Out of Luck Zagora seeks her first win for trainer Chad Brown in the Diana Stakes at Saratoga
The daughter of Green Tune, the 4-year-old filly, Zagora, is considered to be among the favourites for the $500,000, Grade 1 Diana Stakes at Saratoga on 30 July, 2011.
Though the competition makes the field a lot more open, its funny how Zagora’s trainer, Chad Brown, talked about luck while giving his view about the race.
Luck has eluded Zagora ever since she got to U.S.A from France. Before joining owner Martin Schwartz, the chestnut filly has had a Group 3 winner for her previous owners, but since joining Brown’s barn the filly has been as unlucky as Friday the 13th.
Zagora has 3 starts this year, with a single start last year in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on 16 October, 2010.
It was a race for 3-year-old fillies, run on turf, at a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong firm.
Among 7 other fillies, Zagora under jockey J R Leparoux broke in a reluctant manner and settled in last, with 2 furlongs to go Leparoux shook up Zagora and got her under a strong drive.
1 ½ furlong to go , the filly was still last, a little more urging from the jockey and Zagora responded in fine style, made up for the lost ground as she made a last surge to go past 6 fillies and finished second 4 ½ lengths behind Harmonious.
Her 2011 debut was the most frustrating race for Zagora and her connections at Tampa Bay Downs, when she ran in the Grade 3 Hillsborough over at a distance of 1 1/8 miles on turf.
The race unfolded on 12 March, 2011, 9 fillies and mares were up against each other to grab the 1 mile and 1 furlong event.
Zagora under R A Dominguez broke well and maintained a steady pace around about the quarter pole.
Ran a pretty good race with a furlong to go the famous surge came about, but the leader Denomination kept the filly at bay to lose by a mere neck.
Second for the season was also a finish on the card race for Zagora, as she finished third in the Grade 3 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland on 16 April, 2011, finishing 2 ¾ lengths behind the winner, Never Retreat.
Her recent racing endeavour was at Belmont Park, where Zagora again finished second on a field of 6 fillies and mares, in the Grade 2 New York Stakes on 25 June, 2011, run at a distance of 1 ¼ miles turf.
Trainer Graham Motion is launching his pair consisting of Aruna and Unbridled Humor, the latter been perfect in her last four starts for the trainer.
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