VERSATILE ZERO TOLERANCE RETURNS TO TURF & RALLIES TO WIN $75,000 UNZIP ME STAKES BY ONE LENGTH, GETTING 6½ FURLONGS DOWN HILLSIDE TURF IN 1:11.67

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 3, 2021)–A gate to wire maiden winner going six furlongs on dirt Aug. 20, versatile Zero Tolerance rallied from off the pace in her first try down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course to take Sunday’s $75,000 Unzip Me Stakes by one length under Flavien Prat.  Trained by Peter Miller, the 3-year-old gray filly by Mizzen Mast got about 6 ½ furlongs in 1:11.67.

Breaking just a tad slow from her number six post position in a field of seven,  Zero Tolerance was attentive to the pace, about three lengths off the lead at the half mile pole.  Set down by Prat approaching the dirt crossing while six-deep at the top of the stretch, Zero Tolerance kept to her task through the drive to prevail under a hand ride.

“She broke okay and then relaxed very nice,” said Prat, who was aboard for the maiden win as well.  “When we crossed the dirt, she made a nice move through the lane.”

Second, beaten a nose in a five furlong maiden turf race two starts back on Aug. 1, Zero Tolerance was the second choice in a filed of seven sophomore fillies at 5-2 and paid $7.80, $4.00 and $3.00.

“I thought that she’s kind of a ‘tweener,’ she’s not really a two turn filly, but five (furlongs) might be a little short for her, so we thought this would be kind of the distance that would be good for her,” said Miller.  “I love the hill and I’m glad to have it back…I think she’s equally as good on dirt and turf, so it gives us a lot of options.  I think her only real limitations will be distance.”

Owned by Custom Truck Accessories, Jason Hall, Joe Kelly and Michael Riordan, Zero Tolerance is out of the El Prado mare Torreadora, Zero Tolerance, who is now two for three, picked up $48,600 for the win, increasing her earnings to $104,600.

Carpe Fortuna, who broke sharply from the outside, pressed the issue down the hill, made the lead a quarter mile out and was second best, finishing a neck in front of favored Burgoo Alley.  Off at  11-1 with Abel Cedillo, Carpe Fortuna paid $9.00 and $4.20.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Burgoo Alley was in tight quarters at the rail through the stretch and finished a head better than Brilliant Cut.  Off at 8-5, Burgoo Alley paid $2.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.86, 43.45 and 1:05.66.