Rick Pitino's horse named after Zuby Ejiofor wins debut race at Aqueduct

A spot in the Kentucky Oaks might not be in the picture yet for Rick Pitino and Zuby Ejiofor but the St. John’s basketball duo is hoping Thursday afternoon was the first of many victories this season, albeit in a different fashion.

Pitino’s long talked about thoroughbred horse named after his dominant Red Storm center, ZUBY, entered the starting gates for the first time in his career at Aqueduct Race Track and rallied through the stretch to break her maiden ($12.44) at first asking.

The filly was trained by George Weaver and ridden to victory by jockey Eric Cancel, beating the eight-horse field by three and a half lengths with only one other horse not having at least one start in their career.

Originally scheduled to be run on the turf, inclement weather conditions in New York forced the race off the grass and to be run on a muddy track at six furlongs.

“Our captain Zuby had a great practice, and his namesake kicked ass and won the sixth race at Aqueduct!” Pitino posted on X Thursday afternoon. “Way to go both Zubys.”

ZUBY was purchased at the Keenland September Yearling Sale in 2024 for $75,000. After winning its first race, the horse will likely graduate to allowance company and face other horses who have won races, which could include foes that are older than the 2-year-old.

It’s been a string of great success for Rick Pitino’s RAP Racing stable with two quality second place finishes from AGGELOS THE GREAT, named after his agent in Greece, at Saratoga Race Course this summer and the emergence of JOHNNY’S RED STORM, who dominantly broke his maiden at Saratoga and followed that performance up with a winning effort in the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint in August.

The back-to-back performances could have the horse on track to race in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar on October 31.