Southford Stud‘s Gr1 winning stallion Admiral Kitten, the only son of outstanding stallion Kitten’s Joy at stud in South Africa, sired his first local winner when his two-year-old son Zuzan broke his maiden at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Trained by Paul Matchett, the gelded Zuzan had finished third on debut and went one better in Tuesday’s race with a courageous performance.
Under Muzi Yeni, the Maine Chance Farms bred two-year-old stuck his head down close home and went on to score by a neck and clocked 71,54 secs for the 1200m.
Muzi Yeni steers Zuzan to victory as he beats Meteoric (Lyle Hewitson) with a sustained finishing effort (Pic -JC Photos)
Out of the Silvano mare Zafira, Zuzan was a R70 000 buy from the 2020 National Yearling Sale.
His Gr1 winning sire Admiral Kitten is also the sire of four North American winners from just a handful of runners.
A stakes winner at two, three and four, Admiral Kitten showed his class when landing the Gr1 Secretariat Stakes at three, and he earned nearly US$800 000 in prize money.
He is a son of US champion Kitten’s Joy, who was North America’s Champion Sire in 2013, and whose 100 plus stakes winners include such champions as Roaring Lion, Big Blue Kitten and Hawkbill.
Kitten’s Joy, whose offspring have earned over $151 million, is also sire of 2000 Guineas hero Kameko, dual Breeders’ Cup heroine Stephanie’s Kitten and promising young sire Bobby’s Kitten.
Admiral Kitten
Out of a mare by Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner up Grand Slam, Admiral Kitten hails from the same female line as champion sires Cozzene and Fort Wood, with his other notable relatives including the likes of Dubai Millennium, Timber Country, and Gr1 winner Serape.
Moutonshoek Stud originally brought Admiral Kitten to SA. Despite Kitten’s Joy being a phenomenal sire of progeny, with an affinity for the turf, the reception in the Western Cape was unexciting.
Speaking on behalf of Moutonshoek some time ago, Colin Gordon said that Admiral Kitten had suffered travel sickness on the way across from the States to Europe and by the time he landed here had lost a heap of weight.
“As a result we took the decision not to show him at the 2017 Wilgerbosdrift Stallion day and he made a low key entry to the breeding ranks. He is, however, a consummate professional with a great attitude and he soon picked up the weight and covers like an old pro. When Karoo Breeders approached us with the idea of sending Admiral Kitten to their region, we thought it a great idea to give him the best possible chance to get a good book of mares. We showed him at the Highlands stallion parade where fellow Breeders shared our enthusiasm about his good looks.”
