by Phil Janack

Count Racing Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito among those anxiously awaiting the racing fate of War Pass.

Watching last year's champion two-year-old colt playfully nudge a blue Jolly Ball hanging outside his stall at Saratoga Race Course on Wednesday morning, Zito found it hard to believe his career could be over.

"We don't know yet," Zito said. "Obviously, you can see how happy he is. We just don't know."

Unbeaten in four starts at as a juvenile, including the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), War Pass has been sidelined since April with an ankle fracture. He last ran second in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) on April 4 at Aqueduct.

X-rays taken recently showed that the fracture appeared to have grown since first examined.

"We got a bad break because the injury wasn't that bad," Zito said. "I don't know if he jumps around or what. We've fixed that stall a million times. We're dealing with centimeters, so he must have done something in there because now it's longer."

Owned by Robert LaPenta, War Pass had a majority interest purchased last year by Will Farish, who will stand the horse at Lane's End Farm.

"When Mr. Farish gets here, I need to talk to him personally and see what the plans are," Zito said. "Obviously, he's not going to run this year. We need to see what we're going to do."

On Saturday, Zito will send out seven-year-old gelding Commentator in the Whitney Handicap (G1), a race he won in 2005, beating eventual Horse of the Year Saint Liam just two days before Zito's Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

"That was obviously a very special time for us," Zito said. "It's tremendous for him to come back here and try again three years later, and he's good, too. I'm sure he'll give a good account of himself."

On Sunday, Zito will have both Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Da' Tara and third-place finisher Anak Nakal in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), Saratoga's hometown prep for the $1-million Travers Stakes Presented by Shadwell Farm (G1) on August 23.

"I think both horses need to be sharp for the Travers if they're going to run well," Zito said. "That's why we're using this prep."

Phil Janack is a New York-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent