On the Saturday work tab at Belmont Park was Grade 1 winner and classic-placed Zandon, who has not raced since finishing fourth in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) Dec. 3 at Aqueduct.
The son of Upstart, trained by Chad Brown for owner Jeff Drown, had worked consistently at Payson Park Training Center in Florida since February before shipping north to record a half-mile in :48.44 Saturday over the Belmont main track. It was the second-fastest of 49 recorded works for that distance.
Brown said Zandon could target the $175,000 Westchester (G3) on May 5 at Belmont, a race that could also see the Brown-trained New York-bred stakes-winner Dr Ardito make his next appearance.
“He's doing fine and he's nominated to the Westchester, so we'll see,” Brown said of Zandon. “It looks like he's training good towards [his next start].”
Zandon has a 2-3-3 record from nine career starts that include victory in last year's Toyota Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland and third-place finishes in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Travers (G1).
In addition to Zandon and Dr. Ardito, the Westchester is also likely to attract a salty field with graded stakes winners White Abbario, Repo Rocks, and Weyburn among the possible contenders along with the graded stakes-placed Expressman.
Brown, who has won the training title at the past seven Belmont spring/summer meetings, including last year with a record 47 wins, appears poised for another strong showing at this year's meet with a host of horses pointing towards stakes engagements.
The post Grade 1 Winner Zandon Could Target Westchester appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
