BY BROCK SHERIDAN

A winner of the three consecutive turf stakes in Florida before finishing fourth last out in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational on the Saratoga Race Course grass, Florida-bred Tank remains at the Spa for Friday’s $400,000 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (G3) for 3-year-olds going a mile on the inner turf.

Tank and jockey Luis Saez set the pace in the nine-furlong Belmont Derby before being caught in the final sixteenth, finishing only a length-and-quarter behind winner Test Score but just a head shy of runner-up World Beater and Luther (GB) in third. Luther also returns for the Hall of Fame.

Trained by Carlos David, the Arindel homebred Tank began his win streak with a two-length victory in the $110,000 Equistaff Sophomore Turf going a mile-and-a-sixteenth in Florida-bred company at Tampa Bay Downs on March 30. He was equally affective against open company in his next two races at Gulfstream Park, winning the $80,000 English Channel going a mile on May 3 and the $75,000 Not Surprising returning to a mile-and-a-sixteenth on June 7.

 

Saez, who also rode Tank in the Sophomore Turf, will again ride Tank Friday. They are 8-1 in the morning line and have post eight.

Tank is by Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie out of Vegas, by Brethren and has won four with two seconds and a third in 11 career races. He has earnings of $285,120.

Trainer Chad Brown enters Zulu Kingdom (Ire), a winner of six of seven career starts including his last three. His only defeat came when seventh in the Breeder’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) won by Henri Matisse (Ire) at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Nov. 1. 

Since, Zulu Kingdom has won the $100,000 Columbia going a mile at Tampa Bay on March 8, the mile-and-one-sixteenth American Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 3 and the one-mile Manila (G3) at Saratoga on July 4.

The bay ridgling son of Ten Sovereigns (Ire) has earned $910,387 for Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael J. Caruso and will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post seven. Zulu Kingdom is the 6-5 morning line favorite.

Luther makes his second start stateside after the Belmont Derby. A winner of the Ascendant Stakes at Hadock in Great Britain as a 2-year-old, Luther’s previous best finish this year came when second to Detain (Ire) going a mile on synthetic at Chelmsford in an allowance on April 3. He was also a strong fourth in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains won by Henri Matisse at Longchamp in May.

Luther is by Frankel (GB) and has two wins, two seconds and a third in eight starts with earnings of $214,782. He is trained by Charlie Fellowes for Paul Hickman and Nicholas Jones.

Luther will be ridden by Joel Rosario for the first time and they have post two. Luther is 3-1 in the program.

Also set for the Hall of Fame are Mi Bago with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle, Tiz Dashing will have Javier Castellano in the irons, Maui Strong will be guided by Junior Alvarado, Clever Again has jockey Jose Ortiz and Out on Bail will be guided by John Velazquez.

Return to the July 30 issue of Wire to Wire