Zee Zee Top

Zee Zee Top (foaled 21 April 1999) is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She did not race until the autumn of her three-year-old season when she won a minor race on her debut and then finished second in the Severals Stakes. In the following year she showed top-class form to win the Middleton Stakes and Prix de l'Opéra as well as being placed in the Pretty Polly Stakes and Nassau Stakes. As a broodmare she produced Izzi Top and Jazzi Top (winner of the Prix de la Nonette).

Zee Zee Top
SireZafonic
GrandsireGone West
DamColorspin
DamsireHigh Top
SexMare
Foaled21 April 1999[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
ColourBay
BreederMeon Valley Stud
OwnerHelena Springfield Ltd
TrainerMichael Stoute
Record7: 3-1-2
Earnings£157,717
Major wins
Middleton Stakes (2003)
Prix de l'Opéra (2003)

Background

Zee Zee Top is a dark bay mare with no white markings bred in England by the Hampshire-based Meon Valley Stud She was sent into training with Michael Stoute at Newmarket, Suffolk.[2]

She was sired by Zafonic, the best European two-year-old of 1992 who went on to win the 2000 Guineas in the following year. The best of Zafonic's other offspring included Xaar, and Zafeen.[3] Her dam Colorspin won the Irish Oaks in 1986[4] and went on to become an outstanding broodmare whose other foals included Opera House and Kayf Tara.[5]

Racing career

2002: three-year-old season

On 7 October 2002 at Pontefract Racecourse, Zee Zee Top made her track debut in a maiden race over one mile on firm ground and started the 4/6 favourite in a six-runner field. Ridden by Kieren Fallon she took the lead approaching the final furlong and quickly drew away from her opponents to win by seven lengths.[6] Fallon was again in the saddle ten days later when the filly was stepped up in class for the Listed Severals Stakes on softer ground at Newmarket Racecourse and was matched against older fillies and mares. Starting at 12/1 she was restrained in the early stages before making steady progress to take second place, two lengths behind the four-year-old Salim Toto.

2003: four-year-old season

Zee Zee Top began her second campaign in the Listed Middleton Stakes over ten furlongs at York Racecourse on 14 May and started the 11/10 favourite against five opponents including Chorist and Golden Silca (second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes). After settling behind the leaders she was sent into the lead by Fallon at half way and kept on well to win by a length from Chorist, from whom she was receiving three pounds in weight.[7]

Brett Doyle took the ride when Zee Zee Top was sent to Ireland and started favourite for the Group 2 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on 28 June. She was beaten a neck into second place by the three-year-old Hanami but was relegated one place for hampering the third-placed finisher Snippets as she switched left to obtain a clear run inside the last quarter mile.[8] She was then stepped up to the highest class for the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse on 2 August in which she was ridden by Johnny Murtagh and came home third behind Russian Rhythm and the French filly Ana Marie. Later that month she was tried over one and a half miles in the Yorkshire Oaks but never looked likely to win and finished sixth of the eight runners behind Islington, beaten six and a half lengths by the winner.

Fallon and Zee Zee Top were reunited when the filly was sent to France and went off a 14/1 outsider for the Prix de l'Opéra over 2000 metres on holding ground at Longchamp Racecourse on 5 October. Bright Sky started favourite, while the other nine runners included Yesterday, Ana Marie, Next Gina (Preis der Diana), Trumbaka (Prix Corrida), Sweet Folly (Prix Cléopâtre) and Comercante (Prix de Psyché). Zee Zee Top raced towards the rear and turned into the straight in tenth place before launching a strong late run in the last 300 metres. She took the lead in the final strides and prevailed in a "blanket finish",[9] beating Yesterday by a head, with Bright Sky and Trumbaka a neck and a head away in third and fourth.[10]

Breeding record

At the end of her racing career Zee Zee Top was retired to become a broodmare for the Meon Valley Sud. She produced at least eleven foals and four winners:

Pedigree
Pedigree of Zee Zee Top (GB), bay mare, 1999[1]
Sire
Zafonic (USA)
1990		 Gone West (USA)
1984　		 Mr. Prospector Raise a Native
Gold Digger
Secrettame Secretariat
Tamerett
Zaizafon (USA)
1982		 The Minstrel (CAN) Northern Dancer
Fleur
Mofida (GB) Right Tack
Wold Lass
Dam
Colorspin (FR)
1983		 High Top (IRE)
1969		 Derring-Do (GB) Darius
Sipsey Bridge
Camenae (GB) Vimy (FR)
Madrilene
Reprocolor (GB)
1976		 Jimmy Reppin Midsummer Night (USA)
Sweet Molly (IRE)
Blue Queen Majority Blue (IRE)
Hill Queen (Family: 13-e)[5]

References
  1. "Zee Zee Top pedigree". Equineline.
  2. "Kieren Fallon and Zee Zee Top go on to win". Getty Images. 14 May 2003.
  3. "Zafonic Stud Record". Racing Post.
  4. Timeform staff (1987). Racehorses of 1986. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-44-8.
  5. "Rattlewings – Family 13-e". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  6. "Caroni Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 7 October 2002.
  7. "Middleton Stakes result". Racing Post. 14 May 2003.
  8. "Pretty Polly Stakes result". Racing Post. 28 June 2003.
  9. Bloodhorse staff (5 October 2003). "Zee Zee Top Shows Legs in Opera". The Blood-Horse.
  10. "Prix de l'Opéra result". Racing Post. 5 October 2003.
  11. "Rock N Roll Ransom – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  12. "Izzi Top – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  13. "Jazzi Top – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  14. "Emaraaty – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
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