On a breezy, autumn afternoon, recently retired Zozos showed off for a crowd of potential Pennsylvania breeders at Rodney and Sharon Eckenrode’s Equistar Training and Breeding Farm in Annville, PA. As Rodney steadied him, Zozos showed the crowd his athletic ability by playfully rearing several times when the wind blew and the leaves swirled around him. The stallion showing introduced the newest addition to Equistar’s stallion roster which also includes Smarty Jones and Brody’s Cause.
A Grade 2 placed and Grade 3 winner, five year old Zozos retired this year with seven wins, one second, and one third in fifteen lifetime starts and earnings of $1,011,463. The dark bay son of Munnings was bred and raced by Barry and Joni Butzow of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He started his career with a win first time out in a maiden special weight race at the Fair Grounds in Louisiana, followed by a second win next time out at Oaklawn Park, followed by a second place in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds. He was trained by Brad Cox and qualified for the 2022 Kentucky Derby.
Zozos’ other notable races include a win in the Knicks Go Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs, a win in the Hanshin Stakes held at Ellis Park, and a win in the Ack Ack Stakes, Grade 3, at Churchill Downs, all at a distance of one mile. The tall, 16.2 hand, long legged Zozos excelled at one mile.
Zozos is by top-class sprinter, Munnings. Munnings is one of Speightstown’s fastest sons and is a multiple graded stakes winner at distances of six to seven furlongs. He is also the sire of six Grade 1 winners including Jack Christopher, Eda, the speedy filly I’m A Chatterbox, winner of the Cotillion Stakes at Parx in 2015, and turf winner, Howard Wolowitz. Zozos is out of a winning Forestry mare named Papa’s Forest that had nine wins from thirty two starts and earned $233,593. A versatile, tough, and consistent competitor, her career lasted six years, racing from age two to seven and winning on both dirt and turf.
“Zozos is an outcross to A.P. Indy. Most races in our area are sprints, so we have to breed faster horses to stay competitive,” said Eckenrode. “Zozos proved he could do the part. He ran some good numbers. Our job is to preserve our gene pool. In order to keep our gene pool strong, we can’t breed to the same horses over and over again, and Zozo’s brings some new bloodlines to the state,” Eckenrode said.
At the stallion showing, Pennsylvania breeders responded favorably to Zozos. “He’s a nice big horse with good bone and a good hip,” commented owner/breeder Nikki Brungard. Also at the showing, President of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Greg Newell said, “Zozos is a nice big horse, and a sprinter type that should be a good fit for Pennsylvania breeders. He’s a great addition to our Pennsylvania stallions.” Owner and breeder, Betsy Houghton said, “I wanted to see Zozos and check him out for my breeding program. He’s a sprinter, and most of our races are sprints.”
According to Eckenrode, “ Zozos has a great temperament and personality, and he’s very laid back.”
“I vanned him here from Kentucky, and he was great. When I took him off the van, he just put his head down and ate grass and walked around for about twenty minutes,” said Jay Metzler of WinRose Farm
Before showing Zozos, Rodney brought out twenty-three year old Smarty Jones. Eckenrode announced, “Next year, 2025 will be Smarty Jones last year open to the public. He will continue to have some private contracts, but not an open book. He still looks great though and acts like a younger horse.”
Eckenrode also showed his stallion, Brody’s Cause, a multiple Grade 1 winner. He currently ranks sixth in Pennsylvania Sires and twelfth in MidAtlantic rankings. His chief earner is Hay Chief and his stud fee for 2025 is $3,500.
Zozos brings speed, versatility, value, and the potential for winning on any surface to Pennsylvania breeders for an introductory fee of $2,500 (S&N).
Cover Photo Credit to Kim Pratt
