Za Approval finishes fast in Red Bank

Za Approval garnered his second consecutive graded stakes win on turf (Ryan Denver/Equi-Photo) Live Oak Plantation’s homebred Za Approval rallied boldly in the final furlongs to capture Saturday’s Grade 3, $111,000 Red Bank at Monmouth Park. Winner of the March 30 Appleton in his previous start, the Christophe Clement-trained gelding rewarded his backers as the 4-5 favorite, scoring by nearly a length with jockey Joe Bravo. Two Notch Road sprinted to the fore after the break, establishing early splits in :23 2/5 and :47 2/5 on a short lead as Za Approval patiently bided his time near the back of the 11-horse field. Tune Me In was tracking the pacesetter in second and advanced to challenge on the far turn, taking a short lead from Two Notch Road at the top of the stretch.

Za Approval started making headway along the inside on the final bend, but he
was still eighth, about six lengths back, as Tune Me In reached the
three-quarters mark in 1:10 3/5. The gray responded to the urgings of Bravo
after straightening for home, accelerating quickly through traffic, and powered
past rivals late to win going away.

The five-year-old completed a mile in 1:34 2/5 on the firm turf.

“It’s really cool to ride an old pro like this horse,” Bravo said. “He just
gave me the impression that he was in control the whole time. I was just waiting
for a place to go and he did the rest.”

Za Approval paid $3.80, $3 and $2.80.

Tune Me In, the 18-1 seventh choice, saved second by a nose over Bad Debt,
who closed fast at 38-1. It was another half-length back to fourth-placer
Sleepless Knight, who was followed by Two Notch Road, Admiral Perry, Mezzano,
Monument Hill, Finale, Hobbs and Javerre. Utley was scratched and main-track
only Ruler on Ice stayed in the barn.

A Kentucky-bred son of Ghostzapper, Za Approval is out of the winning With
Approval mare Win Approval, which makes him a half-brother to 2006 champion turf
male Miesque’s Approval and the Grade 2-winning Revved Up.

The gelding broke his maiden in September 2011 and spent all of 2012 in the
allowance ranks, winning twice at Gulfstream and Belmont Park. After a third
allowance score at Gulfstream on January 5, he faced stakes company for the
first time in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf in late February, where he finished a
solid fourth, two lengths behind Data Link.

Za Approval followed with a
hard-charging triumph in the aforementioned Grade 3 Appleton and has now earned $302,165 from a 13-6-3-0 career mark.

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