Zafonic

Zafonic (1 April 1990 – 7 September 2002) was a European Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky. He was the 1992 European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and won the following year's 2,000 Guineas.

Zafonic
Sire	Gone West
Grandsire	Mr. Prospector
Dam	Zaizafon
Damsire	The Minstrel
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1 April 1990[1]
Country	United States
Colour	Brown/Black
Breeder	Juddmonte Farms
Owner	Khalid Abdullah
Trainer	André Fabre
Record	7: 5-1-0
Earnings	£374,042
Major wins
Prix Morny (1992) Prix de la Salamandre (1992) Dewhurst Stakes (1992) 2,000 Guineas (1993)
Awards
European Champion Two-Yr-Old Colt (1992) Timeform rating: 130
Last updated on 29 June 2024

Background

Zafonic was sired by the Mr. Prospector stallion Gone West, out of the Seaton Delaval Stakes winner Zaizafon, a daughter of The Minstrel.^[2] He was owned and bred by Khalid Abdullah and conditioned by the French trainer André Fabre.

Racing career

Racing at age two, Zafonic went undefeated. After winning a minor race at Deauville in August, he followed up with a win in the Group One Prix Morny at the same course ten days later.^[3] Three weeks later in the Prix de la Salamandre at Longchamp, he took the lead in the straight and pulled clear to beat Kingmambo by three lengths.^[4] He then was shipped to the Newmarket Racecourse in the United Kingdom where he won the Dewhurst Stakes by four lengths in "very impressive" style.^[5] His 1992 performance earned him the Cartier Racing Award as Europe's Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.

At three, Zafonic started at 10-1 ON for his debut in the Prix Djebel but lost his unbeaten record when he was beaten a short head by Kingmambo. Sent back to Newmarket for the British Classic, the 2,000 Guineas, Zafonic won by 3½ lengths from Barathea and breaking a 45-year-old course record.^[6][7] In the Sussex Stakes, the colt burst a blood vessel and finished seventh.

Stud career

His racing career over, Zafonic was sent to his owner's Banstead Manor Stud near the village of Cheveley in East Cambridgeshire. He sired more than two dozen stakes winners including Xaar, the 1997 European 2-Year-Old Champion and winner of the Dewhurst Stakes and Prix de la Salamandre, Count Dubois (Gran Criterium), Zafeen (St James's Palace Stakes), Iffraaj and Trade Fair.^[8]

In August 2002, Zafonic's owner leased him for the southern hemisphere covering season to Arrowfield Stud in Scone, New South Wales, Australia. Only a few days after being released from quarantine, Zafonic died on 7 September 2002 as the result of an accident at Arrowfield's paddock.^[9]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Zafonic (USA), bay stallion, 1990^[1]

Sire Gone West (USA) 1984	Mr. Prospector (USA) 1970	Raise a Native	Native Dancer
			Raise You
		Gold Digger	Nashua
			Sequence
	Secrettame (USA) 1978	Secretariat	Bold Ruler
			Somethingroyal
		Tamerett	Tim Tam
			Mixed Marriage
Dam Zaizafon (USA) 1982	The Minstrel (CAN) 1974	Northern Dancer	Nearctic
			Natalma
		Fleur	Victoria Park
			Flaming Page
	Mofida (GB) 1974	Right Tack	Hard Tack
			Polly Macaw
		Wold Lass	Vilmorin
			Cheb (Family: 9-e)[10]

References

1. "Zafonic pedigree". Equineline. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
2. "Zafonic's pedigree and racing stats". Pedigreequery.com. 7 September 2002. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
3. "Results from the 2.35 race at DEAUVILLE (FR) – 23 August 1992". Racing Post. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
4. "Results from the 3.35 race at LONGCHAMP (FR) – 13 September 1992". Racing Post. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
5. "Results from the 3.40 race at NEWMARKET – 16 October 1992". Racing Post. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
6. "Zafonic". Racing Post. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
7. Hayward, Paul (2 May 1993). "Racing: Mighty Zafonic zooms from zero to hero". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022.
8. "Zafonic Stud Record". Racing Post. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
9. "Zafonic dies in paddock accident". Thoroughbred Times. 8 September 2002. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
10. "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Maid of Masham - Family 9-e".