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Waiting for Zenyatta to be beaten is like waiting for death,or is it? Will she be retired undefeated or will she be beaten and then retired? Is it inevitable that sooner or later all horses get defeated?If so I hope she can defy the inevitable and retire undefeated.
This year’s Breeder’s Cup Classic may eventually prove that she isn’t invincible afterall. Then again, she might not run, and if she does, I have a sneaking suspicion that the canny owners will take into account the overall quality of opposition before making any decision – ala the confirmed absence of Sea The Stars from last year’s classic.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Another Group 3 standard field beat. Zenyatta’s incredible – the races she’s running in are not incredible.
When will her connection put her in a proper race where she belongs? This was a completely pathetic race, and no where near worthy of her ability. A Grade 1 in name, a Grade 3 race in reality.
When are Timeform going to put her at the top of the world rankings where she belongs? Another awesome display and not even out of 2nd gear.
ROFLMAO!
Marvellous mare, but not one of her rivals last night was rated higher than 108. The runner-up’s best previous effort was when beaten a similar margin by Informed Decision in a Group 3, with that mare conceding her 3 lb more than Zenyatta did in this race.
You don’t have to wait very long for the put downs to start.Advise to owner "Keep yourself in the best of company and your horses in the worst." It is not your fault if others avoid you horse.
Race was on utube pretty quickly. Zenyatta paraded in front of the stands after the race, as only Zenyatta can; the Queen of all she surveyed. And Toyota had a huge advert there. How much do we lose in advertising here by not utubing races? Toyota knew that, not only would people at the track see their sign, but people all over the world for a long time to come. Maybe it only works when you have a superstar to promote your product, but I still don’t get the ban that we have on freely promoting our sport.[short term profit versus long term gain imo…]
"Keep yourself in the best of company and your horses in the worst." It is not your fault if others avoid you horse.
Yeah but her connection are not exactly making it easy for top class opposition to take her on. As far as I’m aware, you don’t get many older males racing in distaff only races, so how one earth can they take her on?
This is what annoys me. She’s proven she can beat males convincingly, so why can’t she face then again? She’s a huge mare, so she’s not at a physical disadvantage like some distaffers (Goldikova). So frustrating.
Connections of Zenyatta certainly lay themselves open to criticism for not embarking on an more adventurous campaign with their superstar.
I can understand the frustrations of many, but Zenyatta has hardly been wrapped up in cotton wool during her illustrious career.
After securing her first Grade One success at the expense of reigning Distaff champion, Ginger Punch, in the Apple Blossom of April 2008, Zenyatta competed a further five times in six months that year, culminating with victory in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic.
She competed on four different surfaces and gave 12lbs to her nearest pursuer in the Clement L Hirsh, a feat she surpassed in the Vanity H’Cap (2009) and Santa Margarita H’Cap on her seasonal bow this year, when she gave 15lbs to the runners-up, respectively. She also gave 4lbs to stablemate, Life Is Sweet, en route to her second Milady H’Cap in 2009. That mare would finish her career with a stunning victory in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic later that year.
It’s no surprise that such a giant of a racehorse barely made it to the track as a 3YO and it’s natural that connections have adopted an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ attitude. Since her first top level success in 2008, Zenyatta’s route to the Breeders’ Cup has been nigh-on identical, with regular haunts including the Apple Blossom, Milady H’Cap, Vanity H’Cap, Clement L Hirsh and Lady’s Secret.
She boasts a hat-trick of victories in the Vanity and Clement L Hirsh.
Zenyatta has become something of a national treasure and universal icon within the sport. Her success in the Vanity H’Cap this year was seen in an incredible 39 countries and attendances always increase to near breaking point wherever she goes.
How many horses have had the honour of a police escort from an airport to there temporary accomodation?
Zenyatta’s respective campaigns have been a success on both a professional and, more importantly now than ever, commercial level. After proving herself at Santa Anita last year, many were looking forward to an expected clash with Rachel Alexandra. Through no fault of her own, much like the Breeders’ Cup Classic, that much awaited clash never materialized and since then the roadshow has continued on it’s normal path.
And that’s exactly what this is – a roadshow. Connections could have retired their mare unbeaten, but have given her adoring public one final opportunity to say goodbye on her 2010 tour.
After becoming the first filly / mare to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic her place amongst the elite was assured. It doesn’t matter if she beat the boys once or a thousand times – she did it and did it when it really mattered. Since that triumph, Gio Ponti acquitted himself well in the Dubai World Cup before landing a second Man O’War, whilst Twice Over has added an Eclipse to his Champion Stakes victory.
So much for beating nothing.
I doubt John Shirriffs has had Zenyatta 100% at any stage this season. She’ll be closing in on her seventh birthday when they visit Churchill Downs and my opinion is that she’s been merely ticking over before her next encounter with the boys.
Will she win? Will she lose her unbeaten record at the final hurdle? It doesn’t matter, does it? It has been an honour to have witnessed arguably the most unique racehorse in history. There have been a plethora of equine athletes to match her ability, but none have had her unique character. Those that have dispalyed a similar love for the limelight have not stood as tall as she. Those that could look her in the eyes have not remained unbeaten after eighteen starts.
We will never see another like her.
Whatever happens at Churchill Downs, Zenyatta will strut around the parade ring, enjoying all the attention she has demanded throughout her career, before dancing off into the sunset an icon who illuminated this sport with her grace and beauty.
The world of racing has benefited immensely from her presence. My advice, appreciate her while you still can..
Eighteen down, two to go. How will it end? Dramatically, of course.
I am a massive fan of the mare like all racing fans. But in America we are seeing that her appeal is widening the scope of racing to a far bigger audience. Something not only Racign For Change need to think about but also the Racing Post who yesterday devoted a comparatively tiny piece of space to the living legend when measured against the Shergar Cup.
We saw yesterday a record equalled – that of one of the all time racing legends, Eclipse – an animal whose influence in the breed exists today, and who retired the undefeated winner of 18 races.
What do we get today? Windsor races and football kits instead of owners’ colours.
The people who are charged with popularising this sport of ours really need to understand that it is a simple sport, about which horse runs faster than another – and those that win the most capture our imagination and hearts and we start to love them as our own pets. That is the essence of why we follow this sport religiously, and that is what the powers that be need to start getting into their thick heads.
Queen Z at Del Mar
- Total Posts 17716
It would seem Coral’s have lost their marbles and are going 4/1 about a repeat of last season’s amazing victory.
Is there something happening stateside we don’t know about?
Zenyatta goes for 19 wins and her 13th G1 win on Sat. Oct 2 in her final prep race for the Breeders Cup Classic, the Lady’s Secret (G1) at Hollywood Park.
"Zenyatta Readies For Last California “Dance”
Stable Notes
Posted 09.30.10 at 2:18Barn 55 South at Hollywood Park was so quiet Thursday morning that somebody might not have guessed that unbeaten superstar Zenyatta was preparing for her California finale in the $250,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes Saturday.
Hot walker Carmen Zamora walked the 6-year-old mare around the stable after she galloped on the main track under exercise rider Steve Willard to the satisfaction of trainer John Shirreffs. Groom Mario Espinoza freshened her stall.
“She’s just getting better and better and as nonchalant as ever,” said veteran assistant and exercise rider Fred Wilson.
Asked if the quest for victory No. 19 had any special meaning, Shirreffs indicated he would prefer to let Zenyatta do the talking on the track.
“No, not really,” said Shirreffs. “It’s the same routine.”
Entries and Odds for Lady’s Secret
http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OT … html#RACE7
Complete videos of Zenyatta’s races are collected here;
http://www.horseracingnation.com/horse/Zenyatta
Scroll to the bottom where the races are listed and click the "View Video" icon (2nd from left).
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Bos!!! anyone can enter their fillies or colts in the same race as Zenyatta so they’re to blame for running and hiding not Zeyatta’s connections.
She beaten everything that’s been put in front of her and destroyed the boys too when they came to the party.
Didn’t se Oxx rushing to send Sea the Stars over and how much was the prize money?
Anyway I hate these races before the big one. Zenyatta won’t or at least shouldn’t be at her peak tonight so it makes it a risky race.
Hope zhe winz and comez home zafe and we zee her go 20 for 20 on the big one.
G/l Girl
Well no Fist, she’s only beaten the boys when she’s gone to THEIR party. Apart from the BC Classic, she has raced against females her entire career, and that’s including this year. There are many top class horses, including mares, that she is yet to face this year and the opposition in her races has been poor at best. Not a single Grade 1 winner in any of them. Thats what galls a lot of people about her campaign, as such a good horse deserves a better legacy of victories than this.
- Total Posts 17716
Bos!!! anyone can enter their fillies or colts in the same race as Zenyatta so they’re to blame for running and hiding not Zeyatta’s connections.
She beaten everything that’s been put in front of her and destroyed the boys too when they came to the party.
Didn’t se Oxx rushing to send Sea the Stars over and how much was the prize money?
Anyway I hate these races before the big one. Zenyatta won’t or at least shouldn’t be at her peak tonight so it makes it a risky race.
Hope zhe winz and comez home zafe and we zee her go 20 for 20 on the big one.
G/l Girl
Zenyatta was only confirmed for last year’s Breeders’ Cup after it was announced that Sea The Stars wouldn’t be running; until that point her participation was very much in doubt.
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