Zenyatta's yearling half-sister sold to buyer with Irish interests

Zenyatta’s yearling half-sister by Henrythenavigator has been sold privately to “an owner with Irish interests” and probably will be trained in Ireland, according to Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.

The marketing arm of Ireland’s Thoroughbred industry reported the sale in its newsletter Monday. It did not disclose the yearling filly’s price but indicated the deal brokered by bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington was for seven figures.

Eric Kronfeld, whose Maverick Productions bred Zenyatta, the 2010 Horse of the Year, sold the popular champion’s dam, Vertigineux, privately to Irish-based Coolmore Stud in 2009. He kept her 2009 Bernardini filly, Eblouissante, who has just entered training in California with Zenyatta’s former trainer, John Shirreffs.

Zenyatta’s yearling half-sister by Coolmore Stud’s Henrythenavigator was foaled on March 4, 2010, according to The Jockey Club, which also recorded that Vertigineux foaled another Henrythenavigator filly on April 2, 2011. The 16-year-old Kris S. broodmare was named Broodmare of the Year in 2008. In addition to producing Zenyatta, the only mare to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Vertigineux also is the dam of Grade 1 winner Balance, by Thunder Gulch, and stakes-winner Where’s Bailey, by Aljabr. Her only colt so far, a 4-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway named Souper Spectacular, has won three times.

Zenyatta, now 7, is a broodmare at Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Ky. She did not maintain her first pregnancy to Bernardini, and her fans currently are awaiting results of a second mating in April to that Darley stallion. Owners Ann and Jerry Moss have not yet confirmed the mare’s pregnancy status.