Belmont Stakes hero Jazil already had four winners in his first crop, but his first
winner in the continental United States came on Saturday when Perdido Pass
prevailed in the
1ST
race at Churchill Downs. A homebred racing for Shadwell’s Rick Nichols, the bay
colt stalked early, put his head in front turning for home and drew off by 2 3/4
lengths with Jesus Castanon. The Dan Peitz juvenile, who was available for a
$30,000 tag, completed the 1 1/16-mile event in 1:47 4/5 on the fast track.
Jazil’s most prominent winner so far races in England — Farhaan, successful
in both a Newmarket maiden and a Salisbury conditions race, and fifth in the
Group 2 Royal Lodge. Lawn Jamil also scored in England, while Compressor won in
Puerto Rico and Asligibi got her sire off the mark in Turkey.
Jazil raced for three seasons, beginning his career in New York finishing
sixth and second before finally breaking his maiden by a head at Aqueduct.
Second in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial and a dead-heat fourth in the Kentucky
Derby, he recorded his biggest in the 2006 Belmont.
The Belmont would actually be his final start as a sophomore, as the Kiaran
McLaughlin trainee suffered an injury to his right hind cannon bone following
the third jewel of the Triple Crown. He returned to action with a pair of
runner-up efforts at Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park prior to an unplaced run in
the Grade 3 Elkhorn at Keeneland, which was his only start on turf.
Jazil’s Belmont victory came one year before his half-sister and Grade 1 Kentucky
Oaks winner Rags to Riches conquered that same race en route to
an Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old filly. The siblings are out of Grade
2 victress and Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour and
also count as half-brothers Grade 2 hero Casino Drive and 2009
Breeders’ Cup Marathon scorer Man of Iron. Better Than Honour
has since produced yearling and weanling fillies, both by Street Cry.
Jazil counts as his second dam multiple Grade 1 queen Blush With Pride, who captured the 1982 Kentucky Oaks prior to heading to
the breeding shed and producing two group winners, Better Than Honour and Group
1-placed Maryinsky, the dam of four-time Group 1 heroine
Peeping Fawn and Group 1 victor Thewayyouare.
Jazil’s third dam is 1982 Broodmare of the Year Best in Show (Traffic Judge).
This is the same family as champion/highweight sires El Gran Senor, Try My Best
and Xaar.
Jazil, an eight year-old son of Seeking the Gold, currently stands for a $7,500 live foal fee at Shadwell Farm near
Lexington, Kentucky.