Starlet Series: Zenyatta, Part II

Starlet Series
Number 1, part II: Zenyatta

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is a continuation of the final entry in my series on the careers of the six best female thoroughbred horses I have observed racing in the years 1959 to the present. This issue concludes the racing campaign of the top ranked Zenyatta.

At the beginning of 2010 excitement in the thoroughbred racing community centered on an anticipated meeting between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra. These two mighty females were both undefeated in 2009, and there was much speculation as to who was superior. Recall that Zenyatta’s owners, Ann and Jerry Moss, specifically kept their six year-old in training because they believed Zenyatta, after her dramatic victory in the Breeder’s Cup Classic, should have been voted Horse of the Year instead of Rachel Alexandra. The venue for this meeting could not be in California in that Rachel Alexandra’s connections would not race her on a synthetic surface. Oaklawn Park proposed the Apple Blossom Invitational Stakes in mid-April with an augmented purse of $5 million if both Zenyatta and “Rachel” were entered. The track also extended the distance to 9 furlongs. Both starlets had raced successfully at Oaklawn, and, after some negotiation, both camps appeared positive about facing each other.

Both Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra appeared in “prep” races on March 13. Rachel ran in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes, a race created for her at the Fair Grounds Racetrack. She was shockingly defeated by a horse whose first name started with the letter “Z” trained by Zenyatta’s conditioner, John Shirreffs.  Owned by Arnold Zetcher, Zardana was a moderately successful six year-old mare that in her career had won stakes races in both her native Brazil and the U. S.  In the Ladies Stakes, Rachel Alexandra, at odds 1-9 cruised to the lead around the final turn but could not fight off the challenge of Zardana in the stretch, losing by ¾ of a length. At Santa Anita, Zenyatta was trying to extend her unbeaten streak to 15 in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap. Carrying 127 lb., she delighted her fans with Zenyatta’s now characteristic dance before a race and thrilled them with another seemingly effortless victory after appearing trapped between horses in the stretch.

In the aftermath of these races, Rachel Alexandra’s connections announced she was not fit enough to run in the Apple Blossom, so Oaklawn officials reduced the purse to its usual $500,000 and celebrated the return of Zenyatta who had won the race in 2008. Facing four hopelessly over matched rivals, the super mare again idled in last place until the final turn and then swept, without much urging, to the lead at the top of the stretch, cantering home by 4¼ lengths.

After her surprise defeat in New Orleans, Rachel Alexandra ran next on Kentucky Oaks Day in the La Troienne Stakes. Again she was heavily favored and again she was beaten, this time by a head to Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso’s Unrivaled Belle. Seemingly “righting the ship”, Rachel Alexandra stayed at Churchill Downs for her next race and ran away with the Fleur de Lis Handicap winning by 10½ lengths. With this victory, reminiscent of her wins last year in the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose Stakes, Rachel appeared back on track for the long anticipated rendezvous with Zenyatta, perhaps in the Breeders’ Cup Classic which this year would be held on conventional dirt at Churchill Downs. 

Zenyatta competed the day after Rachel Alexandra’s Fleur de Lis triumph in the Vanity Handicap. Seeking a repeat victory, the great mare carried a career high impost of 129 lb. She faced a sharp rival in St Trinians (carrying 120 lb.), as well as Rachel Alexandra’s conqueror, Zardana (at 118 lb.). Running her typical race from last, Zenyatta needed nearly all of the Hollywood Park stretch to prevail by a ½ length over St Trinians who had also rallied from the back. Zardana was 6 lengths further back in third. With this victory Zenyatta extended her unbeaten streak to 17.

Continuing what amounted to her farewell tour on the West Coast, Zenyatta competed in two more races, in both cases cutting the winning margin very close. In the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, she overcame a glacial early pace to gain the lead at the top of the stretch (much earlier than usual), and then just held a neck margin over Rinterval to the finish. In the Lady’s Secret Stakes, which she was winning for the third time, she faced Switch who had previously won the Hollywood Oaks. Mike Smith bided his time till the top of the stretch to call upon his mare. However, Switch, after gaining the lead, spurted clear, and for a few seconds there was some doubt as to whether Zenyatta would be able to run her down. But once the champion leveled out to her enormous strides, she closed the gap quickly and at the wire she was a ½ length ahead. This win in her last race in California was an emotional event for all at the racetrack. Particularly poignant was that Penny Chenery, most closely associated with the immortal Secretariat, was there to present the Lady’s Secret winner’s trophy to Ann and Jerry Moss. 

Zenyatta, now 19 for 19, was headed for Churchill Downs to try a repeat victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. There would be no match against Rachel Alexandra. After being upset at Saratoga in the Personal Ensign Stakes to Phipps Stable’s Persistently, Rachel’s owner Jess Jackson announced suddenly in September that Rachel Alexandra would be retired, not due to an injury, but because she had not been able to replicate her 2009 form.

As darkness rolled in on November 6, the stage was set for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Zenyatta was the defending champion, but there were many who doubted she would be able to repeat. They cited that this Classic was on conventional dirt (ignoring the fact she had won the Apple Blossom twice over Oaklawn Park’s dirt surface). They also questioned the quality of the females she had been narrowly defeating all year, while in the Classic she would be facing horses such as Quality Road (back this time for another try), Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider’s top four year-old Blame, Preakness Stakes victor Lookin At Lucky, and Jockey Gold Cup hero, Haynesfield. (The critics seemed to forget that Zenyatta defeated a top class international group of horses in last year’s Classic.) Lastly, they pointed that her speed figures were not as high as her Classic rivals’ figures, again not realizing that a come from behind horse such as Zenyatta was only racing fast enough to catch the front runners.

The betting public, ignoring these negatives, installed Zenyatta the even money favorite with sophomore Lookin At Lucky the narrow second choice over Blame. In a race that is etched forever in Breeders’ Cup history, Zenyatta broke slowly in the twelve horse field and found herself last, several lengths behind the eleventh place horse. Down the backstretch, First Dude set the pace with Quality Road, Japanese raced Espoir City, and Haynesfield tracking. In the next group some 4 lengths behind was Looking At Lucky with Blame alongside saving ground under Garrett Gomez, while Zenyatta was still, seemingly languishing, in last place. Around the far turn, the field started bunching up as Quality Road dropped back suddenly and Lookin At Lucky and Blame launched their bid side by side between horses. Meanwhile, Mike Smith took Zenyatta first to the inside around the far turn and then swung her wide for clear running room. In mid-stretch, Blame was pulling clear from Lookin At Lucky with Zenyatta looming on the outside some lengths away. At first, it looked impossible she would be able to run Blame down, then it seemed likely, but in the end, Blame was able to hold off Zenyatta’s charge by a desperate head. Fly Down closed ground to be third, 3½ lengths back with Lookin At Lucky a neck back in fourth while Quality Road retreated to last place.

2010 Breeders' Cup Classic
nytimes.com

The crowd was numb from the dramatic finish, thrilled and sad at the same time. Claiborne Farm’s President Seth Hancock, co-owner of Blame, was quoted as saying, “I’m proud to win the race, but I take no pride in beating Zenyatta. She is awesome, and she’s been great for racing.” Blame deserved the win, but Zenyatta was magnificent in defeat. The day after the Classic, hundreds of fans came to the fence as Zenyatta grazed outside her Churchill Downs barn to pay tribute and present gifts to this magnificent animal even more revered in defeat than in victory.

For the Eclipse Awards, Blame was the Champion Older Male Horse and Zenyatta the corresponding Female. In a contentious voting, Zenyatta outpolled Blame for Horse of the Year. She was retired with a record of 19 wins and 1 second in 20 starts.

At Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, Zenyatta has not had much success as a broodmare. Her first two foals were winless on the racetrack. Her third and fourth offspring died within their first year, and, Zenyatta aborted her fifth foal. However, in 2018 she gave birth to a filly by prominent sire Medaglia d’Oro. Whatever future her progeny forge, Zenyatta’s immortality is intact. Her statuesque presence in repose, her dancing feet before a race, and her thrilling stretch charges remain part of thoroughbred racing’s folklore as one of the greatest horses this country has ever seen.

Starlet Series: Zenyatta, Part I

Starlet Series
Number 1, part I: Zenyatta

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the fifth of an occasional series on the careers of the six best female thoroughbred horses I have observed racing in the years 1959 to the present. I have chosen these females based on their performances in their respective races. This is my assessment alone and will undoubtedly differ with others’ opinions. This issue, the first of two, discusses the top ranked Zenyatta.

Zenyatta
bloodhorse.com

Zenyatta, foaled in 2004, was named by her co-owner, Jerry Moss, a recording producer, for the music group Police’s album Zenyatta Mondatta. Her incredible racing career began modestly in a 6½ furlong filly and mare maiden race on the artificial dirt surface at Hollywood Park on November 22, 2007. It seemed an ordinary middle of the week race, but what was observed that day was the first start for a legend in the making. Zenyatta, despite being sired by the internationally raced Street Cry and out of the same mare who produced the major stakes winner Balance, was purchased for only $60,000 as a yearling (she had hives). Unraced as a two year-old, trainer John Shirreffs gave her time to grow into her large and lankly frame. Given only lukewarm support (at 5-1) in her maiden outing, Zenyatta broke slowly under jockey David Flores and took what would be her customary position near the rear of the field. Seemingly, too far back and behind a wall of horses at the top of the stretch, Zenyatta was wheeled outside and then with giant strides quickly engulfed the field for an easy 3 length victory in a fast final time. Her owners, Ann and Jerry Moss, who had previously won both the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby were about to begin an exhilarating journey with the horse of a lifetime. 

Beginning her stakes career on January 13, 2008 in the 8½ furlong El Encino Stakes for four year-old fillies, Zenyatta again raced last in the early going and swung wide at the top of the stretch. Seemingly with a difficult task to accomplish, the daughter of Street Cry reached out with her enormous strides and engulfed the field for a surprisingly easy 1¾ length victory. 

Beginning her stakes career on January 13, 2008 in the 8½ furlong El Encino Stakes for four year-old fillies, Zenyatta again raced last in the early going and swung wide at the top of the stretch. Seemingly with a difficult task to accomplish, the daughter of Street Cry reached out with her enormous strides and engulfed the field for a surprisingly easy 1¾ length victory.

Some foot issues and bad California weather impacting the synthetic dirt surface at Santa Anita forced Zenyatta to miss intended starts. When she returned to racing, it would be in April on a conventional dirt track in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. In the field was the 2007 Eclipse Award Older Female Champion, Ginger Punch, who, although giving 6 lb. to Zenyatta, was the 2-5 favorite. David Flores had ridden Zenyatta in her 3 previous races, but he elected to stay in California. In his place, trainer John Shirreffs turned to Mike Smith, who once given the mount would never lose it. In what would be a coming out party, Zenyatta, who seemed to be lagging far behind Ginger Punch’s early pace, again mounted her rally around the stretch turn. Once in the clear, Zenyatta just devoured the field for a 4½ length victory. Brownie Points passed Ginger Punch for second place, 3½ lengths in front of the champion. Mike Smith expressed amazement at the ability of his filly to close ground suddenly. Unheralded no longer, Zenyatta from now on would race with the aura of a superstar.

Resisting the temptation to face open company, the team behind Zenyatta was content to continue racing her against her female peers. After her ascension to the top of the older female division as a result of her stunning victory in the Apple Blossom, Zenyatta returned to her home base in California and reeled off victories in the Milady, Vanity and Clement L. Hirsch Handicaps. Only in the Vanity was Zenyatta challenged. Tough Tiz’s Sis came close to Zenyatta in deep stretch, but the Mosses’ filly held that rival safe by a ½ length. In the other two races, she roared down the stretch for easy victories.

Zenyatta had her final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (formerly the Distaff) in the Lady’s Secret Stakes at Santa Anita. She was facing in the four horse field a presumed formidable rival in Hystericalady, who was a close second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Given that Hystericalady had a tactical advantage in terms of early pace, it was thought she could pose a threat to the slow starting Zenyatta. However, just as in all her previous races, Zenyatta just looped along in the early going oblivious to the moderate fractions. Once the 17 hand tall filly was taken to the outside at the top of the stretch by Mike Smith, Zenyatta just rolled home with her ground devouring strides for an easy 3½ length victory over Hystericalady.

Now a two day affair, the last Breeders’ Cup race on the Friday card (run in 2008 at Santa Anita), was by far the most anticipated. The Ladies’ Classic attracted, by all measures, a very strong field of females headed by the towering presence of the undefeated Zenyatta. Her seven rivals included last year’s Distaff winner, Ginger Punch, the strong Godolphin Racing entry of Cocoa Beach and Music Note, Hystericalady, and Stuart Janney III and Phipps Stable’s Carriage Trail, runaway winner of the Spinster Stakes on Keeneland Racetrack’s artificial surface. Despite the overall credentials of the field, Zenyatta went off as the 1-2 favorite.

In what was now typical Zenyatta style, she broke last, occupied that same position down the backstretch until Mike Smith asked her for run rounding the far turn. Then she passed horses easily while racing extremely wide around the bend. Once straightened out for the drive, Zenyatta powered home for the victory. Cocoa Beach made a strong rally up the inside in the stretch to gain second, 1½ lengths behind, with a similar margin in front of her stablemate, Music Note. Carriage Trail finished fourth, and Ginger Punch this year could do no better than sixth place.

There were all smiles for the Zenyatta team: Ann and Jerry Moss, John Shirreffs, and Mike Smith. At this point, they realized they were stewards of a racing treasure who had a huge fan base. The Eclipse Award for Champion Older Female assured, the Mosses had no intention of retiring Zenyatta, as Jerry Moss declared, “She’s just too good not to run again.”  

Zenyatta did not have her first start of 2009 till May as she was being prepared for another championship run. Actually, she made her five year-old debut a little later than originally planned. Zenyatta had shipped to Kentucky to run in the Louisville Distaff Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day. However, when the track became wet, she was withdrawn, and trainer John Shirreffs shipped her back to California. Starting about three weeks later in the 8½ furlong Milady Handicap, she showed she was the Zenyatta of the previous year closing powerfully in stretch under 126 lb. for a cozy 1¾ length victory. Finishing second was Zenyatta’s stablemate Life Is Sweet (122 lb.) (owned by Pam and Martin Wygod, but trained by Shirreffs). Stretching out another ½ furlong and now carrying 129 lb. in an attempt to win the Vanity Handicap again, Zenyatta was not placed by Mike Smith as far back as she usually races. Nevertheless, she still closed in the stretch with her ground devouring strides for an in hand 2½ length victory for her 11^th straight triumph.

Less than 30 minutes before Zenyatta’s victory in the Vanity, Rachel Alexandra (see Starlet Series #4) ran in the 9 furlong Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park facing only two others. In her first start since winning the Preakness, the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro showed she was in a different league than her sophomore filly peers rolling to a 19¼ length victory in stakes record time. By the end of June, it was clear that the two best racehorses in America were females, one a five year-old (Zenyatta) and the other a three year-old (Rachel Alexandra). Not only did they tower over their contemporaries, but they both drew favorable comparisons with the great females of the past. A meeting between the two was highly anticipated at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, but problematic in that Rachel Alexandra’s principal owner Jess Jackson, fresh off his champion Curlin’s defeat in the 2008 Classic, vowed he would never run his filly on a synthetic surface.

Zenyatta ran in August at Del Mar Racetrack in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes and made the race very interesting for her many fans. Sitting back in last place while slow fractional times where being set up front, Mike Smith had to really call on Zenyatta’s closing burst down the stretch to get up in the final strides to win by a head over Anabaa’s Creation with pacesetter Lethal Heat just ¾ of a length further back.

Zenyatta had her final prep for a Breeders’ Cup race in the Lady’s Secret Stakes. Racing against a field that included Life Is Sweet and Cocoa Beach, the gigantic daughter of Street Cry put in her now famous characteristic surge around the stretch turn, and then was gently handled down the stretch to win by 1¼ lengths over Lethal Heat with Cocoa Beach another neck back in third. This victory, Zenyatta’s 13^th in a row, put her even with the great Personal Ensign (see Starlet Series #2) who finished her unbeaten career with a victory in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. The Mosses were noncommittal on whether their fabulous mare would attempt to duplicate her success in last year’s Ladies’ Classic or be reserved for the Breeders’ Cup Classic the day after. All that Jerry Moss would confirm was that Zenyatta would be seen next in a Breeders’ Cup race.

In the interim, Rachel Alexandra had won the historic Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Racetrack against older male horses, albeit narrowly.  As the result of this unprecedented victory by a filly (a sophomore at that) in the Woodward, Jess Jackson declared that Rachel Alexandra had staked her claim for Horse of the Year and decided to not race her again in 2009.

As in the previous year, the Friday of Breeders’ Cup weekend was devoted to female races with the irony that the most celebrated female in all the Breeders’ Cup entries, Zenyatta, was entered to run the next day in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. (As a footnote, this year’s Ladies Classic was won by the John Shirreffs’ trained Life is Sweet.)

The Breeders’ Cup Classic was the main attraction of the entire Breeders’ Cup weekend due to the presence of Zenyatta in her first start against male horses.  Among the thirteen entries, there were the three leading male sophomores (Kentucky Derby victor Mine That Bird, Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird and Florida Derby winner Quality Road) in the field as well as top older males Gio Ponti and Einstein. Europeans were hoping to duplicate their 1-2 finish in the 2008 Classic this year with Juddmonte Farms’ sturdy four year-old Twice Over and Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s sophomore double group I winner Rip Van Winkle. What this year’s Classic produced was a finish that will be forever remembered.  

As the field approached the starting gate for the Classic with Zenyatta accorded the slight favoritism over Rip Van Winkle, Quality Road became so stirred up he injured himself and was withdrawn. After a delay, the field was sent on their way with Zenyatta, a little unprepared, breaking slowly and assuming the last position on the inside. The pace set by Regal Ransom was not fast as he was tracked by Einstein, Colonel John, and Rip Van Winkle. As the field raced down the backstretch, Mike Smith still had Zenyatta many lengths back, now in eleventh place on the inside. As the field went around the final turn, Smith, elected not to take Zenyatta outside of horses, but instead he had the big mare make up ground on the inside. Near the top of the stretch, the situation for Zenyatta looked hopeless as she was mired in the pack behind several horses. Track announcer, Trevor Denman even exclaimed, “if she wins this, she is a superhorse”. Well that is exactly what she was, as Smith wheeled her quickly to the outside and then, having a path between horses blocked, took her even more outside. Once clear, Zenyatta showed the stuff of greatness and passed all in the stretch for a going away 1 length victory. Again in the words of Denman, “This is Un-Be-Lievable.” Finishing second was Gio Ponti who had a 1¼ length margin on Twice Over. Summer Bird in finishing fourth won the race inside the race for the sophomores with Mine That Bird a non-factor in ninth place.

To say the crowd at Santa Anita was happy at the result was an understatement. The cult of Zenyatta was in full voice at what everyone witnessed. Mike Smith when asked if the still unbeaten Zenyatta was Horse of the Year, boldly proclaimed, “She is the horse of the decade.” The Mosses, Ann and Jerry, were ecstatic but appreciative of the gift of this incredible race mare. Normally reticent John Shirreffs was near tears at the performance of his charge.

In terms of year end honors, Rachel Alexandra was the Three Year-old Filly Champion and Zenyatta, the  Champion Older Female Horse. In a much discussed and debated decision, Horse of the Year went to Rachel Alexandra over Zenyatta, a result I cannot in conscience agree with. The positive outcome to this was that Zenyatta’s owners reconsidered their decision to retire her at the end of 2009, mainly because they wanted her to face Rachel Alexandra on the racetrack.  

(To be continued in part II.)