Dual grade I winner and first-crop sire Pioneerof the Nile saw his first winner May 12 as juvenile filly Zarnica won her first start in a 1,000-meter race in Russia at the Rostov-On-Don Hippodrome.
Trained by Oleg Kravchenko, the filly crossed the wire in 1:06.15.
Zarnica was bred in Kentucky by Betz, Needham, Lamantia, Blackburn, and Halecky. Offered for sale at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale, she was purchased for $30,000 by Raut on behalf of owners Stud Farm 711. Zarnica is out of French Line, by Boundary, who counts stakes winner Song Warrior among her four winners from six starters.
As a juvenile, the Zayat Stables homebred won the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) at Betfair Hollywood Park finished third in the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) at Keeneland. He won three graded stakes during his 3-year-old campaign, including the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), and finished second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) behind Mine That Bird. Pioneerof the Nile was retired later that year after finishing unplaced in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
He ended his career with earnings of $1,634,200 and a record of 5-1-1 from his 10 starts. Pioneerof the Nile stands at Kenny Troutt's WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky., for a fee of $15,000.
