A strong 2-year-old season in 2024 that included a pair of graded scores was supposed to end with a glorious victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) for Zulu Kingdom. However, a rough trip in which he raced in tight quarters between horses led to disappointment for Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael Caruso.
"We loved him in that race and, unfortunately, he didn't get a great trip and didn't run his best race. That was tough," said Madaket Stables' Sol Kumin.
That disappointment is gone as the ridgling son of Ten Sovereigns has returned stronger at 3, earning his first top-level score in the $924,780 American Turf Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs May 3 for trainer Chad Brown.
"You never know what happens when they go from 2 to 3," Kumin said. "He's grown, he's gotten bigger and filled out. Chad does a great job keeping these horses good. Hopefully he'll stay sound and we'll get to run some big races this year."
Aboard the 2-1 favorite, Flavien Prat executed Brown's paddock instructions to perfection while settling fourth, two lengths behind pacesetting Mi Bago. The Mark Casse-trained leader got loose on the lead around the far turn following fractions of :23.57, :47.76, and 1:11.97.
Prat kept Mi Bago in range, pointing to his outside as they swung for home. A sustained rally carried Zulu Kingdom past his tenacious rival outside the sixteenth pole and carried him far enough ahead to not be threatened by the late rallies of Test Score and New Century, who finished second and third, respectively.
Confident Zulu Kingdom would handle the turf course rated good, Kumin said there was some concern about the distance. Although 2-for-2 at 1 1/16 miles as a juvenile, both victories were by just a neck and Saturday's competition was much tougher.
"I think we were a little worried that a mile and a sixteenth might be a little far. Chad's view was he was really going to be best at a mile," Kumin said. "If we don't win we don't win, but the race played out the way we wanted it to play out. Flavien gave us a great ride and Chad always has his horses ready, especially for the big days."
Zulu Kingdom stopped the clock Saturday in 1:41.64, paying $6.34 to win and improving his record to 5-0-0 in six starts for earnings of $800,387.
Brown said that he could potentially experiment with longer distances this summer. He plans to return Zulu Kingdom to his Saratoga Race Course base before mapping out a plan.
As the winner of the American Turf, Zulu Kingdom earned an invite to the 1 1/2-mile Epsom Derby (G1) at Epsom Downs Racecourse June 7 and the about one-mile St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) at the Royal Ascot meeting June 17, but Brown practically shot down any consideration of overseas ventures in the winner's circle.
"There's a nice program of different distance, straight 3-year-old turf races in the Northeast—the New York tracks," Brown said. "We'll primarily race him up there."
Bred in Ireland by Ecurie Peregrine SAS, Zulu Kingdom debuted in Ireland with trainer Andre Fabre before moving to the United States. By Ten Sovereigns, who stands in Turkey in 2025, Zulu Kingdom is out of the Smart Strike mare Zindziswa, a two-time winner in Europe.
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