Zito pointing Casual Trick to Gulfstream Park Derby
Gulfstream Park, Dec. 23, 2012 - Casual Trick, an impressive maiden winner at Churchill Downs in his second career start, is being pointed to the inaugural running of the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Derby on Jan. 1.
“I think I’m going to run him in the Gulfstream Derby,” trainer Nick Zito said. “He only broke his maiden in his last race, but I think it’s a good place to start.”
Casual Trick looked like a colt with a stakes future at Churchill on Nov. 18, when he pressed the early pace between horses before opening up in the stretch and going on to score by 2 ½ length at a mile.
The son of Bernardini had previously debuted with a fifth-place finish at Saratoga in what has become a key race won by run-away winner Fire On Ice.
Last season, Zito saddled Dialed In for a victory in the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream off an impressive maiden victory at Churchill Downs. Dialed In went on to win the Florida Derby, giving his Hall of Fame trainer his third success Gulfstream’s premier race for 3-year-olds, joining Ice Box (2010) and High Fly (2005).
Casual Trick is also owned by Robert LaPenta, whose colors were carried to victory in the Florida Derby by Dialed In and Ice Box.
