Shelzawa is Zelzal's latest Group winner
ZELZAL added another Group winner to his record on Thursday as three-year-old SHELZAWA landed the Winter Memories Stakes Gr.3 at Belmont Park, bringing up an 18th Blacktype performance of the year for the Haras de Bouquetot stallion.
Already featured among ZELZAL's summer winners after opening her account at Saratoga in July, SHELZAWA has made rapid progress since. She returned to Saratoga in late August to win an Allowance Optional Claiming before stepping into Graded company for the first time in the $200,000 Winter Memories Stakes Gr.3 over a mile on turf.
Bred in France by Marie-Laure Collet and Teddy Poirier, the Chad Brown-trained filly, sporting the colours of Madaket Stables, is out of Shendama (Dr Fong).
A strong September at Stakes level
September had already brought further Blacktype form through ALAM, who produced another high-class performance when finishing second in the Qatar Prix Niel Gr.2 over 2,400 metres at ParisLongchamp.
The Al Shaqab Racing homebred, out of Katara (Deep Impact), finished just a length and a quarter behind the winner in one of the principal trials for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Gr.1. The performance had put the three-year-old on course for the Arc itself before a setback ruled him out of the race.
Eight days later, ZAMBEZI earned his first Blacktype placing when third in La Coupe de Marseille L. at Salon-de-Provence. The three-year-old son of Mersey (Kodiac), bred and owned by Anita Wigan and trained by Tim Donworth, finished third over 2,000 metres.
ZELZAL's younger generation also enjoyed a productive month. MARCH MADNESS opened his account at Sablé-sur-Sarthe on September 20, scoring over 1,650 metres on his fourth start. The son of Miss Pimpernel (Clodovil) had previously finished fourth on two occasions.
Three days later, OBLINSKHA recorded the second victory of her juvenile campaign in the Prix Georges Sicard at Toulouse. Bred by Alain Jathière and out of Kiwiana (Kodiac), she had already made a winning debut over 1,000 metres at La Teste in March and now boasts two wins from four starts.
