edition of the Kentucky Derby and finished 8th in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, 6th in the Grade
1 Haskell Invitational, 8th in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes and 5th in the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup.
With a new year and a new season, Ice Box’s connections hoped that he would at least start the 2011 season the way he kicked off the 2010 season.
3rd in an allowance race in the 2011 season opener was the best he was going to get, as he finished 6th in the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga on 3 September, 2011, under his regular ride J Lezcano.
Havre de Grace, the lone filly in the lineup wrapped up the Woodward Stakes, which was 1 1/8 miles and she covered it in 1 minute and 49.18 seconds.
It was a tough task once again, when he pointed toward the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. With C Nakatani aboard Ice Box wilted over at 1 ¼ miles and finishing way behind the winner Flat out in seventh place.
The son of Pulpit, out of Spice Island by Tabasco Cat, Ice Box is pointed toward another big grade 1 race, run over at 1 ¼ miles the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic against some tough competition, but he did finish second in the Kentucky Derby and he seems
to like Churchill Downs, and if he decides go al out, who knows it could turn out be the long shots show.
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