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Zenyatta, although there is some question in my mind if Zenyatta would actually have to jump over the hurdles or if she is tall enough to just step over them. That would hardly seem fair to the other horses.
Zenyatta works 6f for Apple Blossom, prepares to ship to Arkansas Tues. 4/6.
Queen Z worked an easy 6f in 1:13.40 breezing Fri. 4/2 in what will likely be her final major work before the 4/9 Apple Blossom. Not as fast as the 1:11.80 Z worked before the Santa Margarita. John Shirreffs described the work as; "It was a routine work," Shirreffs said. "All we want to do is maintain. You don’t want to get her all excited going to the plane." In a smart move, Shirreffs took Zenyatta back to the barn when just prior to her workout a horse was injured and temporarily closed the track. Zenyatta is scheduled to ship to Arkansas next Tuesday.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/ … id=5052180
Still no word on who Zenyatta’s challengers, if any, may be in the Apple Blossom but entries will be drawn next Tuesday, same day Zenyatta is shipping to Arkansas. One potential challenger is Just Jenda, a a very fast local horse and multiple Grade 3 winner who has earned $480,680, though 9f might be a problem for her. The trainer also sounds a bit reluctant with quotes like "We know we’re running for second" and "everybody knows Zenyatta is unbeatable." The following is a quote from the TVG.com blog, can’t find the original article;
http://community.tvg.com/t5/The-Grandst … m-p/143170
"Just Jenda tuned up for a possible start in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom with a flashy five-furlong move Monday morning at Oaklawn. She went the distance in 58.80 seconds, with clockers catching her galloping out six furlongs in 1:12. If she goes in the Apple Blossom, a 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares, she is expected to meet undefeated champion Zenyatta.
"The work was beautiful," said Cindy Jones, who co-owns and trains Just Jenda. "The Apple Blossom is a consideration. We’ve got to see who goes in it. We know we’re running for second, and a mile and an eighth is not her best distance. A mile and a sixteenth is pushing it, and so it just depends on who goes. If we have to run hard, hard, hard to get third or fourth, then no, it’s not a consideration. She’s doing awfully good right now, but everybody knows Zenyatta is unbeatable."
An alternative could be to run Just Jenda in the Grade 2, $400,000 La Troienne at Churchill Downs on April 30, Jones said.
The Apple Blossom is one of the main events in Oaklawn’s annual Racing Festival of the South. It will be held Friday, April 9. The festival will feature nine stakes worth at least $2.8 million. The races are spread out over the final week of the meet, with the season-ending Arkansas Derby set for April 10.
Just Jenda has run once this year. A multiple Grade 3 winner who has earned $480,680, she finished fourth in the Grade 3 Azeri, the local prep for the Apple Blossom, on March 6. The race, which has become a key one with winner Freedom Star coming back to take the $100,000 Harry Henson at Sunland and third-place finisher Afleet Deceit an allowance at Oaklawn, was Just Jenda’s first start since October, and she needed the out, Jones said.
"We had a short horse, and she still hung in for fourth and only got beat five lengths," Jones said.
The workout Monday, which came first set on a 50-degree morning, suggests she will take a big step forward. Just Jenda jumped into the drill and was strong throughout, with Oaklawn head clocker Jim Hamilton timing her through fractions of 11.80 seconds for the opening eighth-mile, 24 for the first quarter, 36 for three furlongs, and 47.40 for the half-mile. Jockey Terry Thompson was aboard for the move, which was the fastest of 13 at the distance Monday.
"Every time she’s had a bullet work, she runs a heck of a race," Jones said. "When she doesn’t, she doesn’t win."
Jones also has Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan winner Payton d’Oro under consideration for the Apple Blossom. Her other option would be the $100,000 Bayakoa, a 1 1/16-mile race here Wednesday, that also could draw multiple stakes winner Euphony.
Oaklawn was to draw the Bayakoa field Friday. Entries for the Apple Blossom are Tuesday
Past Performances for Dubai World Cup day races;
You’re quite the horse historian, so I guess Caligula wasn’t all bad.
I just love to watch her strut;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fVUqRTjqdc
but some Zenyatta fans do seem to want to deify her
Zenyatta – Cure for Autism?
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ … h-zenyatta
Maybe Zenyatta will become like Lourdes with thousands lining up to touch her. I know she makes me feel better whenever I think of her. Of course she is already drawing thousands of pilgrims to the track whenever she appears in public. Maybe you don’t actually have to touch her, just be in her presence or make a wager on her to feel better.
Larry Zap interviews Zenyatta
Zardana looks good after knocking Rachel Alexandra out of the Apple Blossom. Wonder if they brought her back to Hollywood Park instead of taking her on to Oaklawn because she won’t be taking on Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom?
Looks like Scenic Blast is back in training at John Shirreffs barn. Only a brief glimpse of him in this video but they said "he is headed for the main track", presumably for a gallop. Video is mainly about Zardana returning from beating Rachel Alexandra, Life is Sweet taking a last ride before retiring to Kentucky and some footage of Zenyatta and some other horses working out.
Some more Santa Margarita trackside vids;
Giving her fans a few anxious moments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJVCB20ybH4
This video has lots of footage of people holding cameras and security guards so if you want to zoom ahead to the good parts, you see Zenyatta from 23-30 seconds and 1:07 to about 1:18. There is a nice closeup of the Zenyatta Strut from 2:18-2:30 – at this point you should TURN THE VOLUME DOWN, because the race video features a shrieking female fan very close to the microphone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0bUllSPywQ
In paddock before race. Zenyatta shows up about 1:15, enters paddock and stops to strike a pose and acknowledge the applause of her fans.
Rachel Drops out of the Apple Blossom
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing … ossom.aspx
Oh well, maybe later this year RA and Z will meet. Bet Shirreffs and Zardana’s owner Arnold Zetcher are kicking themselves today. RA was 11 1/2 lengths in front of the third horse. Without Zardana in the race Rachel would have romped, then gone to the Apple Blossom and gotten smoked. Zardana could still have avoided Zenyatta and found a different prep race for the Apple Blossom. A third or fourth finish for Zardana in the Apple Blossom, with the expanded purse would have been worth a lot more than the money Zardana won yesterday. Of course, if RA gets in better shape and has another good season in 2010, a win over Rachel Alexandra would add a lot of value to Zardana’s foals.
Another amazing finish by Zenyatta. The mile was run in 1:35.75 and the 9f in 1:48.20. If my math is correct that means the last furlong was covered in 12.45. Since Zenyatta was a good 2-3 lengths behind at the mile that means Zenyatta ran the last furlong in about 12 flat,running effortlessly and playing around with her ears, while zig-zagging around horses and Mike Smith never touched her with the whip – Wow. What could Zenyatta do if she was really trying?
ZENYATTA WINS – 15 for 15
Zenyatta overcomes traffic trouble. Amazing agility for such a big horse. Mike Smith never uncocked his whip. Trevor really likes that word unbelievable when calling Zenyatta’s races, but what other word is there. Zenyatta is absolutely unique.
John Shirreffs trained Zardana upsets Rachel
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing … adies.aspx
Zenyatta overcomes weight handicap, traffic trouble to win 15th straight
This is a good link to compare Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. Scroll down and you can see videos of all their races. One thing I noticed is how well Calvin Borel fits Rachel Alexandra. Watch RA’s performance in the Debutante or Pocahontas Stakes then see how RA runs in the Golden Rod Stakes, first time Calvin Borel gets the mount. RA is undefeated since Borel took over. Of course, RA raced a bit greenly in her first few races and was beaten about half the time, but I have to wonder how much of that is the jockey.
American Lion, Caracortado, & Zenyatta Schooling at Santa Anita
Zenyatta appears at about 2:20
