Zito's Maidens

[Ocala Mike]

I see he's sending out a baby in the 3rd, #6, Mister Woolman. Also has another maiden in the 6th, #6, Poker Power. Anyone have any thoughts on their chances?

[sammy the sage]

Well...don't know about maidens....but think he's gone to Lukas Land...

certainly wouldn't send a horse of mine...

Exhibit A...today even...didn't take long...Fort Loudon

[aaron]

I see he's sending out a baby in the 3rd, #6, Mister Woolman. Also has another maiden in the 6th, #6, Poker Power. Anyone have any thoughts on their chances?
He had one he liked last week. I think it ran 3rd or 4th.Usually tries to win with one at Saratoga. Overall,personally I just stay away from his FTS as win bets,but sometimes use in multi race exotics. For me its just a guess.

[Itamaraca]

I don't see the need to bet babies from a trainer that hasn't shown the ability to get horses ready early. However, if you feel the need to play, my recommendation, and I'm being serious here, without intentionally trying to be critical: watch the prerace show and see what Maggie has to say about them. She was spot on about the one that Zito thought was ready last week needing a race.

[lamboguy]

he will win races when no one bets him. its always the case.

there was a horse today that won in Saratoga, that looked like all he had going was his pulse was working properly, he paid $140 to win

[Ocala Mike]

[QUOTE=aaron]

He had one he liked last week. I think it ran 3rd or 4th.

QUOTE]

Yeah, you're talking about Hot West. On my playback list for its second start. Had trouble in the first try.

[RXB]

he will win races when no one bets him. its always the case.


Zito's win rate over the past five years with horses >10/1 or higher is 2% and the ROI is 39 cents returned for every dollar wagered.

[RXB]

I see he's sending out a baby in the 3rd, #6, Mister Woolman. Also has another maiden in the 6th, #6, Poker Power. Anyone have any thoughts on their chances?

Zito has horrible long-term stats from a significant sample size with firsters; I don't ever bet him with a debut animal. The sire's okay with firsters but the dam was unraced and this is her first foal to race, so there's no positive info to be gleaned there. There are other horses with better breeding and trainers with much better records in young maiden races. No thanks.

His horse in the 6th is stepping up in class off of a losing effort and that is generally a negative scenario. But that race was on the grass, where Zito again has horrible stats, and the dam's first two foals are both winners-- including a full sib that has won its only start-- so maybe this one could still wake up. Still not something I'd care to back, especially since the horse really hasn't shown any speed. (The :11: is the one that originally caught my attention because I love West Acre as a debut sire and the dam's first three foals were all solid multiple winners-- including two full sibs. But then she went four years before tossing even a named/trained foal, never mind a winning one. Talk about contradictory info.)

[jk3521]

His strength used to be 2nd time with a stretch-out.Don't know about lately.

[jorcus99]

In general the focus of his barn seems to be on horses that go 2 turns. Of course there are exceptions like Jackson Bend but I am more comfortable backing his routers of any age.

[classhandicapper]

He's had a lot of years where he's been better 2nd time out than first time out, but he did have one Saratoga meet a few years ago when he had them all sharp first time out. He even made a comment in the DRF about how he was trying to win first out that year. Not sure exactly how many years ago it was.