HOT SPRINGS -- On Dec. 20, Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito arrived at Oaklawn Park with 20 of his trainees and established a stable for his first full season at the track.
Zito, 70, has trained racehorses since 1970, primarily in the northeast at tracks near his native New York and in Pennsylvania. He said his move south was inspired by his limited experience with horses he has shipped for races at Oaklawn, and testimonials from other trainers. The tipping point was delivered by longtime Oaklawn trainer Ron Moquett.
"Ron's been asking me for a bunch of years," Zito said. "I have to give him credit. I probably should've done this three or four years ago or maybe even longer than that, but one thing about it is, at least I have a chance now."
Moquett elaborated on his pitch.
"I've talked to him about all the great trainers we've had come through here and how much the fans here appreciate trainers of name recognition like him," Moquett said. "I told him if he would come once, he would always want to come."
Oaklawn officials seem pleased by Zito's arrival. Track President Louis Cella said he appreciates the promotional opportunities inherent to such noteworthy additions to Oaklawn's horsemen community.
"From Oaklawn's perspective, when you have trainers like Steve Asmussen and Wayne Lukas and now Nick Zito, we're just delighted," Cella said.
Zito trained for nearly 20 years before his name became familiar to racing enthusiasts across the country. A 3-year-old colt named Thirty Six Red drew widespread attention to Zito's training with a win in the 1990 Grade I Wood Memorial Stakes, long a Triple Crown prep raced at Aqueduct in New York. Thirty Six Red would finish second in the Belmont Stakes and third that year in the 1990 Breeder's Cup Classic at Belmont Park.
"Thirty Six Red was my first Grade I winner," Zito said. "That was the horse that got me on the national scene."
Zito's star added luminosity a year later when he directed Strike the Gold, a chestnut colt by Alydar, to victory in the Kentucky Derby. Opportunities for further success marched into his barn from that time forward.
"You win the Kentucky Derby, and it opens doors like nothing else," Zito said.
He would go on to train 1994 Kentucky Derby champion Go for Gin, who finished second in the Belmont and Preakness Stakes; Birdstone, a 76-1 winner of the Belmont in 2004 that ended Arkansas Derby winner Smarty Jones' shot at the Triple Crown; and Da' Tara, winner of the 2008 Belmont at 39-1 in a race otherwise notable for Big Brown's failed Triple Crown attempt after he was eased to finish last as the 3-10 favorite.
Zito was named to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2005, an honor that coincided with his career high for yearly earnings when his trainees won a purse total of $8,201,418.
Through most of his career, Zito has led volunteer efforts to promote the humane treatment of active and retired racehorses. He has served as president and national spokesman for the National Horse Protection Coalition and is also involved with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.
"Besides an investment, horses are a personal responsibility," Zito said. "I have seen change for the better, but it's still a tough nut to crack. At the end of the day, I like doing this because it gives me a chance to give back in a good way."
With Oaklawn's 2019 meet scheduled to start Friday, Zito said he wishes he hadn't waited so long to give the track a go.
"I love the tradition," he said. "I've been to all these incredible tracks. You know, Aqueduct is Aqueduct. Belmont is Belmont, and of course, Saratoga, the last true traditional track in New York, but I have to give the Cella family and their staff the credit because they've kept the tradition. Without tradition, you really don't have anything. They have kept it here, and that's why I want to give it a shot with my 20 horses."
Sports on 01/22/2019