Zozos , a 5-year-old grade 1-placed, graded stakes winner by Munnings , has been purchased by Equistar Training and Breeding Center in Eastern Pennsylvania and will enter stud next year at $2,500.
Barry and Joni Butzow bred and raced Zozos, watching him win seven of 15 careers starts from 3 to 5 and capture three black-type stakes with trainer Brad Cox. While he won twice at 1 1/16 miles, Zozos did his best running at a mile with wins at this distance in the Ack Ack Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, Hanshin Stakes at Ellis Park, and Knicks Go Overnight Stakes at Churchill, all in 2023.
Zozos also attracted the spotlight on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in 2022 with a second in the Louisiana Derby (G2). He would be unplaced in the Kentucky Derby (G1) but this year was third in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1), in which he pursued Here Mi Song through opening fractions of :22.56, :44.87, and 1:09.04. At the end, both challengers gave up ground to Gun Pilot , who went on to finish second in the Forego Stakes (G1).
Zozos, a dark brown or bay horse that stands slightly above 16.2 hands, retired with a 7-1-1 record in 15 starts and earned $1,011,463.
“I happened to call the agent the day Zozos came off the track,” said Rodney Eckenrode, the owner of Equistar. “I told him I loved Munnings, and we got the deal done in a few days.
“Those sprinter-type milers work so well around here because that is 70% of the races they write around here,” he continued. “If you are going to improve the regional mares, you need to make them faster. This horse proved he was a front-runner and ran some nice numbers.”
The Butzows, who have retained a minor interest in the stallion, bred Zozos out of the winning Forestry mare Papa’s Forest. The mare has one other foal to race named Emerald Forest, who is a winning son of Gemologist and set a 1:21.07 seven-furlong track record in 2021 at Louisiana Downs.
Papa’s Forest’s dam, Dixie Sue (Dixieland Band), is a half sister to 1998 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) winner Diamond On the Run, grade 1-placed stakes winner Tropical Blossom, and multiple stakes winner Barbette. The immediate family also has produced grade 1 winner Celestine and graded stakes winners Buddy’s Humor, Dreamfyre , and Law Professor .
Eckenrode said regional breeders will find Zozos an attractive option.
“The horse has good leg underneath him for a sprinter. He has a really good shoulder and a very deep hip with shorter cannon bones that contribute to durability. He has a very deep heart girth as well. He’s just an overall very attractive horse. If he had won that grade 1 at Churchill Downs, he would be standing in Kentucky.”
Eckenrode also sees Munnings as a developing sire of sires. Ashford Stud, which stands Munnings, also stands his son Jack Christopher , whose first foals arrived this year. Munnings is also the sire of Louisiana stallion El Deal , who is the sire of Free Like a Girl , a 16-time stakes winner who was second in this year’s La Troienne Stakes (G1) and third in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1).
Equistar, near Annville, Pa., east of Harrisburg, also stands multiple grade 1 winner Brody’s Cause and dual classic winner Smarty Jones .
