BY BROCK SHERIDAN
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020—Claimed for $40,000 by trainer Peter Miller for Tom Kagele at Oaklawn Park four months earlier, Florida-bred C Z Rocket won his second consecutive graded stakes and fifth straight race overall with a head victory in the $196,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship.
C Z Rocket was made the 7-5 favorite in the 2020 Santa Anita Sprint Championship having won the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien (G2) by a half-length at Del Mar a month earlier. With Luis Saez in the saddle, C Z Rocket broke on top from post four then conceded a short lead to 2-1 second choice Flagstaff and Victor Espinoza to his inside with Florida-bred Collusion Illusion a neck back in third on the rail. Flagstaff clipped off fractions of :22.33 and :45.27 but was unable to shake off C Z Rocket to his outside and a determined Collusion Illusion on the left as those three came down the stretch together. Flagstaff began to drift out with a furlong to run but could not deter C Z Rocket, who stuck a head in front and held that edge to the finish. Flagstaff finished second, but was disqualified and placed fifth while Collusion Illusion was moved up from third to second. Desert Law and Giant Expectations finished in that order.
Now racing for Madaket Stable, Gary Barber and Tom Kagele, C Z Rocket stopped the clock in 1:09.14 and paid $4.80 to win.
That was the first of three appearances in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship for C Z Rocket. He finished third to Dr. Schivel in 2021 and second to Howbeit in 2022.
C Z Rocket is also one of 12 Florida-breds to appear in the Breeders’ Cup three times having finished second to Whitmore in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland, seventh in the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint won by Aloha West at Del Mar in 2021 and second to Elite Power after leading in the stretch of the 2022 Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland.
He is one of four Florida-bred winners of the Santa Anita Sprint Championship joining 2012-winner Coil and Captain Squire (2005) and Swept Overboard (2001) all winners when the race was a Grade 1. Captain Squire and Swept Overboard won the race when it was known as the Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Stakes.
C Z Rocket retired in 2024 at age 10 with a career record of 13 wins, nine seconds and seven thirds. His career earnings of $2,144,691 ranks 33rd on the all-time list of Florida-bred money earners behind Imperial Hint with $2,209,055 and ahead of Val’s Prince with $1,118,785.
C Z Rocket is by City Zip out of Successful Sarah, by Successful Appeal and was bred in Florida by Farm III Enterprises LLC. He was a record-setting 2-year-old at the 2016 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale when he dropped the gavel at $800,000 on a final bid from Frank Fletcher Racing Operations. Stephens Thoroughbreds consigned him.
Return to the September 27 issue of Wire to Wire
