Arcadia, CA
The first start for Ziconic, the three-year-old son of 2010 horse of the year Zenyatta, wasn't a victory on paper, but it certainly was one to everyone involved.
Ziconic broke slow and was more than 15 lengths behind the leaders in the early part of the race. He kicked it into gear, like his mother would, and hit his best stride down the stretch.
The three-year-old didn't win like his mom, but finished the race in third. He only lost by 1 3/4 lengths in a very promising debut.
Jockey Gary Stevens said he was never cheered for so loudly after finishing third in a race.
The 7 furlong event was clocked in a quick final time of 1:23 and was taken by longshot Fast Munny. However, the star of the race was the third place finisher.
Ziconic's trainer John Shirreffs, who trained champion Zenyatta, is a man of few words, but had a big smile on his face after the race that said it all.
No announcement has been made for Ziconic's next race, but it should include a trip to the Winner's Circle.