Barry Butzow and Joni Butzow's homebred Zozos made his first start since the Kentucky Derby (G1) a successful one, winning a second-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles on Saturday at Fair Grounds. The lightly raced 3-year-old is trained by Brad Cox.
“I thought his race was really good yesterday,” Cox said Sunday morning. “He came out of it great. I think he's a good colt. He showed us he is graded stakes quality last year being on the Derby trail and finishing second to Epicenter here (in the Louisiana Derby [G2]).”
Settling nicely in fourth along the rail, Zozos tipped out to go four wide through the second turn and responded when asked by Corey Lanerie to pass the game front-running Treasury and pull away under a hand ride to win by 2 3/4 lengths over that foe. Time was 1:44.31 on a fast track.
Zozos returned $3.20.
“I'm thinking he won't go directly into graded stakes company next time, but we'll see what's out there,” Cox said of Zozos, who finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby. “It would be nice to try him back in a 3-other-than (allowance) if the opportunity presents itself, but those races can be tough to fill. I'm thinking about graded stakes at some point, just not sure when we'll get there. The plan is to have a horse all year, so there's no rush.”
The son of Munnings scored a 94 Brisnet Speed Figure.
Cox said he will nominate Zozos to the older males stakes at Fair Grounds: the $150,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) on Jan 21 and the $250,000 Mineshaft (G3) on Feb 18.
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