By J.N. Campbell
In the GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland on Friday, Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (r, 4, Ten Sovereigns {Ire}–Zindziswa, by Smart Strike) went gate to wire to hand trainer Chad Brown the 3,000th win of his career.
The speedy turf star won on debut for trainer Andre Fabre at Saint-Cloud as a juvenile that June. A private purchase by Hubert Guy in France, the bay was unveiled under the care of Chad Brown and delivered a win less than three months later in the Aug. 29 running of the GIII With Anticipation Stakes at the Spa.
Zulu Kingdom won by a neck in the GII Pilgrim Stakes over yielding turf during the Belmont At The Big A meet at the end of September. In the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar, jockey Flavien Prat lost his crop at the start of the race and his mount finished in seventh place.
Turned out for the remainder of his 2-year-old campaign and into 2025, Zulu Kingdom returned to the races and proceeded to rattle off three wins in a row for owners Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael J. Caruso.
The ridgling once again won by a whisker in the Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs Mar. 8 and then stepped up to take the GI American Turf Stakes on the Derby undercard. Zulu Kingdom was stellar going a mile on the grass in the GIII Manila Stakes upstate July 4, but he was disqualified and placed fourth in the Hall of Fame Stakes at course and distance Aug. 1.
Zulu Kingdom drives home | Coady Media
Brown sent the colt back to work at his Payson Park base in late January after over five months off.
Facing older company for the first time in his career, Zulu Kingdom went off as a 5-1 shot here. His primary adversary was the heavily bet reigning Champion Turf Male Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The six scratches were of huge significance since one could argue that Zulu Kingdom would be the lone speed.
At the bell, Zulu Kingdom took the car keys and began to establish himself as the frontrunner. The Brown trainee continued to make every pole a winning one through the far turn. At several points in the race, Notable Speech's efforts to find some running room were thwarted as he attempted to navigate between rivals towards the end of the backstretch.
Zulu Kingdom entered the lane unopposed, while Notable Speech was behind a wall of horses with no place to go. Looking for the wire, Zulu Kingdom declared victory over One Stripe (Saf) (One World {Saf}) and Rhetorical (Not This Time). The favorite finished fourth.
Chad Brown won the Maker's Mark Mile on two prior occasions with Raging Bull (Fr) (by Dark Angel {Ire}) in 2021 and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Carl Spackler (Ire) (by Lope de Vega {Ire}) in 2025. Named Outstanding Trainer five times, Brown had his first winner with Dual Jewels (Jules) at Churchill Downs Nov. 23, 2007.
“When I saw the scratches this morning, it sure changed the dynamic of the race,” said jockey Flavien Prat. “He's [Zulu Kingdom] very naturally fast, so [making the lead going into the first turn] was one of the options for sure. He was very brave. Honestly, I felt very comfortable on the lead. He gave me a good run when we turned for home. Obviously he hadn't run for a while, so I knew he was going to be tired late, so I kept him busy and his talent showed.”
Trainer Chad Brown | Sarah Andrew
“Life doesn't get better than this,” said Zulu Kingdom's co-owner Williams Strauss. “I thought [Hot Rod] Charlie going to the [2021 GI Kentucky] Derby [for Strauss and his brother Jeffrey] was great but this–having my brother here with me, and the partners I have are just great. That guy [jockey] Flavien [Prat], I just love him, he's great. And [trainer] Chad [Brown]–Chad's amazing. He's a genius.
“I appreciate my partners, especially Sol Kumin [of Madaket Stables] for letting me in on this horse,” he added. “It's just great, and hopefully we move forward from here. That's a scary thought, if we can move forward from here. If I ever leave Southern California, I'm moving to Keeneland–well, not Keeneland–to Lexington, Kentucky. This is great, and I always enjoy [being interviewed] in the [winner's] circle.”
Pedigree Notes:
Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (by No Nay Never) has two other Grade I winners to his credit in Lush Lips (GB) who was spotlighted by Katie Petrunyak in the TDN, and also Balantina.
The winner's dam, a daughter of prolific broodmare sire Smart Strike, is responsible for 3-year-old gelding Zulu Chant (Ire) (Magna Grecia {Ire}), which is her last registered foal on record.
Dam Zindziswa is herself out of French multiple group stakes winner Zinziberine (Zieten) and her full-sister is French Group 3 stakes heroine Zanzibari.
Friday, Keeneland Race Course
MAKER'S MARK MILE S.-GI, $506,263, Keeneland, 4-10, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.90, fm.
1–ZULU KINGDOM (IRE), 123, r, 4, by Ten Sovereigns (Ire)
1st Dam: Zindziswa, by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Zinziberine, by Zieten
3rd Dam: Amenixa (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
O-Madaket Stables, LLC, Michael Dubb, William Strauss & Michael J Caruso; B-Ecurie Peregrine SAS (IRE); T-Chad C Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $302,250. Lifetime Record: 9-7-0-0, $1,236,637. *1/2 to Zulu Warrior (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), SW-Fr, $156,476. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–One Stripe (SAf), 123, h, 5, One World (SAf)–Silver Stripe (SAf), by Silvano (Ger). O-Hollywood Racing & Rikesh and Sewgoolam; B-Drakenstein Stud (SAF); T-H Graham Motion. $97,500.
3–Rhetorical, 123, g, 5, Not This Time–Sheet Humor, by Distorted Humor. ($320,000 Ylg '22 SARAUG). O-Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable LLC & Wachtel Stable; B-Mallory & Karen Mort (NY); T-William Walden. $48,750.
Margins: 3/4, HF, HF. Odds: 5.04, 9.63, 2.53.
Also Ran: Notable Speech (GB), Brilliant Berti, Aomori City (Fr), Tiz Dashing. Scratched: Bear River, Deterministic, Pitkin, Tenacious Leader, Troubleshooting, Wolfie's Dynaghost. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Congrats to Trainer Chad Brown on career win 3,000! He did it with #6 ZULU KINGDOM ($12.08) who goes gate-to-wire to win the $650,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) at @keenelandracing. Flavien Prat was aboard the 4yo who is now 7 for 9 lifetime. pic.twitter.com/aU4jUq9nOb
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 10, 2026
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