With the temptation of securing another grade 1 prize in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) July 4, trainer Chad Brown opted instead to race Zulu Kingdom in the Manila Stakes (G3T) on the same card, believing the ridgling could be his barn's next star turf miler.
Zulu Kingdom, cutting back to eight panels after scoring in the 1 1/16-mile American Turf Stakes (G1T) on Derby Day, made short work of the Manila field. Displaying an uncharacteristic quickness out of the starting gate under regular rider Flavien Prat, the bay settled into a stalking position outside of the pacesetting Maui Strong.
Clinging to the fence, Maui Strong clicked off early fractions of :23.19 and :46.85 over the firm turf. Never far from the leader, Zulu Kingdom crept closer and closer before shouldering past the stubborn front-runner in midstretch. Switching into high gear in the final furlong, none could keep pace with the son of Ten Sovereigns, who hit the wire with speed to spare in a final time of 1:33.11.
"Part of my thinking with skipping the (Belmont) Derby, even though it was a much bigger purse, was to keep him at a mile the next couple starts," Brown said, adding that Zulu Kingdom's next start will come in the Aug. 1 one-mile National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T), also at Saratoga Race Course.
An overwhelming 2-5 favorite, Zulu Kingdom ($2.80) finished three-quarters of a length clear of a late-closing Capitol Hill at 20-1. Another longshot, 24-1 Tiz Dashing, completed the trifecta for trainer Barclay Tagg.
"He was expected to win, so it is a little added pressure, but you always like to have a 2-5 shot, knowing you have the best horse, at least on paper," Brown said. "The horse ran super. 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."
Sitting on the cusp of becoming a millionaire with $910,387 in earnings, Zulu Kingdom collected his fourth graded stakes win for owners Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael Caruso.
