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Jersey Derby Winner Vanzzy Returns To Monmouth For Red Bank Stakes

After seeing Vanzzy run one of the better races of his career in winning last year's Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park, trainer Michael Pino is hoping to recapture some of that magic when he sends the colt out in Saturday's $150,000 Red Bank Stakes.

Now a 4-year-old, Vanzzy heads into the one-mile grass race that serves as the feature on Monmouth Park's 12-race card off two solid efforts to start his 2021 campaign.

“He was a little unlucky in his first start of the year (a third-place finish at Pimlico on July 11),” said Pino. “He threw a shoe in the paddock and got a little too keyed up. After he broke he wanted to run off with the rider and never settled at all.

“But he ran well all things considered and then came back and won his second time out (at Delaware Park on July 31) despite some trouble.”

Pino said the son of Verrazano “is a stronger horse this year.”

He will have to be Saturday, despite the short field. Among the six entered for the turf are the Mark Casse-trained Proven Strategies, who comes off a strong third-place finish in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup at Woodbine on July 18, and the Chad Brown-trained Value Proposition, listed as the 4-5 morning line favorite. Value Proposition ships in from New York for the race, with Paco Lopez listed to ride.

“Mark Casse's horse has speed but Vanzzy should be forwardly placed,” said Pino. “Obviously, Chad Brown's horse off the numbers looks like the horse to beat in the race. But you've got to run against that kind every now and then.

“Vanzzy is definitely a more mature horse this year and a stronger horse. I know we're going to see some strong races out of him. I'm planning and hoping that happens.”

Vanzzy, owned by Smart Angle LLP, has generally held his own through his 14-race career, with five wins, a second and a third and career earnings of $280,364. He shows two wins and two thirds in seven turf tries, the most notable being at a mile and a sixteenth in the 2020 Jersey Derby last year.

Pino has also entered Bird King in the race, with the 4-year-old gelding looking to make his turf debut after 16 dirt races.

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Verrazano’s Chi Town Lady Takes the Bolton Landing

Chi Town Lady outslugged her stablemate Poppy Flower late to take her record to two-for-two in Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. A debut winner at Keeneland Apr. 11, she was given a 5-1 chance in this black-type bow. Last at the break, the chestnut swiftly moved up the outside to be third as her barnmate clocked a first quarter in :22.43. Poppy Flower turned for home in front with Chi Town Lady ranging up on her outside. It was a battle of the wesley Ward-trained chestnuts in the lane with Chi Town Lady forging clear in the final strides to score.

“They both ran great races,” Ward said. “I think she [Chi Town Lady] is better on the grass, it's where she was always meant to be. Unfortunately, she had some minor shin issues that kept her from Ascot, which was originally the plan. It afforded me the time to let her come around and she did what she did today. She was great.”

The winner is the 15th black-type winner for her sire Verrazano. She is also the 31st stakes winner out of a daughter of the late Harlan's Holiday. Toni's Hollyday is also responsible for a yearling colt by Mendelssohn and a 2021 colt by Liam's Map. She was bred back to champion Game Winner.

Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

BOLTON LANDING S., $120,000, Saratoga, 8-18, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:05.87, yl.
1–CHI TOWN LADY, 122, f, 2, by Verrazano
1st Dam: Toni's Hollyday (SP, $119,047), by Harlan's Holiday
                2nd Dam: May Day Vow, by Broken Vow
                3rd Dam: May Day Bluff, by Pine Bluff
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Castleton Lyons; B-Castleton Lyons,
Kilboy Estate & Gavin Tierney (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-John
Velazquez. $66,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $102,000.
2–Poppy Flower, 122, f, 2, Lea–Nisharora (Ire), by Excellent Art
(GB). ($9,500 RNA Ylg '20 KEEJAN). O-Arnmore Thoroughbreds,
LLC; B-Brenda Harding & Megan Jones (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward.
$24,000.
3–Kneesnhips, 122, f, 2, Connect–Miss Holiday Inn, by Tactical     Cat. ($30,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Joel Politi; B-Lantern Hill Farm
LLC (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss. $14,400.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3, HF. Odds: 5.40, 4.80, 12.20.
Also Ran: Stand Up Comic, Derrynane, Charlee O, Flip My Id, Cartel Queen, Fulminate. Scratched: Averly Jane, Golden Bell, Landslid.

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Vanzzy Rises To The Occasion In Jersey Derby

Trainer Michael Pino was pretty sure he had a stakes-caliber grass horse in Vanzzy. Now he's certain of it.

Sitting an ideal trip behind dueling leaders, Vanzzy shot through an opening along the rail coming out of the final turn and powered his way to a 3½-length victory in Sunday's $100,000 Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

After a fourth-place finish and then a third in graded stakes races this year in his first two grass tries, the 3-year-old son of Verrazano–Selva by Forest Wildcat had his turf breakthrough in the 77^th edition of the Jersey Derby.

Paco Lopez, Monmouth Park's runaway riding leader, rode the winner, who paid $7.20 in the field of seven. Time for the mile and a sixteenth over a turf course listed as firm was 1:42.30.

“A perfect trip. A great ride by Paco (Lopez),” said Pino. “This horse needs that kind of trip. He's a little antsy early. I was real happy with the ride, real happy with the trip and he punched away like he's getting better. This was his best race yet.

“You can see he is getting better with each race, especially when we can get him to settle like we did.”

Lopez, who said he had the option of taking the lead or settling in with the versatile Vanzzy opted for the latter. He was on the rail, alternating between third and fourth as longshots Island Commish and Bye Bye Melvin dueled through a half in :49.41 and reached the mile together in 1:36.46.

With three horses fanned across the track coming out of the final turn, Lopez found an opening along the rail and Vanzzy exploded through it. Bye Bye Melvin held for second, three-quarters of a length behind the late-running Iris Mias.

“I think you can say that was a perfect trip for this horse,” Lopez said. “Mike left it up to me, but he said this horse can be on the lead if you need him to be. The turf course isn't really fast. It's a little soft. I was just so comfortable with him being on the rail and following horses. I just had to wait for the chance to move.

“You have to make a split-second decision coming out of the turn. Sometimes the rail is open, sometimes it's not. This time it was open for me so I took it. He really responded when he got through and was able to run.”

Owned by Daniel M. Ryan, Vanzzy posted his fourth victory in nine career starts, boosting his lifetime earnings to $232,726.

Pino said the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs was the next possible destination for Vanzzy.

“We'll play it by ear,” Pino said. “He has become a real solid horse.”

Racing resumes at Monmouth Park with a six-race twilight card on Friday night. First race post time is 5 p.m.

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