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C C O N S T E L L A T I O N 00 WinStarFarm.com Pioneerof the Nile: A Lasting Legacy PIONEEROF THE NILE: A Lasting Legacy By Amanda Duckworth There are some phone calls no one can prepare for and that no one wants to make. On March 18, Ahmed Zayat received such a call from WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden. His beloved homebred Pioneerof the Nile—a Grade 1 winner and Triple Crown-producing stallion—was gone at the age of 13, felled by a suspected heart attack. "It was so unexpected, and he was so young," said Zayat. "As a foal, as a racehorse, and as a stallion, he was a towering figure. Elliott and I were literally crying on the phone when he broke the news to us. My first emotions were total shock and disbelief. "Pioneerof the Nile was an incredibly special horse on a lot of different levels. He was the first horse I ever bred. Think about that. It's kind of like your first love. You never forget it. This horse touched a lot of people's hearts and lives before he ever sired a Triple Crown winner." Elliott Walden added, "Any horse is a great loss. We always focus on the great ones, but with stallions, there is a bond that is developed over a long period of time and they truly become one of the family. "Pioneerof the Nile was such a unique personality, and he will be truly missed. From the perspective of making an impact on the industry, we can credit him with siring a Triple Crown winner that captured the emotion and enthusiasm of our sport in 2015. He was not only great for WinStar, but he was a great horse for the industry." From the beginning, Pioneerof the Nile, a son of the stakes-winning Lord At War mare Star of Goshen, stood out. Zayat was moved to buy Star of Goshen after she produced the graded stakes-placed runner Forefathers, who ran for Zayat. When he bought Star of Goshen, she was in foal to Empire Maker, and on May 5, 2006, she produced the first-ever Zayat homebred—a colt later named Pioneerof the Nile. "As a foal, he looked gorgeous—his stride length, his bone structure, his balance, his mind, his class," said Zayat. "It was our first experience as breeders, and he meant a lot to us. I know you hear all those clichés about a foal, but in this case, he was mine, and it was all true." Pioneerof the Nile also demonstrated two more attributes as a young horse that would serve him well throughout his life—strength, and kindness. "I've reflected back on how unbelievable he was as a foal and as a yearling," said Zayat. "He was a survivor. He had colic twice. He was always a fighter, but he was also sweet. We always believed he was going to be a good horse." After receiving his early training at McKathan Bros. Training Center in Florida, Pioneerof the Nile was sent to Bob Baffert. His talent quickly became apparent on the racetrack, and he finished his 2-year-old year with a victory in the CashCall Futurity (G1). Pioneerof the Nile was better than ever as a 3-year- old, winning the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2), San Felipe Stakes (G2), and Santa Anita Derby (G1). His efforts made him the favorite for the Kentucky Derby (G1), where he finished second. "He was breaking everyone's hearts the way he just won with ease," said Zayat. "He wasn't a flashy or show-off horse, but he did what he needed to do. He was incredibly versatile. He did everything with a lot of class. As a racehorse, he gave us a lot of pleasure. There were a lot of proud moments for myself and my family." Pioneerof the Nile was retired after suffering a soft tissue injury in the Preakness Stakes (G1), but as a stallion, he would go from a beloved member of the Zayat stable to a sire who helped rewrite the history books. C O N S T E L L A T I O N 65 WinStarFarm.com