4/3/05
Last updated: 4/2/05 8:06 PM
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High Fly was on top of a 1-2 Zito finish in the Florida Derby
(Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com) |
Live Oak’s homebred HIGH FLY (Atticus) made the lead in upper stretch and was
in complete control the rest of the way, winning Saturday’s $1 million
Florida
Derby (G1) by 1 1/2 lengths over stablemate Noble Causeway (Giant’s Causeway).
Winner of the Fountain of Youth (G2) in his previous start, the chestnut colt
became the fourth three-year-old to win three stakes during the meet and gave
trainer Nick Zito, who had started 16 previous starters, his first Florida Derby
victory. High Fly improved his lifetime mark to 6-5-0-1, with $897,300 in
earnings, when finishing the 54th running of the fast 1 1/8-mile race in 1:49
2/5.
Ridden by Jerry Bailey, High Fly closely tracked B. B. Best (Yes It’s True) in
second through splits of :22 4/5, :45 4/5 and 1:09 4/5. He easily overhauled the
pacesetter leaving the far turn, completing a mile in 1:36, and was never
seriously threatened to the wire. Fellow Zito trainee Noble Causeway, who was
making his stakes bow, saved ground in midpack before angling off the rail on
the far turn and rallied to a prominent position in upper stretch. However, he
couldn’t make up ground on the leader in the final furlong and settled for
second, two lengths clear of B. B. Best.
Favored at 6-5, High Fly paid $4.40, $2.60 and $2.60. The runner-up, who was
sent off as the 3-1 second choice, gave back $3.60 and $2.80, and show was good
for $3.80 at 7-1 odds. The $1 exotics totaled $8.40 (exacta), $32.50 (trifecta)
and $237.60 for the 4-1-2-3 superfecta, which included 26-1 Park Avenue Ball (Citidancer)
in fourth. Mighty Mecke (Mecke), Vicarage (Vicar), Papi Chullo (Comeonmom), Evil
Minister (Deputy Minister) and Wallstreet Scandal (Mt. Livermore) rounded out
the order of finish.
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Out of Grade 1 runner-up Verbasle (Slewpy), the Kentucky-bred winner is a
half-brother to a pair stakes winner by Holy Bull, Estimraar and Smokey Mirage,
and has an unraced juvenile half-bother named Giant Basil (Giant’s Causeway).
His 17-year-old dam produced a colt this year by Seeking the Gold. High Fly
captured the Aventura S. in early January under the tutelage of trainer Bill
White and was transferred to Zito following a third in the Holy Bull S. (G1). He
then captured the Fountain of Youth by three parts of a length.
Zito was very pleased with the performances of both runners.
“These horses both ran really huge. They both showed a lot of courage,” Zito
said. “All the way down the lane I was yelling ‘Show me your heart. Show me your
heart.’ And they did. They both can go a mile and a quarter (the Kentucky Derby
[G1] distance). No question.”
He also commented on a recent illness to High Fly.
“You know a week ago he had a slight temperature. But all week there has been
no humidity and that really helped. God takes care of me.”
Zito said both colts will train up to the Kentucky Derby in five weeks.
