The connections of talented three-year-old filly Zanatta have high hopes for Saturday's $100,000 Courageous Lady Stakes at MGM Northfield Park.
Purchased for $115,000 at the 2021 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Zanatta was a standout for the Bongiornos and owner Michael Cote Gagnon of One Legend Stable.
"She was a very nice looking filly with a great neck," said trainer Jenn Bongiorno.
The connections were interested in some of the yearlings by Stay Hungry, and when they saw Zanatta, she stuck out from some of the rest. Another exciting trait was that she was bred by friend and colleague Anders Strom of Courant Inc.
While Zanatta was preparing for the races, her connections realized they had something special on their hands.
"She was really a star on the racetrack," said Bongiorno.
After winning two straight baby races, she tried two legs of the Pennyslvania Sires Stakes; following those efforts, it was decided to give her some time off and send her to Lexington's Red Mile.
"She was getting a little too hot during baby races," said Bongiorno. "Lexington is such a nice place to teach a horse how to race; we thought she would thrive there."
Bongiorno couldn't have been more right; in Zanatta's first start in the Kentucky Commonwealth Series, she reeled off an impressive 1:51 victory. They tried their luck in the Kentucky Championship Series two starts later, and she was a solid second to champion Strong Poison.
"We were thrilled with her performance in Lexington; she grew up down there," said Bongiorno.
After some success at The Red Mile, the decision was made to send her to Woodbine Mohawk Park for the Breeders Crown. She finished fourth in her elimination, something the connections were happy with, considering she scoped sick and bled during that race. The following week, in the final, she drew post 10 and made up some ground throughout the mile to finish sixth.
The connections weren't ready to give up just yet; they knew their filly had a lot of talent, so they gave Zanatta a couple of weeks off, added Lasix, and sent her to the Three Diamonds at The Meadowlands where she took off winning both the elimination and the $428,400 final.
"I have to say, it was the best decision we ever made; it truly made her year and let her show what she was really made of," said a jubilant Bongiorno.
While Zanatta has put together some solid performances in her sophomore season, bad luck combined with bad draws has created an up-and-down campaign. Following a runner-up performance in the Tompkins Geers at The Meadowlands at the end of July, she was sent back to Lexington, looking to get her first win of the season under her belt. She was competitive in Lexington, but having to take Zanatta off Lasix took its toll on her.
In the $400,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes final, she tried to rally late but tired down the stretch, finishing fifth in 1:50.1 to Twin B Joe Fresh. Three days later, Zanatta started in not one but two races on Jugette day, one of the only races left that requires heats. They added Lasix back and she shined bright once again with a decisive victory in the elimination and a brave second in the $255,000 final.
"That Jugette performance was so impressive, she really broke through on that day," noted Bongiorno.
The Bongironos are excited for another opportunity to showcase how great their filly is in the $100,000 Courageous Lady.
"She [Zanatta] is such a nice horse, both on and off of the racetrack; everyone in the barn loves her," said Bongiorno.
A win on Saturday would make for one special family moment with Bongiorno's brother Joe in the bike.
Zanatta is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line from post four, with Jugette champion Ucandoit Blue Chip the 2-1 favourite from the trailing tier post nine.
The $100,000 Courageous Lady Stakes is just one of 12 stakes races on Saturday night. The night will feature eight $50,000 Ohio Fair Championships, four $85,000 Ohio Sires Stakes events for four-year-olds and upward, and the Pace for the Cure featuring nine of Ohio's top female drivers.
Post time on Saturday is 6 p.m.
To view Saturday's complete entries, click here.
(With files from Northfield Park)