PIONEEROF THE NILE PUTS HIS BREEDERS ON THE MAP

Article taken from Blood Horse on-line

Pioneerof the Nile, who nosed out I Want Revenge as the 7-5 favorite, went into the 11/16-mile CashCall with experience at both the distance and the Grade 1 level. He was third in the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (Grade 1) at Keeneland and was fifth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths, in the October 25 Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Grade 1) at Oak Tree at Santa Anita in his last start.

Pioneerof the Nile's victory completed a double of sorts for the colt's sire, EMPIRE MAKER, who stands at Juddmonte Farms near Lexington. In 2007, EMPIRE MAKER’S daughter Country Star won the filly counterpart of the CashCall, the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (Grade 1). What helped make the accomplishment even more impressive is that Country Star came from EMPIRE MAKER’S first crop and Pioneerof the Nile is from the second crop.

Zayat Stables privately purchased Pioneerof the Nile's dam, stakes winner Star of Goshen, and one of her daughters, Regala Di Trieste, in a package deal in 2005 from Gary and Betty Biszantz' Cobra Farm. The two parties were brought together by Meg Levy's Bluewater Sales. Star of Goshen was carrying Pioneerof the Nile at the time, and Regala Di Trieste was in foal to Gulch.

Pioneerof the Nile was consigned to two Keeneland sales. As a weanling, he was withdrawn from the 2006 November breeding stock sale. The following year at the September yearling sale, he was bought back for $290,000 from the consignment of the Hill N' Dale Sales Agency.

Zayat Stables ranks atop the 2008 leading owners list, with $6.7 million in earnings. Eleven of its runners are stakes winners, including Grade 1 winner Thorn Song.

EMPIRE MAKER, winner of the 2003 Belmont Stakes (Grade 1), has sired eight stakes winners. His five added-money winners in 2008 included Acoma (Grade 2). EMPIRE MAKER’S 2009 fee at Juddmonte is $75,000.

Date: 18 February 2009