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Spot fetches Swale accolades

Spot is now one-for-one for trainer Nick Zito following the Swale (Leslie Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography) Spot, an unheralded gray gelding making his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito, ran down the heavily favored No Nay Never to post a 9-1 upset of the Grade 2, $200,000 Swale at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Aided by a fast pace of :22 1/5 and :44 2/5 set by Can't Stop the Kid, who held a half-length lead over No Nay Never for the opening half-mile, Spot swooped past the 2-5 favorite in the stretch and drew off to win by 2 1/2 lengths in a time of 1:22 2/5 for seven furlongs on a fast track. Under Jose Lezcano, the son of Pulpit returned $21. No Nay Never, the Wesley Ward trainee who notably gave the U.S. unique wins in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix Morny at Deauville last summer, weakened to second in his first outing since the latter victory in August. He was 1 1/4 lengths clear of Brothersofthetime, who was followed by Prudhoe Bay, Can't Stop the Kid, and Breitling Flyer.

A notable withdrawal from the Swale was Havana, last year's Champagne winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up, who was found to be suffering from a quarter crack Saturday morning.

Runner-up in his debut over Polytrack at Arlington last June, Spot was unplaced in his next two starts over the Arlington turf and the Keeneland Polytrack. He finally earned his first win on October 24 against maiden company at Hawthorne going six furlongs on dirt. He made his three-year-old debut in the Hutcheson on February 1, finishing eight lengths fifth behind subsequent Fountain of Youth winner Wildcat Red.

Acquired by owner Joseph Moss from breeder Curtis Green and trainer Jim DiVito following the Hutcheson, Spot's record now stands at 6-2-1-0, $151,632.

"First, I've got to thank the Lord," Zito said. "Second, I have to thank Mr. (Joseph) Moss. He's an elderly gentleman who loves this sport. He's just looking for horses like this. He's been trying for a two years now. We've got to a couple sales and things haven't worked out. I watched this horse run a month ago, and I know (owner/breeder) Mr. (Curtis) Green very well. I approached him, and he said, 'Why not?' Mr. Moss is getting up there in age and has so much guts, it's amazing.

"I expected improvement. He hadn't run in a while. We got him, and we started to like him. Sometimes they go to a new place and things change. I got goose bumps. "I said, 'Havana will keep the field down, let do it.' That's what I did. I figured he would keep out of trouble, and it worked out perfectly.

"Everybody is saying Kentucky Derby, but I don't know. I wish there were a mile race here. I'll figure it out. You never know. If he keeps his composure, because these are real horses."

Bred in Kentucky, Spot was reared by the Quiet American mare Quiet Summernight, a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Night in Reno. Spot is himself a half-brother to stakes winner Quiet All American. Also hailing from this extended family is the multiple French Group 3 winner Holst.

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