Zenyatta’s younger half-sister Eblouissante began her career in style at Hollywood Park on Friday.

Eblouissante (3f Bernardini – Vertigineux by Kris S) closed quickly from well back to collar the leaders before drawing off to a four length victory over 1700m.  She started a 7-5 favourite under Corey Nakatani and received a rousing reception from a larger than usual crowd for a weekday meeting.

Eblouissante is French for “brilliant” and is pronounced a-bloo-e-sahn.  She looked very promising on debut although it will be almost impossible to duplicate Zenyatta’s record of 19 wins in 20 races.

“I’m excited and relieved,” trainer John Shirreffs said.  “She’s such a beautiful racehorse and reminds me so much of Zenyatta.  It was her first time and she didn’t know what was going on.  She couldn’t have handled herself better.”

Eblouissante is a homebred for Eric Kronfeld.  He bred and sold Zenyatta (Street Cry) as a yearling to Jerry and Ann Moss.  She is also a younger half-sister to G1 winning filly Balance (Thunder Gulch) and Listed winner Where’s Bailey (Aljabr)

Their dam Vertigineux has juvenile and yearling fillies by Henrythenavigator.  Zenyatta delivered her first foal – a Bernardini colt – in March and she is currently in foal to Tapit.

Eblouissante will point to a Hollywood Park allowance on December 16 or the Santa Anita meeting that opens on December 26.

EBLOUISSANTE
Half-sister to Zenyatta wins at Hollywood Park