At Belmont Park on Thursday, the Nick Zito-trained pair of BRAVE VICTORY
(Lion Heart) and MINER’S ESCAPE (Mineshaft) breezed a half-mile in company in
advance of the June 6 Belmont S. (G1). Under the watchful eye of their Hall of
Fame horseman, Brave Victory clocked :48.55 and Miner’s Escape finished up in
:48.56. The works were, respectively, the fourth- and fifth-fastest of 23 at the
distance on the fast main track.
Brave Victory, third in the Peter Pan S. (G2) at Belmont last time out, was
ridden by Eddie Cruz, while jockey Jose Lezcano guided Miner’s Escape, who exits
a 4 1/2-length score in the Federico Tesio S. at Pimlico.
“Brave Victory is a better work horse than the other horse,” said Zito, who
has named Rajiv Maragh to ride in the Belmont. “Brave Victory has always been an
exceptional work horse. Miner’s Escape has never been a good work horse, ever,
but that’s OK.
“I told Jose that (Miner’s Escape) is kind of quirky, mentally. Most
Mineshafts are. They could be tough to train, but we’re willing to take the time
with them. And it looks to me like (Brave Victory) will go the distance.”
Zito, who first won the 1 1/2-mile Belmont in 2004 with Birdstone, scored a
major upset in the “Test of the Champion” last year with Da’ Tara (Tiznow). Like
Da’ Tara, Brave Victory and Miner’s Escape are owned by Robert LaPenta.
Zito has saddled a total of 20 horses in the third jewel of the Triple Crown.
He has finished second six times and third three times, including Anak Nakal’s
(Victory Gallop) dead-heat for third last year.
“We’ve done well in the Belmont, been consistent, so why not,” he said. “I
don’t have Secretariat with these two, but I don’t have to. You never know. MINE
THAT BIRD (Birdstone) is definitely the horse to beat, no one can say he’s not.
Anyway, there will be a lot of birds.”
Miner’s Escape and Brave Victory could be joined in the Belmont by another
Zito horse, NOWHERE TO HIDE (Vindication), who was 17th in the Kentucky Derby
(G1).
Besides the Zito trio and Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness (G1) runner-up
Mine That Bird, others who could line up in the Belmont are Preakness queen
RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d’Oro), Peter Pan hero CHARITABLE MAN (Lemon Drop
Kid), Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up CHOCOLATE CANDY (Candy Ride [Arg]),
Florida Derby (G1) runner-up DUNKIRK (Unbridled’s Song), Lane’s End S. (G2)
runner-up FLYING PRIVATE (Fusaichi Pegasus) and his stablemate LUV GOV (Ten Most
Wanted), Santa Anita Derby third MR. HOT STUFF (Tiznow) and Arkansas Derby (G2)
third SUMMER BIRD (Birdstone).