His Highness The Aga Khan's undefeated G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine and Group 1 producer Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) will not be bred next year and has been pensioned, The Aga Khan Studs announced on Wednesday. The 19-year-old mare's final foal is a filly by Siyouni (Fr) born on February 2, 2024.
Foaled on the final day of March in 2005, the daughter of Zarkasha (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) won her seven starts for Alain de Royer-Dupre by a combined 16 lengths, all in group company, bar her Longchamp maiden.
After winning the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac in her juvenile finale, Zarkava resumed with a 2 1/2-length tally in the G3 Prix de la Grotte in April and duly added the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in May. Her G1 Prix de Diane victory was Zarkava's largest winning margin, when she prevailed over Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) by three lengths, with subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Mile darling Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) third. Given a break during the summer, Zarkava resumed in September to win the G1 Prix Vermeille, and landed the Arc in her swansong that October. She was named the 2008 Cartier Horse of the Year.
With earnings just under $4.8 million, Zarkava was the highlight of her dam's progeny, which also featured G3 Prix Minerve heroine Zarshana (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), herself the dam of G1 Prix Ganay second Zarir (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).
At stud, Zarkava foaled a trio of stakes winners anchored by current Aga Khan stallion Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), a winner of the G1 Prix de Saint-Cloud who was second in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix Ganay. The other two were both fillies–listed winner and G1 Prix Vermeille third Zarkamiya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) and listed winner Zaykava (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).
🙏 Merci #Zarkava 🙏
The Champion racemare and Gr.1 producer has been retired from breeding after producing a Siyouni?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Siyouni filly earlier this year.
📽️ Princess Zahra Aga Khan celebrates her outstanding achievements on the track and in the paddock: https://t.co/KKB7BtZOBq
— Aga Khan Studs (@AgaKhanStuds) October 2, 2024
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