by Jeff Apel

Zaftig opened a head lead in early stretch, kicked clear approaching the finish, and posted her first stakes triumph with a 5 1/4-length victory in the $208,400 Nassau County Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Belmont Park.

Positioned between foes at the start of the race for three-year-old fillies, Zaftig dropped back to fourth through a half-mile in :45.01, more than 2 1/2 lengths off the pace.

Unleashing a determined three-wide bid near the quarter pole, Zaftig seized command on the turn and easily outran Grade 3 winner Carolyn’s Cat, the 0.95-to-1 favorite who finished second after dueling with Irish Smoke for the early lead.

“I knew the favorite was the only speed,” winning jockey Jorge Chavez said. “I was hoping someone would go with her, and that’s what happened.”

Carolyn’s Cat chased Irish Smoke in second through a quarter in :22.57 and gained command by a head on the backstretch. Zaftig tracked the pace in a close-up third at the start, rallied on the outside, and won the seven-furlong race in 1:22.74 on a track rated as fast.

Grade 3-placed winner J Z Warrior finished third, 4 1/4 lengths behind Carolyn’s Cat.

Susan Moore’s and M and M Thoroughbred Partners’s Zaftig entered off a fourth-place finish in the Comely Stakes (G2) on April 12 at Aqueduct. Trained by James Jerkens, the Gone West filly won a seven-furlong maiden special weight race in her season debut on February 23 at Gulfstream Park.

Zaftig earned her second win in four career starts and increased her earnings to $158,700. Bred in Kentucky, the gray or roan filly is out of Grade 1 winner Zoftig, by Cozzene.

Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor

For an Equibase chart, click here.