Nicky the Vest looking good for his comeback

Nicky the Vest will be watching his namesake from the heavens on Thursday, when the stakes-winning New York-bred returns to action in the third race at Aqueduct.

Nicky the Vest, the horse, will be making his first start since winning the $100,000 Gander in February at Aqueduct.

A month after that race, Nicholas Zaloumis, who was known as Nicky the Vest, died. Robert LaPenta, who owns the horse Nicky the Vest, had named him for Zaloumis.

“Nicky the Vest was a famous bartender at Rao’s in New York,” said John Panagot, racing manager for LaPenta. “He was known for his vests. That’s what they called him.

“Mr. LaPenta wanted to name a good New York-bred for him. We sent him a win photo. The restaurant knew about it.”

The third race Thursday is one of three New York-bred allowances on the card. Nicky the Vest will bring a 2-for-2 record into the two-other-than allowance for 3-year-olds and up at a mile. He debuted at Aqueduct last December, winning a mile maiden special weight. Nicky the Vest then romped by 11 3/4 lengths in the Gander, also at a mile at Aqueduct, and from there had been pointed to the track’s Wood Memorial.

“He’d trained like he was a horse of quality and he backed it up in his two starts,” trainer Jonathan Thomas said. “We were hoping to tackle some bigger races, but he came up with a little issue. He had a very small chip in a knee.”

Thomas said the bone chip was removed and the horse’s ownership gave Nicky the Vest all the time he needed to come back at his best. Since the horse last raced, LaPenta has a new partner in Nicky the Vest.

“Madaket Stables bought into him,” Panagot said. “We’re excited to have them on board. We’re looking forward to seeing what the horse will do. He’s had a nice, steady work pattern.”

Nicky the Vest’s drills include five furlongs in a bullet 59.80 seconds on Nov. 7 at Belmont.

“You’re always kind of holding your breath off a significant layoff,” Thomas said. “The horse has shown up every week and worked well, and I’m hoping I have him tight enough to go a mile. I think he’s as good as he can be without a race under him.”

Nicky the Vest will break from post 7 in the field of eight. A front-runner, he figures to be prominent under regular rider Kendrick Carmouche.

“We’re certainly not going to change anything,” Thomas said. “Ultimately, it’s up to Kendrick. The horse has typically broken from the gate very well, been on the lead.”

Thomas recommended the purchase of Nicky the Vest, a son of Runhappy.

“During the pandemic, it was I would say May 2020, the horse was at Niall Brennan’s,” Panagot said. “Jonathan Thomas, doing his homework, was going to the farms to see horses just in case the sales got canceled or maybe someone wanted to sell because of the uncertainty of the market.

“The horse hasn’t done anything wrong in either of his races, and we’re looking forward to his future.”

The chief threats Thursday are Thorny Tale, Troubleshooter, and Durkin’s Call.

CHELSEA DURAND/NYRA Nicky the Vest hasn’t raced since his Gander win in February.