Zarkava

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Zarkava


caption =
sire = Zamindar
grandsire = Gone West
dam = Zarkasha
damsire = Kahyasi
sex = Filly
foaled = 2005
country = Ireland flagicon|Ireland
colour = Bay
breeder = HH Aga Khan IV
owner = HH Aga Khan IV
trainer = Alain de Royer-Dupre
record = 7: 7-0-0
earnings = €3.364.620
race = Prix Marcel Boussac (2007)
Prix de la Grotte (2008)
Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (2008)
Prix Vermeille (2008)

French Classic Race wins:
Prix de Diane (2008)
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2008)
awards=
honours =
updated= CURRENTTIME, CURRENTDAYNAME CURRENTMONTHNAME CURRENTDAY CURRENTYEAR (UTC)

Zarkava (foaled March 31, 2005 in Ireland) is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by HH Aga Khan IV, she was sired by Group II winner Zamindar who also sired the multiple Group One winner, Darjina. Out of the mare, Zarkasha, her damsire is Kahyasi, winner of the 1988 Epsom and Irish Derbys.

Zarkava made two starts at age two at Longchamp Racecourse, her home base in Paris for trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre. She won both the 2007 Prix de la Cascade for maiden fillies, and the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac. As a three-year-old, she made her 2008 debut in April at Longchamp with a win in the G-3 Prix de la Grotte followed by the G-1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in which she set a new race record time. She then won the Classic G-1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly Racecourse in June and back at Longchamp, September's 2,400 metres (1½ mile) Prix Vermeille. After stumbling out of the starting gate and losing at least a dozen lengths to the leaders, she came back from dead last to equal the race record time in winning the Prix Vermeille by two lengths.

Ridden by Christophe Soumillon in all her starts to date, Zarkava was the betting favorite leading up to the October 5th Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. In what was her first race against colts, Zarkava won the 2008 Arc with a powerful stretch drive to become the first filly in fifteen years to win the race.

References

* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/zarkava Zarkava's pedigree and partial racing stats]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsgdXISrmRM Video at YouTube of Zarkava's win in the Prix Vermeille] (French language)
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TORC0h3m4LE&feature=related Video at YouTube of Zarkava's win 2008 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horseracing/2959070/Hail-the-drama-queen-Zarkava-after-victory-in-the-Prix-Vermeille-at-Longchamp---Horseracing.html London Telegraph artcle on Zarkava's victory in the Prix Vermeille]