Zafonic (1 April 1990 – 7 September 2002) was a European

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

bred in

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

. He was the 1992 European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and won the following year's

2,000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1.6 km) and scheduled to take place each yea ...

Background

Zafonic was sired by the Mr. Prospector stallion Gone West, out of the Seaton Delaval Stakes winner Zaizafon, a daughter of The Minstrel. 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 Deauville () is a communes of France, commune in the Calvados (department), Calvados department, Normandy (administrative region), Normandy, northwestern France. Major attractions include its port, harbour, Race track, race course, marinas, con ...

in August, he followed up with a win in the Group One Prix Morny at the same course ten days later. Three weeks later in the Prix de la Salamandre at Longchamp, he took the lead in the straight and pulled clear to beat

Kingmambo Kingmambo (February 19, 1990 – January 20, 2016) was an American-bred, French-trained thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and sire (horse), sire. Background He was sired by the leading stallion, Mr. Prospector, who in turn was a son of Raise ...

by three lengths. He then was shipped to the

Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...

in the United Kingdom where he won the

Dewhurst Stakes The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mi ...

by four lengths in "very impressive" style. 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

, Zafonic won by 3½ lengths from

Barathea Barathea, sometimes spelled barrathea, is a soft fabric, with a broken twill weft rib, giving a surface that is lightly pebbled or ribbed, with the effect of a twill running both left and right. Originally developed as a cloth for mourning clothe ...

and breaking a 45-year-old course record. In the

Sussex Stakes The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), a ...

, the colt burst a

blood vessel Blood vessels are the tubular structures of a circulatory system that transport blood throughout many Animal, animals’ bodies. Blood vessels transport blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to most of the Tissue (biology), tissues of a Body (bi ...

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 East Cambridgeshire (locally known as East Cambs) is a local government district in Cambridgeshire, England. Its council is based in the cathedral city of Ely. The district also contains the towns of Littleport and Soham and surrounding rural a ...

. He sired more than two dozen stakes winners including

Xaar Xaar (14 March 1995 – 16 May 2021) was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire (horse), sire, best known for his performances as a two-year-old in 1997. In his juvenile season, he won four of his five races, including the Prix de Cabou ...

, 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 The St James's Palace Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old Colt (horse), colts. It is run at Ascot Racecourse, Ascot ...

), Iffraaj and Trade Fair. 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 A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals, and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have bee ...

, Zafonic died on 7 September 2002 as the result of an accident at Arrowfield's

paddock A paddock is a small enclosure for horses. In the United Kingdom, this term also applies to a field for a general automobile racing competition, particularly Formula 1. Description The most common design provides an area for exercise and is ofte ...

Pedigree

References

{{2000 Guineas winners 1990 racehorse births 2002 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in France Cartier Award winners Thoroughbred family 9-e 2000 Guineas winners