ZINFANDEL
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Pedigree generated by PedigreeQuery.com | |||||||||||||||
Zane is all colt, all the time, which makes him a rather well-muscled handful. He's bold enough that he doesn't need any human to give him confidence, which means anything he does is on his term and by his graces. There's no way to bully or cow him, because he's a war charger that knows no fear. He just fights back twice as hard, and that's a good way to get someone hurt. Therefore daily life with Zinfandel is a new trial, a new game of 'hold on tight' if he's in a mood. Which, to be fair, he isn't always. He actually likes humans a lot more than he likes other horses, so he has moments where his handlers feel a connection between them. But the normal Zane consists of a dangerous amount of rearing and striking, kicking at inopportune moments, and biting any time someone's in range and lets their guard down. He's an absolute monster to groom, especially because he can't even be tied - he'll destroy his neck before he allows himself to be constrained that way. So grooming is a two-person job, as is taking him to his turnout, to workouts, to anything. Even when he's laid up he still acts like every turnout is the first in months, and it's up to the grooms to keep a good hold. They have to use slip-ropes on him so they don't have to put their hands near his halter to let him loose. He thunders around the field, giving everyone a mild heart attack, before he decides he's over the fuss and settles down to graze.
Under saddle he's better directed, not much danger to the one on his back - aside from the rearing, but that only happens when he's being handled by someone on the ground. So while the paddock is a nightmare (and why he's best-off being saddled away from everyone else), he's easy enough to handle when it's one-on-one on the track or during workouts. He's an absolutely competitive monster, though, as can be expected. He's calm enough when he's on his own, but when other horses are introduced he can be tough to handle. However, it became obvious very early on that he's something incredibly special. When he moves, the rider can physically feel the wound energy inside of him. He flies with untethered abandon, and has never faced a challenge he didn't want to tear down. He's ultra-competitive, and won't be pulled up until he passes his foe. With that kind of drive, how could he not end up a champion?
LEG TYPE: CLOSER
Zane goes into the gate eerily easily, given how much of a pain he is everywhere else. When the gate opens, Zane explodes from it the way he does when he goes into a field - surging forward for a hundred yards with the hottest of them before settling right back through the pack to dead last. He doesn't like being close to the other horses, and he doesn't mind dropping behind them when asked. For a time, at least. And given the distance he runs, it's plenty of time. His agitation builds as the race progresses, and he begins tossing his head, testing the jockey, preparing for the big move. And when it comes, it's explosive. He makes his move almost recklessly, because by this point he doesn't care about the other horses at all - he'll run shoulder-to-shoulder, ignore an inadvertent whip to the face from another jock, and dive through gaps his rider would never ask of him. He knows no fear, and he fights his way to the leader without fail - even if he doesn't get to the wire before them, he will run them down before he's stopped.
Under saddle he's better directed, not much danger to the one on his back - aside from the rearing, but that only happens when he's being handled by someone on the ground. So while the paddock is a nightmare (and why he's best-off being saddled away from everyone else), he's easy enough to handle when it's one-on-one on the track or during workouts. He's an absolutely competitive monster, though, as can be expected. He's calm enough when he's on his own, but when other horses are introduced he can be tough to handle. However, it became obvious very early on that he's something incredibly special. When he moves, the rider can physically feel the wound energy inside of him. He flies with untethered abandon, and has never faced a challenge he didn't want to tear down. He's ultra-competitive, and won't be pulled up until he passes his foe. With that kind of drive, how could he not end up a champion?
LEG TYPE: CLOSER
Zane goes into the gate eerily easily, given how much of a pain he is everywhere else. When the gate opens, Zane explodes from it the way he does when he goes into a field - surging forward for a hundred yards with the hottest of them before settling right back through the pack to dead last. He doesn't like being close to the other horses, and he doesn't mind dropping behind them when asked. For a time, at least. And given the distance he runs, it's plenty of time. His agitation builds as the race progresses, and he begins tossing his head, testing the jockey, preparing for the big move. And when it comes, it's explosive. He makes his move almost recklessly, because by this point he doesn't care about the other horses at all - he'll run shoulder-to-shoulder, ignore an inadvertent whip to the face from another jock, and dive through gaps his rider would never ask of him. He knows no fear, and he fights his way to the leader without fail - even if he doesn't get to the wire before them, he will run them down before he's stopped.
Horse Pictured: Smart Strike | Buybacks: Ripley | Other Reserves: None
TWO YEAR OLD SEASON [Y18]
1st in TW Tropical Park Derby* - Jan Wk 3 [10F/T]
1st in BSD Cormack Stakes - Aug Wk 2 [9F/D]
1st in BSD Gwendolyn Stakes - Sep Wk 4 [9F/T]
1st in BSD Karakish Stakes - Dec Wk 2 [10F/T]
2nd in GHF Merry Bay King Legacy Stakes* - Mar Wk 1 [10F/T]
2nd in TW Grand Silence Marathon Chall.* - Apr Wk 2 [12F/D]
2nd in BSD Lost Usurper Stakes - Jul Wk 3 [9F/T]
2nd in BSD Emerald Express Stakes - Jul Wk 4 [10F/T]
2nd in BSD Jackal Stakes - Aug Wk 4 [11F/T]
2nd in BSD Axl Derby - Oct Wk 2 [11F/T]
3rd in GHF Horseshoe Futurity* - Apr Wk 4 [10F/D]
3rd in TW Louisiana Futurity* - Sep Wk 3 [12F/T]
4th in TW Close Racing Stakes* - Mar Wk 4 [11F/D]
4th in TW Megalith Marathon* - Oct Wk 4 [12F/T]
5th in TW Blue Mountain Stakes* - Dec Wk 4 [10F/D]
6th in TW The Test of Passionate Class* - Feb Wk 2 [10F/T]
6th in GHF FTH Juvenile Turf Classic* - May Wk 2 [11F/T]
6th in TW Sanford Stakes* - May Wk 4 [12F/T]
THREE YEAR OLD SEASON [Y19]
1st in BSD Burgett Stakes - Mar Wk 3 [9F/T]
1st in BSD Mill Creek Stakes - July Wk 2 [11F/T]
1st in TW Jessie James Derby - Dec Wk 3 [12F/T]
2nd in GHF Kickstart Cup - Mar Wk 1 [10F/D]
2nd in BSD Thewayiam Stakes - Nov Wk 4 [12F/T]
3rd in BSD Ferriday Stakes* - Jan Wk 3 [11F/T]
3rd in BSD Hill Gail Stakes - Apr Wk 3 [9F/D]
3rd in TW Cococabana Derby - July Wk 4 [9F/D]
3rd in BSD Snarl Stakes - Sep Wk 2 [11F/T]
4th in TW Harbringer Stakes - Aug Wk 2 [10F/T]
4th in GHF Autumn Cup G4 Turf* - Aug Wk 4 [10F/T]
4th in BSD Oklahoma Derby (DDS)** - Oct Wk 3 [10.5F/D]
4th in BSD Ohio Derby (DDS)** - Nov Wk 2 [11F/D]
5th in BSD Oakland Stakes* - Jan Wk 1 [10F/D]
5th in BSD Oceanside Stakes* - Feb Wk 4 [11F/T]
5th in BSD Pennsylvania Derby (DDS)** - Oct Wk 1 [10F/D]
6th in GHF Santa Anita Derby* - Apr Wk 2 [9F/D]
FOUR YEAR OLD SEASON [Y20]
1st in GHF Monarch Stakes - Feb Wk 3 [12F/D/4]
1st in GHF Spring Cup G3 Dirt* - Feb Wk 4 [10F/D/5]
1st in TW Taurust Stakes - Mar Wk 4 [11F/D/3]
1st in GHF November Dirt Stakes - Nov Wk 2 [11F/D/5]
1st in GHF Christmas Cup - Dec Wk 1 [11F/T/3]
2nd in BSD Bright Oak Stakes - Mar Wk 2 [10F/D/6]
2nd in BSD Combustible Stakes - Apr Wk 3 [10F/D/4]
2nd in GHF Cucumber Cup - June Wk 3 [9F/D/4]
2nd in GHF Seaspray Cup Grade Two* - July Wk 1 [10F/D/5]
2nd in BSD Sneaky Betty Stakes - Sep Wk 2 [10F/D/5]
3rd in TW Top Notch Stakes - Jan Wk 1 [11F/T/5]
3rd in GHF Green Horse Dirt - Jan Wk 3 [10F/D/5]
3rd in BSD Remblie Stakes - June Wk 1 [10F/D/6]
3rd in BSD Relicario Stakes - Aug Wk 2 [11F/D/3]
3rd in GHF Autumn Cup G2 Dirt* - Aug Wk 4 [10F/D/4]
3rd in TW Flashpoint Derby* - Nov Wk 4 [9F/D/4]
FIVE YEAR OLD SEASON [Y21]
1st in BSD Offender Stakes - Jan Wk 1 [10F/D/4]