BY BROCK SHERIDAN
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL—For a colt that broke his maiden on grass in his second and most recent race, Khozalite produced a stellar performance on dirt in winning the $200,000 Affirmed Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The seven-furlong Affirmed is the second leg of the colts and geldings division of the $1.2 million Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Florida Sire Stakes and featured a field of 11.
Recent maiden special weight-winner Wootun went right to the front from post eight while Khozalite got away well from the outside post 11 with Hawk to his immediate inside after starting from the 10 position. Wootun kept a length advantage on Khozalite to his outside in second with Strategic Risk third on the rail through the first quarter mile in :22.65. Khozalite drew even with Wootun at the three-eighths pole then began to feel pressure from Strategic Risk with a quarter mile to the finish. Jockey Leonel Reyes shook the reins at Khozalite coming out of the turn and he responded quickly, producing a two-length advantage with a furlong to the finish. He methodically increased his lead in the run for home to win by four lengths in a final time of 1:23.30 on the fast track. Squire made came on late to get second with Strategic Risk another length-and-three-quarters back in third. Hawk, Trelawny, All to Win, I’m Tuff Enough, He’s My Uncle, Micanopy, Wootun and Camigol completed the order of finish.
Kozalite paid paid $9.20 to win as the 7-2 favorite.
“The trip was perfect. His outside post position was good,” Reyes said. “I tried to go behind the speed. When I asked him at the quarter pole he responded very well.”
“After his last work, I was very confident in him because he felt really, really good and ready for the race.”
Trainer Jose D’Angelo worked the bay son of Ocala Stud’s leading sire Khozan on Oct. 11 at Palm Meadows when he clocked four furlongs in :50.80 breezing. He also produced a bullet four furlongs in :47.65 on Oct. 3, the fastest of 29 works at the distance.
“Both horses, Khozalite and Micanopy, I trained them for this race,” D’Angelo said. “You can see the workouts, they were working every single weekend and they were doing good.
D’Angelo also mentioned why he entered Kozalite in the seven-furlong Affirmed on dirt after winning a maiden special weight by two-lengths going a mile on the grass at Gulfstream on Aug. 30.
“I know I ran him second time on the grass, because he looks way better, but Khozalite is the kind of horse that just needs distance. That’s why I take the shot back on the dirt. He was ready today. I’m very happy with him. He had a nice gallop-out. I’m proud of him and his race.
“I think he’s going to be better on turf. The key with him is the distance. The longer he goes, the better it is for him. That’s why I ran him on the grass, because the two turns is what he needs.”
Khozalite is out of Starship Crystal, by Congrats and was bred in Florida by Monarch Farms Inc. He improved his record to two wins and a second in three starts and has now earned $176,900 for owners Half Hollow Stables LLC and ProRacing Stable LLC.
Half Hollow is made up of several partners including Giuseppe Rannazzisi, John Scalia and Jim Savino. Rannazzisi said they bought two horses at this year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training—one of which was Khozalite. They acquire him for $55,000 out of Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman Bloodstock Services consignment.
Starship Crystal has produced 10 foals including four winners from five starters. Khozalite is her only stakes winner. She was bred to Honest Mischief in 2025.
D’Angelo said he will keep Khozalite on the dirt for the $300,000 In Reality, the third and final leg of the Florida Sire Stakes on Nov. 29.
“Yes, 100 percent, D’Angelo said when asked about the In Reality. “He ran good two turns on the grass so he should be fine there.”
Return to the October 18 issue of Wire to Wire