Nicholas Philip Zito (born February 6, 1948, in New York City, New York) is an American Thoroughbred horse trainer. Zito began his career as a hot walker and worked his way up to a groom, to an assistant trainer, and to a trainer. His first top level horse was Thirty Six Red with which he won the 1990 Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes and earned a second-place finish in that year's Belmont Stakes. Nick Zito went on to win the Preakness once, and the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes twice. He got his big break in 1991 when he won his first Kentucky Derby on Strike the Gold. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2005, a year that his stable won more than $8 million in purses. Zito has also trained the 1996 U.S. Champion2-Year-Old Filly Storm Song as well as Bird Town who was voted the 2003 U.S. Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. Nick Zito is a National Spokesperson and Honorary Director of the National Horse Protection Coalition. Zito and his wife, Kim, advocates for the just treatment of horses and are involved with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. Other Graded stakes race wins (partial list): Blue Grass Stakes : 1991, 1998, 2004 Brooklyn Handicap (2001, 2006) Champagne Stakes : 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007 Florida Derby : 2005, 2010, 2011 Jockey Club Gold Cup : 2000 Kentucky Oaks : 2003 Pimlico Special Handicap : 1992, 1996 Wood Memorial Stakes : 1990, 1999, 2005 References External links Official Website Interview Nick Zito at the NTRA Nicholas Zito at the United States' National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame American horse trainers United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Sportspeople from New York City Sportspeople from Saratoga Springs, New York 1948 births Living people