When you approach the Fifth Avenue gate, glance to your right. There in plain view is America’s oldest racing surface still in existence. It is where racing began in Saratoga, just weeks after the guns were silenced at the great battle of Gettysburg in 1863. A year later, the venue was moved across the street on Union Avenue to its present location. The Oklahoma track has been used for many years as a training facility of the highest caliber.
It is also home for Nick Zito when he makes his yearly trek here to compete on a world stage. His name is synonymous with success. Fittingly, his barn area is one as grand as any on the New York racing scene. As you enter the grounds, take a sharp left. When you reach the limits of the stable area, an oasis awaits you. Nick’s barn is flawless. A freshly painted hunter green building looks out to a park-like setting. There picnic tables and well-groomed gardens attract the eye.
The morning routine of hot walkers, exercise riders, grooms and stable hands can be seen bustling about, preparing Mr. Zito’s horses for their appointments on the Oklahoma, and at the main track across the street. When Nick isn’t busy at the rail studying his stock with an eye that rivals any in the sport, he can be found at his office at the end of the barn area. There, I was introduced to Nick by my friend, Tommy Roberts, a racetrack legend. My goal was to get an opportunity to interview this soft spoken, articulate gentleman. He happily agreed without hesitation. This is the essence of Nick Zito, reserved, calm and razor sharp, along with over fifty years of experience in fine-tuning his craft. In his every gesture you know that he has an abundant knowledge of his trade. A born winner who has stacked his resume with five Triple Crown events, along with Breeder’s Cup trophies and a slew of Grade One races. Probably as important, or even more so is his uncanny ability to spot yearlings that have found their way to massive success on the race track. These attributes led to his richly deserved entrance into Horse Racing’s Hall of Fame, just a five furlong walk from Nick’s stable office. I learned one thing fast about Nick Zito. He listens to every word that you speak. In turn and more importantly, you listen to every word that he speaks to you. Let’s get started. Nick’s time is scarce and I am pleased to be given some of it.
THE INTERVIEW:
On a perfect late July morning, Mr. Zito and I sat down at a picnic table at his barn area. I had prepared my questions. Now it was time to hear the answers that Nick was about to deliver.
Q: It is well known that you started out as a groom at a young age, then worked your way through the ranks to a training license. Was there any one owner thatjump started your career?
A: Yes. Alan Rosoff. He was a breeder and owner who hadt he confidence that I could train his horses. This was thebreak that I needed. Things just accelerated from there. His uncle Sam Rosoff built the New York City subway system in the 1920s. A little history lesson there.
Q: When your career began some of the all-time great trainers were plying their trade. Names like John Nerud, Frank Whitely, Horatio Luro, Laz Barrera etc. Are there any that stand out as your role model?
A: Yes. Alan Jerkins and Frank Whitely. They were very inspiring to me. I took a good look at both. Studied them. Some background on Mr. Whitely and Mr. Jerkins: Whitely was the conditioner of three legendary race horses: Damascus, Forego and the great filly Ruffian. Alan Jerkins, nicknamed “The Chief,” trained horses that beat the great Secretariat on two occasions.
Q: Your success with top level thoroughbreds is phenomenal. It is obvious that Strike the Gold and Go for Gin, your Kentucky Derby winners, are among your all-time favorites. Could you tell of another that has a special meaning to you?
A: To me Mary Lou Whitney’s Birdstone is one that comes to mind. I took him from the Belmont Stakes victory to his score in the Travers, training up to the Spa event with no prep race leading up to it. That means so much to me as a trainer. Why? It was my style, my technique that got it done. Of course, there were the others. Louis Quatorze, War Path, Dialed In, Icebox and Commentator. Then there was Da’Tara. He took the Belmont Stakes in a shocking upset over Big Brown. There were so many others. So many... Obviously, I have been blessed as you can see.
Q: You have witnessed every great racehorse of the halfpast century. Your thoughts on them.
A: Secretariat. In a league all his own. He could travel any distance and outgun anyone that ever ran. Pat Lynch, turf writer and later NYRA executive, and I discussed, that if asked, he could also have been the greatest sprinter of all time. That is something few realize. Spectacular Bid, a great champion way, way up there. Bud Delp did a great job with him. No one could have trained him better. The horse was from another planet. My personal favorites are both Buckpasser and Kelso, just tremendous champions. Then there is Forego, Affirmed, and Seattle Slew. All great. Every horse discussed here is a top ten or so of all time. Now that being said, I firmly believe that in a match race, Secretariat would get the nod.
Q: Let’s discuss your thoughts on jockeys past and present, including the ones that were instrumental in getting your horses to the winner’s circle.
A: Bill Shoemaker. Oh my God, great, so great. He weighed in at 99 pounds. I am sure he is the only jockey who could hold on to an elephant. Bill Hartack. Tremendous! His winning percentage in Kentucky Derby starts to this day is unprecedented. Mike Smith. His careerintertwines with my own. In fact, his first graded stakes came with my horse Thirty-Six Red and his first grade one with the same mount. I am very happy about that. He and I are good friends. John Velasquez, when he is on, meaning at the top of his game, pound for pound he is the best in the business. The young kids, the Ortiz brothers etc. So many good ones, so manyI would like to also mention the late Chris Antley. He a great job for me. Gary Stevens, Angel Cordero, John Velasquez. The same, great, just great.
Q: American Pharoah and Justify raced only three times between them, after taking the Triple Crown. Can we compare them with the previous TC winners?
A: I don’t think you can. They both won the TripleCrown. Unfortunately, they didn’t race at four. That is where weight and stiff competition came into serious play with the previous winners. Not to say that they take a back seat to them. Remember that Pharoah also took the Breeder’s Cup Classic. And with Justify, what he pulled off is next to impossible. Both super horses. So, we can never really know. The game has become extremely money oriented. The owners are put in a position, where if they run them longer, the chance of a devastating injury can cost them upwards of seventy million dollars. This alone forces the early exit from the racing scene. Another thing to think about: The greats of years ago were bigger, stronger and could race at every distance up to two miles, carrying a tremendous amount of weight. Those days are a thing of the past.
Q: Will we ever get one to race at four.
A: It is a possibility. If we get a very wealthy horseman, one from the samenmold as let’s say Paul Mellon, George Widener, C.V. Whitney or his cousin Jock, gentlemen who cherished “The Sport of Kings.” Then and only then it may happen. The “Wedding Planners,” the advisors will say you can’t do it. We can only hope that a true sportsman would overrule them.
Q: Your thoughts on the super trainer syndrome that has taken over racing.
A: When I reached my most successful period as a trainer, I had ninetyfive horses in my barn. The super trainers of today have upwards of three hundred. For that I give them much credit. They are great trainers. Of course, they have many assistants who carry out the day- to-day training duties. Personally, I could not run this type of venture. The way I have always operated is one-on-one with the owners that put me in charge of their stock. It is inconceivable for me to even think of taking on the amount of horses that the so-called super trainers handle. That being said, I have nothing but praise for their management skills.
Q: It is widely known that you are deeply involved innhorse racing charities. Would you like to expound on it?
A: Yes, we’re proud of that. We support horse racingcharities around America.
I want to thank Mr. Zito for making this interview possible. It has been a pleasure to listen and learn from the words of this iconic horse racing figure. Here is a man who cherishes this great sport, the one that he so fondly calls “The Sport of Kings.”
