Zulu Kingdom conquers the Manila (Chelsea Durand)
Brian Bohl/NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Zulu Kingdom rewarded his heavy 2-5 favoritism by easily overtaking Maui Strong at the top of the stretch and surging home a three-quarter-length winner in Friday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Manila, a one-mile inner turf test for 3-year-olds on Day Two of the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.
Campaigned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael Caruso, Zulu Kingdom stayed undefeated in three starts in his sophomore campaign and improved to 6-for-7 overall in his career.
The Irish-bred son of Ten Sovereigns scratched out of last Friday’s Grade 3 Penn Mile and instead returned to the Spa, where he won his stakes debut in August by capturing the Grade 3 With Anticipation in his second career start.
Zulu Kingdom again displayed a strong turn-of-foot at the historic track, with jockey Flavien Prat keeping him forwardly placed in second position as Maui Strong led the eight-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in 23.19 seconds, the half in 46.85 and three-quarters in 1:10.44 over firm going.
Near the pacesetter through the far turn, Zulu Kingdom showed great closing speed when straightened for home, pulling away from Maui Strong. Capitol Hill, ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, put in a strong late kick and edged Tiz Dashing by a neck for runner-up honors.
Maui Strong finished fourth, with Revolutionnaire, Reagan’s Wit, Mythical Man and Flat to Da Mat completing the order of finish. Fire Pit, Uncatalyzed, Golden Channel and Strate Cash scratched.
Zulu Kingdom built on the momentum of a 1 1/4-length win in the Grade 1 American Turf traveling 1 1/16-miles over good turf on May 3 at Churchill Downs over Test Score, who would win the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational here one race after the Manila.
After being privately purchased following a maiden score at Saint-Cloud for trainer Andre Fabre in June 2024, he was transferred to trainer Chad Brown, who conditioned him to victories in both the With Anticipation and the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Belmont at the Big A last September.
Zulu Kingdom completed his 2-year-old campaign with a prominent seventh in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Del Mar, marking the only time he has not earned a trip to the winner’s circle.
“The horse ran super,” Brown said. “It is nice to get a ‘W’ on the board here at Saratoga. We’ve had a couple close calls the last couple days, but it really feels like our season is getting going now.
“With all the scratches, Prat and I decided in the paddock just let him be forward, and go to the lead, I thought maybe the one [Maui Strong] on paper would show some speed, which he did, so it was one of those instances where the race really developed how we handicapped it in the paddock. We thought maybe the one would go, if he does, sit next to him, just wait until you turn for home, let him loose, and he did that.”
For his Friday win, Zulu Kingdom returned $2.80 on a $2 win wager. He improved his career earnings to $910,387 in nearly securing millionaire status.
“It seemed like there was a bit of speed, but not a ton,” Prat said. “I felt like the turf course was playing quick, and he is quick. When you want to use him, he is there for me.
“I felt really comfortable around the turn, then I squeezed him and he gave me a good run,” Prat added. “He doesn’t stop, but he always waits on horses, so it looks like someone is coming, but I felt like it was under control.”
Brown noted he was happy to have entered Zulu Kingdom in the one-mile Manila rather than trying the nine-furlong Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational. He said the Grade 2, $400,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, contested at one mile here on August 1, could be the next step.
“Part of my thinking with skipping the [Belmont] Derby the next race, even though it was a much bigger purse, was to keep him at a mile the next couple starts, I just think he is better doing that,” Brown said. “The Hall of Fame is a much bigger purse, and then down the road I’ll think about running him farther.”
Capitol Hill, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, closed from last-of-8 to earn black type in his first stakes appearance in five career starts.
“He was really tough with the pony, and I didn’t warm him up by myself,” Velazquez said. “He probably needed a warm up to get him into the race. He was so far back, he didn’t care about anything. I tried to get him engaged in the race and he didn’t give a damn until he got to the half-mile pole and then he started getting closer to the horses. When he got closer to the horses in front, he came running down the lane.”
Live racing resumes Saturday for Day Three of the July 4th Racing Festival with a 12-race card highlighted by the Grade 1, $500,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational [Race 11]. The stacked program is supported by the Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford [Race 3] and the Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso [Race 10]. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.
Statistics for the 37-day Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet will include the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.
