Zenyatta's son Ziconic may be ready for debut next month

ARCADIA, Calif. - Ziconic, a 3-year-old Tapit colt out of 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, is likely to make his career debut before the end of February.

Sunday at Santa Anita, Ziconic worked five furlongs in 1:02.20 under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. Ziconic worked in company with two stablemates.

Trainer John Shirreffs said he has seen steady progress from Ziconic in recent months.

“He’s got to get okayed from the gate and he needs a nice six furlongs and he’ll be ready to run,” Shirreffs said. “It will be within a month, I think.”

Ziconic had four workouts at a half-mile and five furlongs at Saratoga last July and August, but did not work again early November at Belmont Park. Since then, Ziconic has worked nearly every week. He was part of the Shirreffs stable shipped from Belmont Park to Santa Anita in early December.

Typical of a Shirreffs-trained horse, the workouts have not been fast. On Jan. 10, Ziconic worked five furlongs in 1:01.60.

Zenyatta has had one foal to race – Cozmic One, who is winless in two starts. Cozmic One is in training at Santa Anita with Shirreffs. There is belief that Ziconic has considerably more ability, Shirreffs said.

“He looks pretty good,” Shirreffs said. “He’s got a little more gas.”