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Zenyatta Foals War Front Filly, Set to Retire as Broodmare

Beloved Hall of Famer Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) produced her last foal, a filly by War Front, on June 9 at Lane's End Farm.

According to Zenyatta.com, the champion's co-owner Ann Holbrook (Moss), as well as Lane's End managers Todd Claunch and Jenn Laidlaw, were present for the successful foaling of the newborn, who sports a prominent blaze quite reminiscent of her dam's recognizable markings.

The post also stated that this will be Zenyatta's last foal as the 19-year-old mare enters into retirement.

The winner of 19 of 20 starts and the 2010 Horse of the Year, Zenyatta retired to the breeding shed in 2011 following her only career defeat after a famed battle with Blame in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic. Unfortunately the history-making racemare had a troubled career as a broodmare and only four of her offspring have made it to racing age thus far.

That blaze sure looks familiar! | Lane's End's Jenn Laidlaw

Her first two foals Cozmic One (Bernardini) and Ziconic (Tapit) both reached the starting gate. Cozmic One was unplaced in five starts, but forged his own path in the show ring. Watch the TDN's 'Catching Up with Cozmic One' here. From 12 starts, Ziconic earned two second-place finishes and followed in his elder half-brother's path when he too went on to become a successful show jumper.

Zenyatta's 2017 foal, a Medaglia d'Oro filly named Zellda, did not make it to the starting gate, but she went on to a breeding career and just produced her first foal this year. The colt by Twirling Candy was foaled April 27.

Zenyatta's 3-year-old Zilkha (Candy Ride {Arg}) also did not make the starting gate, but she did spend time in the John Shirreffs barn at Santa Anita last year (TDN checked in with her here).

In a TDN visit to Lane's End in 2020 when Zilkha was a foal, the farm's broodmare manager Jenn Laidlaw spoke on the personality of the gifted, brilliant, unforgettable Zenyatta.

“Zenyatta is probably the most intelligent horse on the farm,” she said. “She knows that she's important and she knows who she is. She has a real presence about her.”

Although her chapter as a broodmare now comes to a close, Zenyatta will continue to be an ambassador for the sport. Laidlaw told TDN how much of an impact the spotlight-loving mare has had on visitors to Lane's End.

“When the fans get the opportunity to meet her, they'll just start crying,” she explained. “It's really heartwarming to see how much she affected people's daily lives and how much they love her. There are stories people tell you about how she's helped them through situations or how she gave them motivation.”

The post Zenyatta Foals War Front Filly, Set to Retire as Broodmare appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Could Zilkha Be the One? Zenyatta’s Youngest Daughter Shows Promise at Shirreffs Barn

The youngest progeny from Hall of Fame superstar Zenyatta recently arrived at John Shirreffs's barn at Santa Anita. The 2-year-old chestnut filly by Candy Ride (Arg) named Zilkha is already well on her way to making her debut this year.

Zilkha's big personality became abundantly clear during my interview with Shirreffs. The juvenile was front and center, peering over Shirreffs's shoulder as she was hamming for the camera, and at one point put her nose right in it. Perhaps she is more like Zenyatta than we know?

When I posed that question to Shirreffs, he hedged and went on to describe Queen Z's early days. Back then, the only person to get on her was Heather Gonzales because she was bucking everyone else off.

“Heather didn't care,” he said with a chuckle. “Zenyatta would buck her off too and run back to the barn. Then she would do it all again the next day.”

As for this youngest daughter of Zenyatta, Shirreffs is enthusiastic in his praise for the regally bred filly. When I pressed him about the latest Z baby to show up at his barn, his face lit up.

“She's fabulous,” quipped the usually reserved trainer. “She really gets over the track well and she's almost the perfect size. She's got a big stride on her and a great attitude.”

Zilkha began her early training just as her famous mother did at Mayberry Farm in Ocala. Shirreffs is quick to credit the operation as Zilkha has taken her relocation to California in stride.

“She came here in great shape and is acting like she's been here for weeks, but it's been six days!”

Shirreffs is not the only one who has thought that Zilkha could be the best of Zenyatta's foals.

Back in 2020 when the filly was just a few months old, Lane's End Farm's broodmare manager Jenn Laidlaw said in a TDN interview, “She's been a superstar since day one….She's probably my favorite of Zenyatta's foals.”

Admittedly, Zenyatta's first four foals to reach the Shirreffs barn did not inherit their dam's rare athletic ability.

Shirreffs described them one by one while Zilkha eagerly searched for the carrot tucked neatly in his back pocket.

“Cozmic One (Bernardini) was a big, strong horse,” he recalled. “He probably would have done great when they had four-mile heat racing.”

It's clear that Zilkha inherited her dam's big personality | Zoe Cadman

Cozmic One was unplaced in five starts, but is now thriving as he competes in jumper classes with Sergio and Isabela de Sousa in Lexington, Kentucky. Watch our TDN interview with Isabela here.

Shirreffs described Zenyatta's next foal, Ziconic (Tapit), as one of the toughest horses the septuagenarian conditioner has ever trained.

“I can remember leading him onto the track one day and suddenly I heard a noise behind me only to turn around and see Ziconic coming towards the pony on his hind legs as fast as he could.”

Now gelded, Ziconic is enjoying a second career as a hunter jumper with Sarah Pollock in California.

Zenyatta's third foal to reach the Shirreffs barn, Zellda (Medaglia d'Oro), never made it to the races and recently retired to Lane's End. Sheriffs described her as a pretty filly, but said she didn't have the size or scope to be a racehorse.

Zenyatta's fourth foal to get to Shirreffs, Zilkha, was named after the late Cecile Zilkha, who owner and breeder Ann Holbrook-Moss described as “a beautiful and strong lifelong philanthropist.” Cecile had a significant impact in her involvement with a number of charities, including the Hospital for Special Surgery and the Metropolitan Opera, where she served as a member of the board of trustees and its vice chairman.

I followed the philanthropist's equine namesake one morning, expecting her to train at 9:30 a.m., which is when most tracks are flooded with rowdy, unraced 2-year-olds at this time of year. But Shirreffs, who literally could author his own book on training, sends her out every morning at 8 a.m., coincidentally with two other juveniles she trained with at Mayberry Farm.

“It's busy out there and it's good for them,” Shirreffs told me.

Zilkha duly galloped a mile and a quarter with regular rider Amy Vasco in the stirrups, coming home through the paddock and not even blinking as she strutted past the life-sized bronze statue of her famous mother in the paddock gardens.

I posed the question to Shirreffs: What would it mean to Zenyatta's legacy if she was ever able to replicate herself?

Shirreffs was quick to point out that he didn't think it would mean anything, as Zenyatta and her legacy stand alone. However, he later added, “It would be really great to have Zenyatta produce a winner–a nice horse, one we can all enjoy, watch run and think about the days of Zenyatta running.”

I got a stiff 'No!' when I asked Shirreffs if he ever goes back and watches some of Zenyatta's races.

“I have such great memories that I really don't need to go back and watch them,” he said.

Here's hoping we get some good ones from Zilkha!

The post Could Zilkha Be the One? Zenyatta’s Youngest Daughter Shows Promise at Shirreffs Barn appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Champion Zenyatta Loses 2021 Candy Ride Foal

Hall of Famer Zenyatta has lost her Candy Ride foal, which was due later this year, per the official Zenyatta website.

A statement on the site read as follows:

“We at Team Zenyatta and Lane's End Farm are deeply saddened to share that Zenyatta lost her 2021 foal early this year.

“She had been carrying a second Candy Ride filly, and we grieve the loss of this precious life. Thankfully, Zenyatta remains in excellent health and is doing very well.”

The loss continues what has been a rocky broodmare career for the 2010 Horse of the Year. She lost a six-month-old War Front filly in a paddock accident in the fall of 2014, while a colt by the same sire died a few days after his birth in 2016 due to complications from meconium aspiration syndrome, a respiratory issue. In 2018, Zenyatta lost an Into Mischief foal during pregnancy due to low-grade placentitis. She was not bred in 2015 and 2019.

The Candy Ride foal would have been Zenyatta's seventh, counting the two War Front foals who died before they were registered.

Her first foal, the 2012 Bernardini colt Cozmic One, went unplaced in five starts, and he is now in the midst of his second career as a show jumper in Kentucky. He competed in the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover with rider Isabela de Sousa.

Ziconic, by Tapit, was born a year later and hit the board in eight of 12 starts from 2016 to 2018, but never found the winner's circle. He has also transitioned into a show jumping career in California.

The Medaglia d'Oro filly Zellda, born in 2017, is unraced to date. Zenyatta's latest foal, the Candy Ride filly Zilkha, was born last year, and is a yearling of 2021.

Zenyatta has spent the entirety of her broodmare career at Lane's End in Versailles, Ky.

The post Champion Zenyatta Loses 2021 Candy Ride Foal appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A Decade Later, Zenyatta Still Racing Royalty

Whether you choose to believe them or not, people always said that she knew where the finish line was. And there was never any denying the intelligence of four-time Eclipse champion and Horse of the Year Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}).

She was quirky and a bit high-strung, and she made a hobby out of throwing exercise riders in the mornings. Her dance when she hit the track during warmup, whether it was to toy with her fans or to release adrenaline, and her ability to switch gears as she weaved between foes and charged down the lane towards the wire were all the elements that made Zenyatta, well, Zenyatta.

Now almost 10 years since that heart-wrenching day at Churchill Downs that kept her just short of a 20-race perfect record, the 16-year-old broodmare still has the same bright eye and the presence of a champion.

“Zenyatta’s probably the most intelligent horse on the farm,” said Jenn Laidlaw, the broodmare manager at Lane’s End Farm. “She knows that she’s important and she knows who she is. She has a real presence about her.”

The Hall of Famer can spot a camera from a mile away and when she spies someone approaching her paddock, she presents her hind end to the fence and awaits expectantly for a good scratching, pawing impatiently if it is not received in a timely manner.

Zenyatta’s exceptional talent on the track has yet to be seen in her offspring, with her first foal Cozmic One (Bernardini) running unplaced in five starts, but now succeeding in the show ring. Her other son Ziconic (Tapit) also never visited the winner’s circle.

But in the next few years, there is new opportunity for Zenyatta’s progeny to succeed.

Her daughter Zellda, a 3-year-old filly by Medaglia d’Oro, is in training under John Shirreffs and recorded her latest breeze on July 13, going four furlongs from the gate at Del Mar.

And this year, a second daughter arrived to carry on the family name.

Zenyatta foaled a filly by Candy Ride (Arg) on May 17.

“She’s been a superstar since day one,” Laidlaw said of the foal. “She popped up and started walking within an hour. She’s been healthy. She’s been happy. She hasn’t put a foot wrong since she’s been here. She’s got a great body and is a fairly correct foal, really typical for a Candy Ride. She’s probably my favorite of Zenyatta’s foals.”

Laidlaw added that this filly has the same gregarious personality as her mother.

“She knows who she is,” she said. “She’ll stand, she’ll pose, she knows when the camera is on her. She enjoys being groomed and she enjoys everybody giving her attention.”

Laidlaw has held various positions at Lane’s End over the last 10 years and has been present for Zenyatta’s entire broodmare career.

“With a foal at foot, she’s a great mom,” Laidlaw said. “She loves other foals. She usually has the other foals around her. She’s just a really smart mare and is great to be around.”

Laidlaw also said she enjoys witnessing the interaction between the champion mare and her adoring fans.

“When the fans get the opportunity to meet her, they’ll just start crying,” she said. “It’s really heartwarming to see how much she affected people’s daily lives and how much they love her. There are stories people tell you about how she’s helped them through situations or how she gave them motivation. We have a girl that works here and [Zenyatta] is what brought her into the industry. She absolutely loves this mare.”

Zenyatta was bred back to Candy Ride this year, and her filly this year will soon be weaned. The Hall of Famer isn’t in the spotlight quite as often nowadays as she was a decade ago, but she will always be racing royalty.

“I think Zenyatta being special is different for different people,” Laidlaw said. “Obviously she was a great race mare, but she just really got you excited every race she was in. She’s an outstanding horse for this industry, to bring people in and get them excited. Everybody loves her.”

The post A Decade Later, Zenyatta Still Racing Royalty appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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