By Alan Carasso
A well-backed 21-10 favorite in the $1-million American Turf Stakes, newly upgraded to Grade I status, Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) sat a perfect trip from close up, took over inside the final furlong and outlasted his chief market rivals Test Score (Lookin At Lucky) and European raider New Century (GB) (Kameko) for the victory.
A maiden winner going 1400 meters in testing ground at Saint-Cloud for the legendary Andre Fabre last June, Zulu Kingdom was pitched straight into graded company upon his arrival in the U.S. and acquitted himself well with neck victories in the GIII With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga at the end of August and in the GII Pilgrim Stakes at Aqueduct Sept. 29. A 43-10 chance for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 1, Zulu Kingdom was prominent into the stretch but couldn't finish off his race with the necessary gusto and checked in seventh. The ridgling had one run under his belt this season, another battling score as the favorite in the Mar. 8 Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
Racing one off the fence and fourth while between rivals behind loose-on-the-lead Mi Bago (Vekoma), Zulu Kingdom was asked to come after the front-runner, who began to sneak away at the midway point of the second turn. Mi Bago turned them in, but the chalk began to zero in on that one, albeit on his incorrect lead, finally surging past at the sixteenth pole and on to the victory. Test Score raced three back the fence and came around Warlander (Kitten's Joy) in upper stretch, dove to the inside late and just won a photo for second. New Century, last year's GI Summer Stakes hero, fourth in the Juvenile Turf and returning to the States off a fifth for Andrew Balding in Newmarket's G3 Craven Stakes Apr. 16, was ridden patiently–arguably too much so–at the back of the pack and picked off horses one by one in the lane, but the wire came too soon.
“I thought this horse was basically a miler but he handled the mile and a sixteenth today just fine,” said trainer Chad Brown, winning the race for the third time. “That might open up some new possibilities. Flavien (Prat) and I discussed his most recent races and the one thing we most wanted was to get this horse covered up early. When he sees open daylight, he wants to pull. But fortunately today, a couple of horses went out early in front of us and we the exact trip we were hoping for.”
Pedigree Notes:
Zulu Kingdom is one of two winners at the graded/group level and becomes the first top-level scorer for Ten Sovereigns, a son of No Nay Never.
A half-brother to French listed winner Zulu Warrior (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), the bay is one of eight foals ouf of dual French group winner Zinziberine, also the dam of G3 Prix de Cabourg winner and sire Zanzibari (Smart Strike). Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), winner of the G2 German 1000 Guineas, appears under the third dam.
The latest listed produce from Zindziswa is the 2-year-old colt Zulu Chant (Ire) (Magna Grecia {Ire}).
Zulu Kingdom (IRE) closes with a rush to win the G1 American Turf presented by Ford!
Flavien Prat up for trainer Chad Brown. pic.twitter.com/PsFSop6wpU
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 3, 2025
Saturday, Churchill Downs
AMERICAN TURF S. PRESENTED BY FORD-GI, $924,780, Churchill Downs, 5-3, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:41.64, gd.
1–ZULU KINGDOM (IRE), 122, r, 3, by Ten Sovereigns (Ire)
1st Dam: Zindziswa, by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Zinziberine, by Zieten
3rd Dam: Amenixa (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael J. Caruso; B-Ecurie Peregrine SAS (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $507,780. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-0, $800,387. *1/2 to Zulu Warrior (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), SW-Fr, $113,067. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Test Score, 122, c, 3, Lookin At Lucky–Joy of Learning, by Kitten's Joy. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Amerman Racing LLC; B-Jerry Amerman (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $183,800.
3–New Century (GB), 122, c, 3, Kameko–Potent Embrace, by Street Cry (Ire). O-Qatar Racing LLC; B-The Potent Embrace Partnership (GB); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $81,900.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, HF. Odds: 2.17, 5.90, 4.96.
Also Ran: Mi Bago, Giocoso, Iron Man Cal, Scipio, Maui Strong, Golden Afternoon, Maximum Promise, Megalodon, Hammerhead, Classic of Course, Warlander. Scratched: A. P. Kid, Charlie's to Blame, Discreet Dancer, Spirit Rags.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
