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I just wonder who laid the dirt for racing in the 1700’s and what kind of horses raced on such tracks. I thought they raced on the roads.I was just giving my reaction to the picture.And I agree hard dirt is probably as bad as heavy muck.I did not mean they were imported to the US from deserts etc. I meant their lineage.
Hello All!
Queen Z WILL have to run the race of her life…BUT while she has raced almost exclusively on synthetics, her best winning margins and two of he rmost impressive victories came over dirt. Her trainer says she prefers dirt and the LONG stretch at Churchill plays perfectly to closing style for sure. If Blame is on top of his game it will play well for him and for a couple other closers like Fly Down. There IS more early speed up front than just Haynesfield and Espoir City…Morning Line, FIrst Dude, Etched, and Quality Raod will also be pressing the pace. Looking At Lucky, Musket Man, and Paddy O Prado figure to be in second string stalking the pace..that leaves the closers…Blame, Zenyatta, and FLy Down. Can’t really speak for th erst BUT 1 1/4 miles is Z’s BEST distance and the LONG stretch plays perfectly to her HUGE strides….she may not win like it is a walk in the park this time and since she just loves the fanfare she tends to loaf a bit when she gets to the front BUT mike Smith is a Hall of Fame jockey who has won some of the U.S. most classic races and one who is VERY familiar with closing down the Churchill strech behind a wall of horses…you can bet he’ll keep Zen just where she needs to be and when he pushes the button all 1234 feet of that stretch will open up for those huge bounding strides. She may not win by daylight and WILL have to work harder than perhaops she ever has but I have a feelign we will see those LONG legs unwind full out and we’ll FINALLY get to see her shift into her 5th (and yet unseen gear) it may be close but if ANY horse tried and wants to win noen will try harder the the mighty mare…I will happily be at the rail in midstretch with my camera furiously clicking off three frames per second!! It is sure to be a nail biting, wild and crazy time.
One other thing to consider is the night time racing…the noise…the crowds (I winder how Quality Road is going to handle over TWICE as many people in the dark with the glare of the bright light shingin in his face?…personally I think it was a certain tall, dark and beauitful that scared the patooties off him and the crowd had nothing to do with it! LOL)…if ANY horse adores the attention and knows when to go it is Zenyatta as soon as they start into the stretch and the crowd roars she KNOWS it is time to show off her stuff. Mike may have to shift gears this time but believe me as much as she wants to win, he WANTS her to win and he is going to give the best ride to help her do that!
If she does win, we will have watched a HUGE piece of HISTORY being made before our eyes the likes of which MANY of us will not see again for a long time to come.
After my elation and exhaustion of the day comes to a close I will happily then go find Luther and buy a round of Stellas!!! HAHA! Can’t wait to see you again my friend!!
HOOF HOOF HOORAY!
- Total Posts 17716
Good post but I’m not so sure about this being a hard race for Zenyatta.
Ok I’m not an America and I watch very little American racing but I’m pretty sure if there was a Cigar about I’d have heard about it.
This is without a doubt Zenyatta’s final race and while her last few races were there for the taking this is no doubt the toughest.
Thing is if I know that so does her trainer who obviously is great at his job, so you can bet she’ll be the fittest she’s been since she won last year.
Last year Henry Cecil sent Twice Over for this who was at the top of his form.
Twice Over was going well and fully 5 lengths in front of Zenyatta turning for home with a short run in.
This horse has won 2 champion Stakes and the Eclipse ye Zenyatta cut down he deficit in a matter of strides then to top it all Mike Smith takes a quick pull goes round him accelerates again and goes past like he’s a tree.
Not even Sea the Stars could have done that as impressively and I think many people fail to realize just how good Zenyatta is.
When I looked at Churchill Downs a few weeks back and highlighted the fact it has a much longer straight than last year’s race it convinced me nothing can beat her.
Just how far she would have won by last year had SA had another furlong of straight track to play with is anyone’s guess but it would have been a lot further than she did win by.
Last race of her career Damn!!! I hope Mike Smith says stuff it and really opens her up early in the straight as I don’t think we’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing her flat out when she’s been 100%.
Has the makings of being the greatest day in American racing since Secretariat blew the racing world away in the Belmont in 1973 and it will be a damn shame if it results in anything other than another great performance and win from Zenyatta.
She’s a great horse and I think she’ll win with the long straight. But Twice Over is no superstar with a great change of gears as we well know, he has good tactical speed and a solid kick but that’s it. Rip Van Winkle took a stack of ground off him in 200m in the slowly run International.
The thing is Lookin At Lucky showed in his runs after his unimpressive Preakness victory that he has a fantastic change of gears that he can produce on the turn and sustain to the wire. I have no doubt that if he gets a decent run Lookin At Lucky is a bigger threat than Twice Over was last year.
But again the long straight convinces me that Zenyatta will be winning. The only dangers are LaL, and a horse like Quality Road is very dangerous if he produces a career best (over the distance) since he’ll be out in front. I doubt another backmarker can beat Z to the wire?
Zenyatta Vs. The Best
http://www.ntra.com/content/display/news/NDY4MDQ=Zenyatta: 60 minutes
http://www.ntra.com/content/display/news/NDY4MDE=Hey Treet – nice post. With that sort of knowledge, maybe you should have a bet every now and again.!
I think that you have the race summed up pretty well but I am still worried about her getting past a wall of horses and none of the jockeys will be prepared to make it easy for her.
I have backed Zenyatta and taken BLAME each way in the race. He has a great record at CD but will probably be the rabbit that Zenyatta chases through at the top of the straight (3rd place would be fine).
Just need the Euro top guns to take the earlier races and I will be able to just sit back and enjoy the spectacle with bulging pockets.
Will still take a Stella from you though out of the Pick 6 winnings..!
Zenyatta 4/1..going… going…. gone!
I’m gonna have to dump my £20 at 7/2 on Sunday/Monday as I think she is only gonna shorten further in the UK. Not sure if it’s non-runner no bet yet at OK Corals but I’ll find out.
Zip
Good post but I’m not so sure about this being a hard race for Zenyatta.
Ok I’m not an America and I watch very little American racing but I’m pretty sure if there was a Cigar about I’d have heard about it.
This is without a doubt Zenyatta’s final race and while her last few races were there for the taking this is no doubt the toughest.
Thing is if I know that so does her trainer who obviously is great at his job, so you can bet she’ll be the fittest she’s been since she won last year.
Last year Henry Cecil sent Twice Over for this who was at the top of his form.
Twice Over was going well and fully 5 lengths in front of Zenyatta turning for home with a short run in.
This horse has won 2 champion Stakes and the Eclipse ye Zenyatta cut down he deficit in a matter of strides then to top it all Mike Smith takes a quick pull goes round him accelerates again and goes past like he’s a tree.
Not even Sea the Stars could have done that as impressively and I think many people fail to realize just how good Zenyatta is.
When I looked at Churchill Downs a few weeks back and highlighted the fact it has a much longer straight than last year’s race it convinced me nothing can beat her.
Just how far she would have won by last year had SA had another furlong of straight track to play with is anyone’s guess but it would have been a lot further than she did win by.
Last race of her career Damn!!! I hope Mike Smith says stuff it and really opens her up early in the straight as I don’t think we’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing her flat out when she’s been 100%.
Has the makings of being the greatest day in American racing since Secretariat blew the racing world away in the Belmont in 1973 and it will be a damn shame if it results in anything other than another great performance and win from Zenyatta.
GO ZEN GO!!!Hey Treet – nice post. With that sort of knowledge, maybe you should have a bet every now and again.!
I think that you have the race summed up pretty well but I am still worried about her getting past a wall of horses and none of the jockeys will be prepared to make it easy for her.
I have backed Zenyatta and taken BLAME each way in the race. He has a great record at CD but will probably be the rabbit that Zenyatta chases through at the top of the straight (3rd place would be fine).
Just need the Euro top guns to take the earlier races and I will be able to just sit back and enjoy the spectacle with bulging pockets.
Will still take a Stella from you though out of the Pick 6 winnings..!
Grab a cigar and don’t forget to pack a PINK shirt! When Zen swings to the outside after tracking the field just off the rail, she will go wide and sail to the wire (remember her final splits are her fastest ones once that LONG stride unwinds)….She adores attention so I for one will be thrilled when she swings wide to "show off" as close to her fans as she can get on her way to the wire! I hope she winks at me on her way by!!! LOL! I bet every now and again but usually have my finger glued to the trigger of my camera there isn’t time to run for a wager. I’ll make sure eo weigh in FULLY when we gather for our P6 ticket for sure! Bring a souvenir from Seattle for you, J, abnd BHT too!
Also, if anyone is interested….the Breeder’s Cup has launched a VERY complete application for Iphones, Ipads, and the Ipod Touch. I have and Ipod Touch and upload the FREE application this afternoon and boy is it something. VERY detailed information. The application is free for the Ipod Touch and is a small fee for the Ipad and Iphone applications but it seems to be worth it! Has ALL the information you could possibly need to watch and get informed on all BC contenders and all races. It is just as good as the racing form if not better because it is interactive and updated regularly! I can’t wait to go into a Starbucks tomorrow and take it for a test drive!!! Looks amazing!!!
I shall update when I have had my fill of a latte and BC stuff…as if that will ever happen! Can never get enough lattes or horses for me!
H A P P Y H A L L O W E E N A L L!!
for those that may want to see zen’s workout yesterday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6_qq3GIzR0 you can compare it to a gallop two days prior where she was a bit full of herself http://www.youtube.com/user/tvgnetwork# … dIu1FeN9x8
kind of typical zen, loaf around a bit and then move on the turn. i’ll miss that sight…..anyhow, they’re definately working on keeping her focused past the wire at HP, that’s really the only concern i have as she will have to go a bit farther down the stretch to get to the wire at Churchill. baffert is said to be doing the same with Lucky.
I’m not sure if anyone had a chance to see 60 Minutes but HOLY COW it was something indeed! Zenyaata IS a horse for the ages….my husband especially loved her discerning taste in beer (John SHirreffs said she refuses to drink anything BUT Guiness!). LOL! SHe is in W magazine and also Sports Illustrated this month, both of which I purchased and which are awesome.
Also got the Breeder’s CUp free application for my Ipod Tough and took it for a spin today at a free WiFi coffee house and it is something else…going to be very helpful to many and will offer Live Video of all the BC races as well as handicapping information, all the past winners of all the BC races, current BC contenders, and MUCH more! WOrth getting for anyone who has an Ipod Touch (free) or an Ipad or Iphone (fee based for those).
I recommend them all and of course will be certain to try my best and check in with PICS of all the races after the BC weekend.
Go Zenyatta Go!!!!!
Great that even 60 minutes is jumping on the bandwagon. Can’t have the "greatest racehorse ever" talk though, for obvious reasons. You can argue that she’s only run 3 absolute top class races (including this year’s Classic) in her life…
Great that even 60 minutes is jumping on the bandwagon. Can’t have the "greatest racehorse ever" talk though, for obvious reasons. You can argue that she’s only run 3 absolute top class races (including this year’s Classic) in her life…
What of it? Her form is all wins ever since she stepped on the racing track. It’s true she had few starts every year, unlike many horses but at the bottom line she lands every time she goes out on the field, should say something about her…
This is the real world not Disney/Great American dream, I hope she wins, but may leave her turn of foot at the bend, more interest in the Japanese horse e/w.
Maybe I too am missing something here. Surely "good things" are offered at more prohibitive odds. Zenyatta is freely available to back at 7/2 and 4/1 with most British and Irish bookmakers. Either they are naively taking one huge risk or, as I suspect, they take the more sobering and realistic view; i.e. that she is up against it and will lose !
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
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