Zarita’s last race

By Ben Hope
GROUP one winning mare Zarita has been retired after running fifth in the group two Queens of the South stakes at Morphettville on the weekend.
Prepared by Clyde trainer Pat Hyland, Zarita’s owners Bill and Cassandra Frost decided to retire the horse after she finished one-and-a-half lengths behind race winner Returntosender.
Hyland said the five-year-old was always going to be retired if she didn’t win the race and after running fifth it was obvious she was ready to retire.
“We could see it coming. She is like a 33-year-old footballer; they just run out of time,” Hyland said.
“On her best form she should have had many lengths on those horses; I think she was telling us she is ready for breeding.
“The Frost family decided then and there to send her to stud.”
Zarita began 2010 with two strong starts, winning the group two 1600m Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley in February and placing third in the 1400m Barton Stakes at Caulfield in January.
With nine wins from 33 starts Hyland described Zarita as one of the best horses he has trained.
“She’s been a great mare and won more than $1.6 million, it takes a decent horse to do that,” Hyland said.
“Her half sister by Zabeel recently sold for $1.3 million in Sydney so she is a pretty valuable horse.”
Sired by Pentire out of Gin Player, Zarita’s career included two group one wins in the 2008 Schweppes Oaks at Morphettville and the 2008 South Australian Derby.
“She will stay with me for the next few weeks before she moves to Widden Stud in the Hunter Valley,” he said.
She also won five group two races and finished a close fourth in the 2008 Cox Plate and the 2009 Australian Cup.
At this stage it is unclear which stud will be bred with Zarita but Hyland said the horse owners are open to options.
“All I know is it won’t be the stable hack, it will be a good stallion.”