Zaccio (KY)

Bred by Blue Bear Stud in Kentucky, Zaccio’s pedigree suggested he would be a good one. His sire, Lorenzaccio, was one of two horses to beat the great Nijinsky II, doing so in the 1970 Champion Stakes in England. Zaccio's dam, Delray Dancer, was by Hall of Famer Chateaugay, while her second dam was champion Parlo, the granddam of 1969 Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame member Arts and Letters.

Inducted

1990

Foaled

1976

Sire

Lorenzaccio

Dam

Delray Dancer

Damsire

Chateaugay

Breeder

Blue Bear Stud

Owner

Mrs. Lewis C. Murdock

Trainer

W. Burling Cocks

Career

1979-1984

Earnings

$288,124

Racing Record

42

Starts

Year	Starts	First	Second	Third	Earnings
Year	Sts	1	2	3	$
1979	9	6	1	1	$22385 $22,385
1980	10	7	1	1	$98638 $98,638
1981	8	3	1	0	$51705 $51,705
1982	12	5	3	1	$114896 $114,896
1984	3	1	1	0	$500 $500

Biography

Bred by Blue Bear Stud in Kentucky, Zaccio’s pedigree suggested he would be a good one. His sire, Lorenzaccio, was one of two horses to beat the great Nijinsky II, doing so in the 1970 Champion Stakes in England. Zaccio's dam, Delray Dancer, was by Hall of Famer Chateaugay, while her second dam was champion Parlo, the granddam of 1969 Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame member Arts and Letters.

Trained by Hall of Famer W. Burling “Burley” Cocks for owner Mrs. Lewis C. Murdock, Zaccio won 22 of 42 races and earned $288,124. He started his jumping career early, winning four steeplechases as a 3-year-old in 1979 before going on a three-year tear during which time he won 14 jump races — and three Eclipse awards — from 1980 to 1982.

“His greatest strength was his heart, determination, and his will to win,” said former jockey Gregg Morris. “He was a real street fighter who loved to duke it out with another horse; that was when he was at his best. I don’t think he ever lost when he got in a fight.”

Zaccio twice won the Colonial Cup and New York Turf Writers Cup, carrying 160 pounds or more in three of those runnings.

Zaccio retired as steeplechasing’s all-time leading earner, surpassing the legendary Neji, whose mark had stood for more than two decades. Zaccio joined his trainer and Neji in the Hall of Fame in 1990.

Following his retirement, Zaccio lived at the Murdocks’ farm in Peapack, New Jersey. He died there at the age of 31 in 2007.