Millionaire Za Approval retired from racing
RSS Feeds Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Live Oak Stud homebred Za Approval has been retired sound after a long and successful racing career that saw the gray 8-year-old amass $1,394,666 in earnings over a span of six years on the track.

“Za Approval is yet another extraordinary member of a family that has been especially gratifying to Live Oak Stud,” said owner and breeder Charlotte Weber.

Za Approval has returned home to Live Oak Stud in Ocala, FL where the popular gelding will join his older half-brother – Revved Up – in retirement. They are two of three Live Oak homebred millionaires to hail from the With Approval mare Win Approval. The other millionaire is Miesque’s Approval, Win Approval’s most successful offspring who captured the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs for Live Oak en route to career earnings of $2,648,879. Miesque’s Approval now stands stud in South Africa. 

Another half-brother, World Approval, is currently one of the top North American turf horses in training. The 4-year-old World Approval captured last month’s Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park, and he’s trying to become the fourth millionaire for Live Oak blue hen Win Approval. World Approval has earned $863,450 to date. Miesque’s Approval – a bay – is the only non-gray among the four brothers – all of whom were or are leading turf horses in their respective divisions at one point in each of their careers.

Za Approval enjoyed his best form as a 5-year-old in 2013, which included a strong runner-up performance to Horse of the Year and Santa Anita course record-holder Wise Dan in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita. He finished only three-quarters of a length back, earning a career-high 103 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance. It marked one of five consecutive triple-digit Beyer performances for Za Approval, who retires with seven total triple-digit Beyers during his career.

In 34 starts, Za Approval racked up nine wins, nine seconds, and four thirds. Prior to his runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup, he scored back-to-back victories in the Appleton Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park and Red Bank Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, along with a win in the Knickerbocker Stakes (G3) at Belmont.

By Ghostzapper, Za Approval and his brothers represent the third generation of Live Oak homebreds from his decorated family. The second dam, Negotiator, was bred by Live Oak in 1974.


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