Zindaya chalked up her second consecutive victory, and third stakes win overall, in Thursday’s $150,000 Intercontinental S. at Belmont Park. The 5-year-old daughter of More Than Ready sprinted home powerfully to win by 3 1/2-lengths in a lively 1:22.44 for the seven furlongs over a turf course rated “good”.
More Than Ready, sire of nearly 160 stakes winners worldwide, has six graded winners and 10 stakes winners this year alone.
For Zindaya, the Intercontinental turned into a showcase for the Chad Brown trainee in the final furlong, when she emerged suddenly from a line of three horses to hit the line a clear winner.
“I had the best horse in the race,” said rider Javier Castellano. “The confidence payed off. The way we handicapped the race, there were all the horses that we thought were going to come from behind.
“My horse had speed today but I wanted to cover her up and find the best rhythm and that’s exactly what I did,” he added. “The pace was slow, 24 and change, 48 and change so I had to step up a little bit outside to find the last kick. With that pace, you don’t see too many horses do that. When I asked her she took off unbelievably.”
Owned by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, Zindaya upped her record to 5-3-2 in 12 starts, with a bankroll of $391.240.
Bred in Kentucky by Grapestock LLC, Zindaya is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Western Aristocrat.
