Zivo takes Kings Point; Farhaan battles to Stymie victory

Zivo earned his second straight Aqueduct stakes victory in the Kings Point (NYRA/Joe Labozzetta/Adam Coglianese Photography)

As is becoming the custom with Zivo, the five-year-old uncoiled a nerve-wracking, last-to-first rally on Saturday
at Aqueduct to take the $100,000
Kings Point for New York-breds in a photo over longshots Sinistra and
Beautyinthepulpit.

Taking up his usual position at the back of the pack, the
late-running son of True Direction loped along behind the pacesetting Comandante,
who led the field through splits of :24 4/5 for a quarter-mile and :49 2/5
for the half.

After six furlongs in 1:14 1/5, Zivo was caught in behind a wall of
horses, forcing jockey Abel Castellano Jr. to make a decision between ducking
to the inside or going out even wider into the track. Castellano chose the
latter and his mount did the rest, kicking in strongly to get up in the final
jumps, despite being last at the eighth-pole.

“I was concerned at the top of the stretch that I wouldn’t
be able to get out,” Castellano admitted, “but when I did, I was confident in my
horse. I talked with (trainer Chad Brown) and we were on the same page. In the
last sixteenth, he gave me a great kick.”

Owned by Thomas Coleman, the win marked Zivo’s third straight and boosted his career bankroll to $350,100
to go along with a 12-6-2-4 career record. The bay horse completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46
3/5 and returned $5.50
as the 8-5 second choice.

Farhaan gutted out the win in the Stymie (NYRA/Chelsea Durand/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Later on Aqueduct’s Saturday in the rescheduled
Stymie, Farhaan picked up his second straight stakes score
by outkicking a stubborn Percussion in deep stretch to win
the 59th running of the $100,000 contest by a neck.

Farhaan bided his time in third behind 3-2 favorite Percussion and 2-1 second
pick Mail as they opened up eight lengths and dueled through an opening
quarter mile in :24 and a half in :48 2/5. The five-year-old bay son of Jazil began closing the gap
as the field of five headed into the far turn and, as Mail beginning to fade,
jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. sent Farhaan into a short lead over Percussion
approaching the quarter-pole. The favorite was stubborn, though, and refused to buckle
as the pair battled in very tight quarters to the wire, with Farhaan prevailing in the final
strides.

Jockey Christopher DeCarlo, aboard Percussion, claimed foul
and there was a stewards’ inquiry into the stretch run, but the order of finish
remain unchanged.

“It was very tight, but I think they made the right
decision,” said Art Magnuson, assistant to winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.
“(Trainer) Todd (Pletcher)’s horse (Percussion) ran very, very gamely. He had to withstand pressure
early and then fight us off. Our horse has really grown up. We’re very excited
about him.”