If you want an early look at the potential 2008 Kentucky Derby favorite, keep an eye on the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Saturday and 2-year-old War Pass.
The Nick Zito-trained bay son of 1994 Sprint champion Cherokee Run improved his career record to 3-for-3 with a win in the Champagne earlier this month, and he will be one of the favorites in the Juvenile at Monmouth Park.
Zito, a Hall of Famer, is 0-for-9 career in the Juvenile.
"He's an amazing horse,"Zito said. "He's got incredible speed, and he's got those afterburners."
War Pass' obvious talent led Zito and owner Robert LaPenta to send the colt out for the $2 million Juvenile despite both being wary of the grueling race.
And, the Juvenile had not yielded a Kentucky Derby winner before Street Sense ended the 23-year "Juvenile Jinx"this past spring.
"If you want to stay a prominent trainer, you have to do this,"Zito says of racing War Pass in the Juvenile, "or they don't want you.
"Yes, I am superstitious, unfortunately,"Zito says.
"Street Sense put everything into proper perspective because once it's done, you can do it again."
Zito's best finish in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile was with Acceptable, who finished second in 1996. Zito's only Breeders' Cup win in 29 tries overall came with Storm Song in the Juvenile Fillies in 1996.War Pass won the Champagne by 1 1/2 lengths on Oct. 6 at Belmont Park, ending Zito's two-year run of 18 second- or third-place finishes in Grade 1 races.
"He's an exceptional horse,"Zito says. "He's got a lot of ability. A lot of the components are there."
Still, the decision was not easy to bring him to New Jersey.
"You've really got to think about it long and hard,"LaPenta says.
"Looking at the track the way it is, looking at the way he came out of the Champagne, looking at the upside versus the downside, it became compelling."
War Pass' first two victories both came at Saratoga.
The Juvenile will be his first race with two turns.
"He's been training super,"Zito said. "There are a lot of talented horses in the race, and we're fortunate to have one of them."
Not only is the 2-year-old championship on the line, but the Juvenile winner also inherits the role as early favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Six of last year's 14 Juvenile starters came back and ran in the Derby.
From 2002-05, seven Juvenile starters made it to the Derby the following year.
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