Bluegrass Cat’s 3-year-old colt Zayda won a wild running of the $50,000 Pepsi-Cola H. at Emerald Downs on June 26, with just a length separating the top five finishers in the one mile contest.
Zayda joined the final fray in the late stages after taking up the back marker for the first half mile. The bay made a three-wide move on the turn and continued his run on the leaders down the stretch. He was bumped fairly soundly in the very late stages by Rainier Ice, who crossed the wire a neck in front of Zayda. After the stewards deliberated, they disqualified Rainier Ice to fourth and awarded Zayda the winner’s purse.
Bred in Kentucky by Hertrich/McCarthy Livestock LLC, Zayda earned $27,500 for the victory. His total earnings now stands at $54,190, with a record of 2-0-1 in seven starts.
Zayda is the first foal out of Winter Solstice, whose dam Solar Colony is a sibling to the champion 2-year-old filly Pleasant Stage, Orchid H. (G2) winner Colonial Play, Copa Jorge Washington S. (G2) winner Full Stage, and the multiple stakes winner Stage Colony.
Bluegrass Cat is a top 10 second-crop sire of 2011, with the 3-year-old filly Kathmanblu, a two-time stakes winner this year, his leading earner among his seven stakes horses.
