Private Zone a narrow repeater in Vosburgh

Private Zone became the first back-to-back winner of the Vosburgh in nearly a quarter-century (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) Private Zone became just the fourth back-to-back winner of the Grade 1, $400,000 Vosburgh on Saturday with a determined victory over Carter Handicap victor Dads Caps in the six-furlong dash at Belmont Park. A stalking second to Happy My way through an opening quarter in :22 2/5, Private Zone kicked clear of that rival to lead by a length after a half in :44 4/5. In the stretch, the son of Macho Uno was hooked by 15-1 chance Dads Caps, who appeared to poke his nose in front inside the final sixteenth, but Private Zone re-rallied to score by a neck in a time of 1:08 4/5 over a fast track. “He’s a warrior,” said jockey Martin Pedroza. “He’s a great competitor. He doesn’t like to get beat. Once he looks a horse in the eyeball he just gains confidence. I haven’t been on a horse as game as this horse in 30 years.”

Sent off at 5-1 Private Zone returned $13.80 and joined Hall of Famer Dr.
Fager (1967-68), Sewickley (1989-90), and inaugural winner Joe Schenck (1940-41)
as a winner of consecutive Vosburghs.

Dads Caps was 1 1/2 lengths clear of 6-5 favorite Palace, who was a neck
ahead of Salutos Amigos. Coup de Grace, Happy My Way, Ribo Bobo and Zee Bros
completed the order of finish.

This was the second start of the year for Private Zone, who was a rallying
fourth in the September 1 Turf Monster Handicap at Parx in his turf debut. He’s
owned by Good Friends Stable, a partnership that includes former jockey Rene
Douglas.

“They didn’t want to ship (Private Zone) back to California (after he ran at
Parx Racing),” said Alfredo Velazquez, who saddled Private Zone for the first
time Saturday. “I’ve trained for some of (the owners) before and Rene Douglas is
the best friend I’ve got. They decided to leave the horse with me to run in this
race. If he ran good, they were going to go back to the Breeders’ Cup (Sprint).
I don’t know if I’m going to keep him or if they’re going to send him back to
(Doug O’Neill). He did a good job with the horse.”

Besides his two wins in the Vosburgh, Private Zone also registered a victory
in the $105,000 Pirate’s Bounty at Del Mar in 2013. An imported champion in
Panama at age two, he also owns Grade 1 placings in the 2013 Cigar Mile Handicap
and 2012 Malibu. Other graded placings occurred in the 2013 Palos Verdes and
2012 Vernon O. Underwood. His record now stands at 23-6-7-1, $921,820.

Bred in Ontario by Adena Springs, the $15,000 Keeneland September yearling is
the first foal produced by the unraced Siphon mare Auburn Beauty.

The five-year-old gelding’s third dam was Amelia Bearhart, who reared U.S.
and Canadian grass champion Chief Bearhart, Grade 1 winner Explosive Red and the
stakes-winning Ruby Ransom. The latter produced multiple Grade 2 winner Strut
the Stage and multiple Group 3 queen Sacred Song.

This is the extended family of breed-changing sire Mr. Prospector.

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