Private Zone sizzles in Cigar Mile

Private Zone left his Cigar Mile rivals in the dark (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) Good Friends Stable LLC’s Private Zone flashed speed at the start and drew off impressively through the stretch in Saturday’s Grade 1, $753,750 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct, winning by five lengths with jockey Martin Pedroza. The five-year-old gelding nearly stole last year’s Cigar on the lead, finishing second to Flat Out, and continued to run his best races in New York. Private Zone has captured the last two editions of the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont Park. He’s run well in California, earning a listed stakes tally at Del Mar and a pair of Grade 1 placings, including a third in the November 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, but his affinity for the Empire State can’t be denied. The one-mile Cigar marked Private Zone’s first career victory past seven furlongs. Trained by Alfredo Marquez, the bay son of Macho Uno established splits of :22 and :44 on a 1 1/2-length lead and widened his advantage leaving the far turn, cruising home much the best as he completed the one-turn event in 1:34 1/5 on the fast main track.

“The fractions didn’t bother me because he was doing it
easy,” Velazquez said. “When I saw :44 (for the half), I said, ‘They’re going to have
to come and get it.’ (The break) was very important because of the track.
Everything inside today was running.

“He was great,” the Pennsylvania-based trainer added. “That
was the way I was expecting him to run because he was training super. I worked
him here the other day and it was (the slowest) track I have ever seen, and he
worked 1:01 and 4/5.”

Private Zone paid $11.60 to win as the 9-2 fourth choice.
Secret Circle, the 5-2 favorite, chased in second most the way and held the
silver spot by a neck over the late-running Bourbon Courage in third.

“He ran great,” said Secret Circle’s jockey, Joel Rosario. “When I came out of the gate, he kind of stumbled a little bit, but he
recovered really quickly. He does everything so easily. I can’t believe the
horse on the lead just kept on going. I was trying to track him and stay with
him, but he was in command the whole way.”

Bred in Ontario by Adena Springs, Private Zone sold for
$15,000 as a 2010 Keeneland September yearling and is out of the Siphon mare
Auburn Beauty. This is the immediate female family of champion turf horse Chief
Bearhart.

With the $450,000 payday, Private Zone has now earned
$1,521,820 from his 25-7-7-2 career record.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com