Parimutuels

Sun King can earn his reputation

Today's Tampa Bay Derby offers the Kentucky Derby prospect a chance for his first stakes win.

By DON JENSEN
Published March 19, 2005

OLDSMAR - Talented. Powerful. Majestic.

Sun King appears to have it all. He's considered a top-10 contender for the 131st Kentucky Derby and is trained by Nick Zito, one of the sport's best conditioners.

Today, Sun King can validate his reputation.

He goes for his first career stakes victory in the 25th renewal of the $250,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs. The Grade III, 1 1/16th-mile dirt test for 3-year-olds is the track's richest race and marquee event on Festival Day. Post time for the featured 10th race is about 4 p.m.

The $150,000 Florida Oaks, Grade III $125,000 Hillsborough Stakes and $75,000 Holiday Inn Express Turf Dash also are part of the 13-race program.

The Tampa Bay Derby is one of four stakes races held across the country today for horses to prep for the May 7 Kentucky Derby. Other major races are the Gotham (Aqueduct), Rebel (Oaklawn Park) and San Felipe (Santa Anita). The Tampa Bay Derby has the entire Florida spotlight with the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park having been moved to April 2.

Zito will be at Tampa Bay Downs, where Sun King makes his second start of the year. Gulfstream Park leading rider Edgar Prado has the mount and will start from the No. 1 post position in the eight-horse field.

"Sun King has developed into a super 3-year-old," Zito said. "He has beauty, stamina and class."

A dark bay colt by 1999 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Charismatic, Sun King is one of several Zito-trained 3-year-olds who are prospects for the Kentucky Derby. The group includes High Fly, Noble Causeway, Bellamy Road and Andromeda's Hero, winner of the Sam F. Davis Stakes.

Sun King, making his first start at Tampa Bay Downs, is coming off an impressive 5-length victory over Survivalist on Feb. 26 in a 1-mile allowance test at Gulfstream Park. It was his first race in four months.

The Kentucky-bred had a busy 2004 fall season, racing four times from August to October. He broke his maiden at Belmont Park, then finished third in two stakes races: losing by less than 2 lengths to Proud Accolade in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park and beaten a length by Wilko in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Lone Star Park.

After those races, Sun King was sent to the Palm Meadows Training Center for rest.

"Races like the Champagne and Breeders' Cup are very tough on a horse," Zito said. "Sun King needed a break, so I gave him the winter off. Horses between 2 and 3 years old need time to develop. I like to take things one step at a time with them."

Sun King was purchased by Tracy Farmer for $400,000 at the 2003 Keeneland sale. He has career earnings of $264,650 in five career starts, including two wins.

Zito said Sun King's style of stalking the pace "suits me just fine."

In a National Thoroughbred Racing Association conference call this week, Prado said: "Sun King's right there when it's time to go and gives you the acceleration. He's definitely matured from 2 to 3 years old. All (Zito) tells me to do is ride him with confidence, and I do."

If Sun King follows his sire's lead, Zito will get his third Kentucky Derby victory (Go for Gin, 1994, and Strike the Gold, 1991). It also would provide area fans with a touch of irony.

Charismatic won the 1999 Kentucky Derby, paying $64.60 for a $2 ticket. The margin of victory for the great-grandson of Secretariat was a neck over Menifee, a runnerup in the Tampa Bay Derby that year. It was the highest Kentucky Derby finish ever by a Tampa Bay Derby participant.

Clever But Costly, Sun King's dam, has produced graded stakes winners such as Traitor and Ocean Drive.

"Sun King has so many strengths," Zito said. "He has been an absolute pleasure to work with."

If Sun King comes out of the Tampa Bay Derby in good shape, his next assignment appears set.

"He'll be headed to the Bluegrass Stakes," Zito said of the April 16 race at Keeneland.

Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day, as much a Kentucky Derby fixture as mint juleps and colorful hats, will undergo hip surgery and could miss the Derby for the first time in more than two decades. Day said he will have surgery March 30 in Vail, Colo., and faces a rehabilitation of four to 12 weeks.

[Last modified March 19, 2005, 01:01:18]