Ziaerati breezed a half-mile in company in :50.89 Saturday over the Belmont dirt training track in preparation for Saturday's 200,000 Busher, a one-turn mile for sophomore fillies that offers 50-20-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points to the top five finishers.
Trained and co-owned by Robert Falcone Jr. in partnership with John Grossi's Racing Corp., the Into Mischief bay was piloted in the breeze by Trevor McCarthy, who is expected to return from injury and ride for the first time since November 18 on Friday at Aqueduct.
“She worked good. She went in company with an older horse,” Falcone said. “She went real smooth and could have gone a lot faster if we let her. I told Trevor to let her gallop out and as soon as he let his hands down at the wire, she took off and had a really big gallop out.”
Ziaerati was an impressive gate-to-wire winner on debut under Dylan Davis, annexing a field of six on January 15 here in a seven-furlong maiden special weight by 8 1/4 lengths. The runner-up of that event, Promiseher America, returned to win a one-mile maiden event by 6 1/4-lengths on February 19.
“She won the first time out so easily and so impressively. I'm excited to see her in stakes company,” Falcone said.
McCarthy will pick up the mount for the Busher.
“He's a smart rider and a strong rider and it's good to have him back,” Falcone said.
Bred in Kentucky by Whitehorse Stable, Ziaerati is out of the stakes-placed Munnings mare Zia and was purchased by Grossi for $145,000 at the OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training.
The post ‘I’m Excited To See Her In Stakes Company’: Sharp Debut Winner Ziaerati On Target For Saturday’s Busher appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
