Zenyatta's son strides like his mom at Thoroughbred Makeover
By classic-winning sire Bernardini and the first foal out of 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, Cozmic One was born as racing royalty. But five starts between the ages of 3 and 5, Cozmic One never hit the board, and his owners, Jerry and Ann Moss, recognized the horse did not want to race.
On Thursday, the first day of competition for the 2018 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover at the Kentucky Horse Park, Cozmic One shined in his new off-track role.
A-circuit junior rider Isabela de Sousa, 17, has made a name for herself at the Thoroughbred Makeover by winning the show jumping division three years in a row. She needed a horse to retrain for 2018, and Cozmic One needed a new career.
Sergio de Sousa, her father and a partner in Hidden Brook Farm, stayed in touch with trainer Shirreffs, his wife and racing manager Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs and David Ingordo, son and bloodstock manager. Come late 2017, the Mosses agreed to let Isabela retrain and compete with Cozmic One.
“They weren’t quite ready to retire him last year, and we thought it’d be really nice to have him because he has so many followers and so much support,” Isabela de Sousa said. “It brings so much awareness to the off-the-track Thoroughbreds and we thought he’d make a great ambassador for off-the track Thoroughbreds.”
The mission of the Retired Racehorse Project is to promote a second career for Thoroughbreds when they are no longer racing, and it's working for Cozmic One. The sleek, dark bay displayed a smooth stride in the Show Hunter division, emulating the same stride Zenyatta took when showing off at the track before races.
The Stonelea Ring, where hunters were competing, became surrounded by fans of both Zenyatta and her son when Cozmic One entered. They were waiting with phones and cameras for Isabela and him at the stalls when their rides were completed for the day. One woman sported a Zenyatta T-shirt in the teal and pink colors of the Mosses’ silks.
“He’s very, very funny. It’s always a blast when you’re around him,” de Sousa said. “He’s very in-your-pocket. He wants to be a part of what’s going on outside around him. He likes to eat anything that he can get his mouth on, so you can’t leave anything in front of his stall. But he’s so easy going. He’s very sweet. He’s easy to work with.”
The same attitude that makes him a trusting horse around fans – even toddlers hugging his nose – has allowed de Sousa to develop him into a show horse. She said he has gotten better with each event leading up to the Makeover, including an appearance at BreyerFest in July. She says he no longer acts like he is heading to the post parade, but still enjoys people’s eyes on him.
Cozmic One, now 6, was not gelded until off the track. De Sousa said his attitude has changed, making him easier to train and ride, and his muscles have filled out for the hunter/jumper divisions. While he is a joy to work with, de Sousa also said he can be opinionated.
“He’s a young horse and he’s a confident horse and he likes to think that he knows a lot of everything when he really doesn’t,” she said. “But he’s so brave, he’s so easy going, and he tries really hard. He has great form. He’s a very nice mover and he’s very smart.”
Following de Sousa back to the stalls Thursday and kissing Cozmic One’s nose was owner and breeder Ann Moss, who also posed for pictures with Cozmic One and fans.
When asked what seeing Cozmic One thrive in his new element meant, Moss pointed to the tears in her eyes and smiled.
“He’s doing so well and he’s just flourishing with the love and the care he’s getting,” she said. “And I think he’s made for this. He likes it so much. He’s got that nice, long stride. Absolutely winning the most beautiful contest, wouldn’t you say? I just couldn’t be happier for him.”
“He gave that (racing) a shot but in this area he’s really happy. He’s a really happy horse,” she said. “Horses have different strokes, but he’s found his, I think, and that’s really the best you can hope for a horse, right? That they have a life that makes them happy. We’re happy, too.”
De Sousa said she loves the intelligence of Thoroughbreds and how quickly they pick up new tasks, which Cozmic One demonstrated in his training. She also noted not many horses have two careers like off-track Thoroughbreds do, which highlights their ability to learn.
“Being part of the show hunter and show jumper circuit, there’s a lot of kids who import Warmbloods. They want to be on that big, fancy Warmblood, but I really do think I’ve seen a lot more Thoroughbreds in the show world since I’ve started doing it,” she said of the Makeover’s impact. “And I think the Makeover’s something that a lot of people look forward to doing because it helps the horses increase their value off the track.”
The Makeover also helps de Sousa build a foundation for retraining other Thoroughbreds and training young horses, something she hopes to do as a career.
In the near future at least, Cozmic One, a keeper for the de Sousas, will be turned out this winter before they decide what specific path to take with him. In addition to Show Hunters, he is competing in Show Jumpers at the Makeover on Friday. Divisional leaders will compete back in Saturday’s finale.
Whichever discipline Cozmic One ultimately ends up in, he is sure to continue to highlight off-track Thoroughbreds through his fanbase.
“It’s really cool to see how involved everybody is,” de Sousa said of the his and Zenyatta’s followers. “I think it is special because you get to say you retrained Zenyatta’s first colt.”