War Pass romps in '08 debut

~ The 3-year-old is unbeaten in five career races.

That Nick Zito is at it again.

Three years ago, the Hall of Fame trainer sent a record-equaling five horses to the Kentucky Derby. This year, he could top the mark after his unbeaten War Pass made a smashing 3-year-old debut at Gulfstream Park on Sunday about 30 minutes after Cool Coal Play won the Fountain of Youth Stakes over a formidable field.

The double victories give Zito at least a half dozen solid Derby contenders from the pool of 19 3-year-olds he nominated to the Triple Crown races. Among his other hopefuls are Sam F. Davis winner Fierce Wind, Aquarian, Coal Play and even Anak Nakal, who ran a dull eighth in the Fountain of Youth.

War Pass, the undefeated 2-year-old champion, upped his record to 5-for-5 with his 7 1/2-length romp and takes over the No. 1 spot in this week's Associated Press' Run to the Roses Top 10 list. Pyro, the leader based on his Risen Star victory on Feb. 9, drops to No. 2.

Next stop for War Pass, owned by Robert LaPenta, is scheduled to run in the Tampa Bay Derby on March 15, followed by a final Derby prep -- the Wood Memorial (April 5) or the Blue Grass Stakes (April 12) -- before the May 3 Derby.

The mile $60,000 allowance race was put together by track officials, who wanted to help Zito find an easy spot for War Pass' debut. The colt, ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, merely galloped around the track in what tured into a public workout.

"I'm grateful to Gulfstream Park for putting the race on," Zito said. "He broke like a rocket. It would have been nice if he sat back, but as long as he keeps winning, I'm happy. He's a special horse. He really is."

Cool Coal Man, also owned by LaPenta, stepped up big time in the 1 1/8-mile Fountain of Youth, sweeping to the front around the final turn and beating Elysium Fields by a half-length. Cool Coal Play, with four wins in his last five starts, moves into the Top 10 at No. 5.

Of his 1-2 punch, LaPenta said, "There are no words to describe what happened. Really amazing. To have two hopefully on the trail ... if you get there with one, it's unbelievable."

Zito has won the Derby two times, with Strike the Gold in 1991 and Go for Gin in 1994.