Press Release

New York, N.Y.— After success with Weitsman’s syndicate group’s horse Concrete Rose, Grade 1 winner and millionaire (wins include at the Saratoga Oaks, Belmont Oaks Invitational, Florida Oaks and Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day in the Edgewood), Weitsman teamed up with Barstool Sports Owner Portnoy to purchase horse #53 at the 102 nd Saratoga Sale in Saratoga, New York. The 1-year-old yearling was vetted and procured by ZD Horse Racing and Management, which is owned by legendary, Hall of Fame horse trainer Nick Zito and Vice President Robert DiPippo.

This bay colt was born on April 2, 2022 and immediately went to Bridlewood Farms. Meda is the farm trainer who has an excellent reputation. She recently had in her care Cody’s Wish, a multiple grade one winner and a heartwarming story that captured the nation. The horse was named after a young boy named, Cody Doormen who is fighting daily for his life. She also had this year’s Kentucky Oaks winner, Pretty Mischievous.

The horse will undergo extensive training with the plan for the precocious 2-year-old to run in May, June and July of 2024. The horse, which has tremendous opportunity and promise, hopefully will flourish under the leadership of

Nick Zito, a Hall of Fame trainer whose accolades are plentiful, including winning all three legs of the Triple Crown. Zito broke into the business with a claiming stable in the 1970s, working his way from the bottom up. His first winner was Palais at Liberty Bell Park in Philadelphia in December 1972. However, through years of hard work and dedication, Zito became a two time Kentucky Derby winning trainer and a trainer of many top horses.

The key horse in building Zito’s reputation as a top stakes trainer was the colt Thirty Six Red. He selected Thirty Six Red for $92,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale in 1988 for owner Giles Brophy. In 1990, the colt won the Wood Memorial Stakes, ran second in the Belmont Stakes and was third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He captured the Run for the Roses in 1991 with Strike the Gold and in 1994 with Go for Gin, sent out Louis Quatorze to take the 1996 Preakness, stopping Wayne Lukas’ streak of six straight Triple Crowns wins, and his two improbable victories in the Belmont Stakes prevented Triple Crown sweeps. Each of his horses went off at odds of 36-1 or more. Birdstone ($74) ended Smarty Jones’ Triple Crown bid in 2004, while Da’Tara ($79) scored a 38-1 upset in the 2008 Belmont when Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner Big Brown did not finish the race.

Weitsman and Portnoy will surround themselves with the highest talent in the racing industry to ensure that the 1-year-old gets superior training, nutrition and is properly acclimated for racing next year during the 2024 season.