Catch the Zito and Abreu Express...

[JohnTChance]

ZITO\'S ANGEL

Trainer Nick Zito\'s barn has suffered ever since stronger barn security measures were put into effect this Spring at Churchill Downs and at the New York area tracks. [So has Mark Hennig\'s barn. Kiaran McLaughlin\'s barn. Others. Long complicated story deleted.]

Ever since Zito\'s well-publicized Kentucky Derby five finished empty in that race, I\'ve pretty much played against him, to the benefit of my bankroll. Nick had a blah Saratoga this Summer and started only 1 for 20 at Belmont\'s Fall meet. At Saratoga, if I\'m remembering correctly, there were a few Zito\'s that figured as heavy favorites, that either didn\'t run well or were curious, late vet scratches. Something seemed wrong there.

It can be argued for Zito that his SUN KING, BELLAMY ROAD, and COMMENTATOR ran admirably for him in the past few months. But still, where was the old Zito oomph and pop from the rest of his barn? The sheets of his horses were just blah. This time of year we typically should be seeing the ThoroGraphs of Zito\'s horses forge forward in double-jumps to the sky, or at least in that direction. His baby 2nd-timers should explode. But it hasn\'t really happened... until now.

And where? Not at Belmont.

At Keeneland!

Zito won at a 41% clip last Fall at Keeneland! And this meet he\'s started with a bang. He\'s 5 for 14. See:

Keeneland
Sunday, Oct 9, 05
DESERT QUEST, relatively ignored off of his Saratoga form even with Rafael Bejarano riding, won the finale at 7-1 for Zito and owner Tracy Farmer. Undoubtedly a nice ThoroGraph jump-forward in performance.

Thursday, Oct 13, 05
LITTLE CLIFF, bet early at 5-2, drifts up to 5-1 and draws off for Zito and owner Robert La Penta. Another ThoroGraph jump-forward. Zito now 3 for 7.

Friday, Oct 14, 05
MOTION, a 2 yr. old Buckram Oak 3rd-time starter stretching out with Bejarano riding, zoomed to the front and easily wired the field at 6-1. Another big zoom-forward when 1st-time Keeneland!

Sunday, Oct 15, 05
SAINT KRIS wins a MSW race by 12!

Also, if you\'ve been watching rookie trainer Reynaldo Abreu, Zito\'s former assistant trainer, who took over the training of Mary Lou Whitney\'s stable earlier this year, you\'ll know that Abreu\'s horses had reacted just as Zito\'s horses have during these past down months: unspectacularly. Abreau had to ship to lowly Suffolk to get wins.

But wait. Abreau recently shipped into Keeneland too! And with the ship to Kentucky, would the same pharmaceutical angel that works on Zito\'s horses treat Abreu\'s horses? Yes! Would Abreu\'s horses show the same eye-popping forges we\'ve come to know, love and expect from Zito\'s horses in the past there? Yes! Abreu, like Zito, started quickly at Keeneland:

Saturday. Oct 8, 05
Keeneland\'s 3rd race
HOLY SILVER wins at 20 - 1!

Saturday, Oct 8, 05
Keeneland\'s featured 9th race - The G1 Shadwell Turf Mile
GULCH APPROVAL - 3rd at 29-1 [returning to his lifetime top ThoroGraph, a 3?]
Superfecta: $80,000; Trifecta: $11,000

Keeneland
Thursday, Oct 13, 05
INTERNATIONAL CAT gets bet early and eventually drifts up to 9-2, a typical Zito pattern by the way. He rallys powerfullly from last to first, circling the field to get up late. Abreu now 2 for 3 at Keeneland.

[I think there\'s a point to be made here about Keeneland being something of a \"safe-haven\" for the pharmaceutical angels that treat certain trainers. It\'s a short meet. Is there less security there than at Belmont and Santa Anita? P.S. note: trainer Doug O\'Neill is only 1 for 29 at Santa Anita! And this after he had a blisteringly hot spell recently at Fairplex. Is little Fairlex, another short meet, also a \"safe haven\" where security isn\'t up to par?] In any case...

Beware of Zito and Abreu at Keeneland. Though the train has left the station and the juiciest plays are likely behind us, you never know.

Your move.

JohnTChance