Zito’s Birdstone Doesn’t Look Ready for the Derby

Those who believed the Kentucky Derby picture was fuzzy before are even more confused after prep races in Kentucky and New York on Saturday.

The biggest loser was trainer Nick Zito. Birdstone, arguably the best of his supposed three contenders for the Derby, was fifth as the 3-5 favorite in the day’s richest race, the $500,000 Lane’s End at Turfway Park. Sinister G, a shipper from New York who was making his graded stakes debut, went wire to wire at 16-1 on a wet day in Florence, Ky.

A race earlier, the Zito-trained El Prado Rob, part of an entry that was 3-5, finished a well-beaten fourth in the $100,000 Rushaway, which was won by 38-1 shot Brass Hat, who entered a maiden and had lost against $15,000 claimers in his debut at Turfway Park on Jan. 29.

Meanwhile, in New York, Saratoga County, who had finished second and third in two sprint stakes earlier in the year at Gulfstream Park, stretched out to a mile and easily won the $200,000 Gotham at Aqueduct.

Ridden by Javier Castellano for owner Evelyn Pollard and trainer George Weaver, the 3-year-old Valid Expectations colt and 9-2 shot beat 9-1 outsider Pomeroy by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:35.53. Eddington, the 13-10 favorite who had won two in a row in Florida, was third.

Successful in three of four starts before Saturday, including a victory in the Champagne last fall at Belmont Park, Birdstone lost by nearly 11 lengths under jockey Jerry Bailey.

Zito was quick with an excuse, questioning the wisdom of track management to seal the track before the Lane’s End.

“It wasn’t raining then, but it’s raining now,� he said. “He got shuffled back and was mired down on the inside. He just didn’t run.�

Owned in partnership by trainer John Toscano and ridden by his son Paul, Sinister G won for the third time in eight starts, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.71 while beating 54-1 shot Tricky Taboo by 1 1/2 lengths.

“Our original plan was the Rushaway, but Randy Wehman [Turfway’s stakes coordinator] talked us into going here,� John Toscano said. “I knew Birdstone was a really good horse and I don’t know why he ran so poorly.

“Paul’s always had confidence in this horse. He said if he ever got his act together, we would have fun with this horse. This is a great feeling.�

Second in his first two starts, Brass Hat was dominant in the Rushaway, winning by 3 3/4 lengths over 7-2 second choice Tales Of Glory. Jason Lumpkins rode the 3-year-old Prized colt for owner Fred Bradley and his son, trainer Buff Bradley.

“He was doing well and it was his home track, so we decided to run,� Bradley said. “He looked like he was improving.�

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Things stayed more to form in Arkansas, where Smarty Jones remained unbeaten in five starts with a decisive victory in the $200,000 Rebel.

The 3-year-old Elusive Quality colt has plenty of detractors because his pedigree says he has little chance of getting the Kentucky Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles, but all the Pennsylvania-bred does is win.

Owned and bred by Someday Farm and trained by John Servis, Smarty Jones, the 7-2 third choice, won in 1:42.07 for the 1 1/16 miles. Stewart Elliott was the winning rider.

Purge, who had won his first two starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, was second, 3 1/4 lengths behind the winner after setting the pace. Pro Prado, part of an entry with Proper Prado, finished third.

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Meteor Storm, a 7-1 shot, got the waiting ride he prefers and won the $200,000 San Luis Rey Handicap at Santa Anita.

A close fourth in last month’s San Luis Obispo after setting the pace, the 5-year-old, English-bred ran the 1 1/2 miles on turf in 2:26.03. Jose Valdivia Jr., who ended a 73-race losing streak locally on Friday, rode the winner for Wally Dollase, who trains Meteor Storm for owners Michael Jarvis, Gary Margolis and Kevin Smole.

Labirinto, the 4-1 second choice, was a neck back in second and 33-1 shot Gene de Campeao was third. Puerto Banus, the 5-2 favorite, finished fifth.