Za Approval finishes fast in Red Bank

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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