City Zip Wins Jersey Shore; Songandaprayer Third

From Monmouth Park
City Zip, whose greatest career achievements have come in sprint races, celebrated the Fourth of July Wednesday at Monmouth Park by rolling to victory in the six-furlong Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III) before a holiday crowd of 21,403.

In the day's other features, Big Bambu won the $75,000 Regret Stakes and Astrid took the $50,000 Serena's Song Stakes.

City Zip, a 4-year-old colt by Carson City, scored by more than four lengths over Sea of Green. Songandaprayer, the 4-5 favorite, tired to be third, a length and a quarter farther back.

With Jose Ferrer aboard, City Zip raced the six furlongs over a fast main track in 1:09 flat and paid $5 to win. He combined with Sea of Green for a $33 exacta.

Trained by Linda Rice, City Zip won his second straight sprint stakes after taking the Hirsch Jacobs at Pimlico in May. All his seven lifetime wins have come in sprints, including five stakes. The $60,000 winner's prize brought his career bankroll to $582,305.

"He came into this race really well, one hundred percent," Rice said. "Everything was in line for a strong performance and he delivered. Songandaprayer is a very tough competitor and I had a few anxious moments before it was over."

In the Regret Stakes for fillies and mares, favored Big Bambu jumped out to the early lead and steamed home a winner by two and a half lengths over Katz Me If You Can, zipping six furlongs over a fast track in 1:08 3/5, two ticks faster than the colts in the Jersey Shore.

With Mario Pino in the irons, the 4-year-old filly by Salt Lake paid $4 to win and topped a $16.20 exacta. It was the third straight stakes win for Big Bambu, who is trained by Alan Sobol.

Owner Bobby Hurley and trainer John Dowd made up a little for Songandaprayer's loss when Astrid galloped to victory by nearly five lengths in the Serena's Song Stakes.

A 3-year-old filly by Concern, Astrid was stretching out to two turns for the first time in her career. She made it look easy, beating favored Latour by three lengths. Dale Beckner rode Astrid, who ran the mile and 70 yards in 1:42 and paid $16.80 to win for her third victory in five career starts. She combined with Latour for a $61.60 exacta.