Paynter pointed toward the Illinois Derby after impressive maiden win
Among the wide range of sophomore colt’s Bob Baffert has at his disposal, the list seems to go up every time, as owners feel comfortable with his techniques and methods to groom their 3-year-old runners in the most crucial part of their racing careers.
Bob Baffert with Secret Circle, one of the hot Derby prospects, simply cannot run the large string of 3-year-old horses he has at his stable in the Derby, though he would love to, but some are those who have debuted their racing career at the start of 2012,
and its seldom that a colt that debut’s his racing career in the same year as the Triple Crown goes on to win the prestigious race.
So, there will be few, who will aim for something as big as the Triple Crown, the Breeders’ Cup which would be perfect for 3-year-old colts, which have started their racing career this year.
Among those is the Zayat Stables owned, Paynter, who recently broke his maiden at first asking in an impressive way over the Santa Anita Park’s dirt course on 18 February, 2012.
The Kentucky bred went all out in his debut race as he downed, Gophari, by a convincing margin of 4 ¼ lengths, and covered the five and a half furlong distance in 1 minute and 2.98 seconds.
Owner Ahmed Zayat has said, that the son of Awesome Again, out of mare Tizso by Cee’s Tizzy, Paynter will make his next start in the Grade 2 Illinois Derby on 7 April, 2012. Ahmed Zayat also said that they are not planning to put him on the Derby trail,
it will be one race at a time thing with him, and if he does well than plans can unfold for the sophomore colt.
Zayat said, “We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. He is doing super and we feel he could be any kind. Right now we are pointing for the Illinois Derby. After that, we’ll let the horse tell us.”
Ahmed Zayat has twice finished second in the Kentucky Derby in 2009 with Pioneerof and last year with Nehro, and this year the owner has Bodemeister, a fast developing colt, who finished second in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes and the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes
second place finisher, Z Dager.
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