A Perfect 20 - Zenyatta

By Author: Lee Lane-Edgar
Total Articles: 365
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“And here is Zenyatta”, “Zenyatta, Zenyatta, Zenyatta”, “How do you describe perfection, Zenyatta is the word” and the applauding never ends. Zenyatta did it again and again, every single time she set her foot on the race tracks making her the most incredible contender, every tournament she competed for. Also described as sheer poetry owing to her cruising running style, Zenyatta will forever belong to that niche of persistent runners who eventually always make it to the wire.

An astounding 19 wins out of 20 career starts, Zenyatta was the queen of racing fairy tales. Immaculately run races, with exceptional consistency in every performance, Zenyatta was the stalker most of the time. She would chase the pack towards the final furlong until every other contender ran out of gas and she would start banking on her exceptional stamina and endurance.

Foaled in April 2004 to master of studs Street Cry who also sired Street Sense (2007 Kentucky Derby winner) and Vertigineux who’s been a success as a broodmare much more than a racehorse, Zenyatta was a humungous 17.2 hands that made her stand taller that ...
... most of her male opponents also. The Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year mare also owns the most famously admired horse fan page on social networking sites and also O and W magazines features.

Zenyatta had a terrific racing season every year she set foot on the race tracks with her jockey M.E.Smith. She kick started her career with Maiden Special Weight running a 6 ½ furlongs defeating a field of 11 followed by another 1 1/16 miles allowance race later that year. That was 2007. Her maiden for 2008 began with another victory in El Encino Stakes at Santa Anita. Soon followed was another 4 ½ lengths win at Apple Blossom Handicap grade 1, first dirt track in her elementary career.

Zenyatta then went on to win Grade 2 Milady Handicap racing and another Grade 1 Vanity Handicap with her jockey M.E.Smith, a companionship that lasted for the rest of her racing career of back to back wins. None of Zenyatta’s performances fell short of applaud or appreciation. Every race was flawless with a record setting or breaking show just every single time.

She set a record time of 1:41.48 at the Clement L. Hirsch, a 1 1/16 mile Grade 2 tournament and also went on to clock a negative split every quarter in the Lady’s Secret Stakes. Zenyatta was already pushing for the favourites for the Breeder’s Cup contention.

The Breeder’s Cup Ladies Classic witnessed another history being created by the superstar as Zenyatta clocked the second fasted 1 1/8 miles at 1:46.85 in the tournaments history. She once again won 1 ½ length over Cocoa Beach.

The year 2009 started with another series of unscathed performances from the champion, Zenyatta was running for five year olds graded races. The racing season set off with an Eclipse Award for the top older female racer category of the 2008 season. What more of a lucky charm could the Zenyatta connections ask for.

Come May and Zenyatta was already springing in action with her signature style racing and victories. Grade 2 Milady Handicap, captured, followed by Grade 1 Vanity Handicap again following her win last year. Zenyatta was tattooing the tracks with her victory stories. She was invincible, then whether she raced from the front line or stalked from the dead end. With a weight assignment of 129lbs, she still managed to pull up a 2 ½ length win over her contenders on a field of 1 ½ miles.

Her Clement L. Hirsch win once again at Del Mar was reminiscent of her last year’s performance, this time however she was more aggressive winning the challenge by a head over Anabaa’s Creation. All her 1 1/16 mile distances hung around a track record time of 1:43 precisely. Zenyatta continued riding her lucky streak with another obvious win at Lady’s Secret. Her connections were now considering her contention for the historical Breeder’s Cup Classic which she eventually managed to conquer despite 123lbs and a cut-throat contention from Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird and the likes making her the first mare to win Breeder’s Classic.

The 2010 again started on a similar foot as 2009. Zenyatta went on to be awarded the Eclipse Award for the best female runner for 2009. Zenyatta’s career was now approaching a phase lined with set records and opportunities to attack each one of them. By now Zenyatta had a track record of 14 starts and 14 immaculate wins. It was a perfect score of 14-0 on the edge with immense anticipation and expectation for Zenyatta and her connections.

Her 15th victory at Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap was an accomplished feat that comprised of 127lbs weight with 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.20 by a length and a quarter. Undoubtedly Zenyatta also won the Apple Blossom Invitational Grade 1 challenge setting her track record to 16-0. Vanity Handicap Invitation on June 13th 2010 witnesses Zenyatta breaking records set by Citation and Cigar and also tying with Rock of Gibraltar which she ultimately broke with her 18th win and her consecutive victory at Clement L. Hirsch carrying 123lbs. Zenyatta was unstoppable.

She converted her winning score to 19-0 when she stormed the Lady’s Secret Stakes in 1:42.97 covering a distance of 1 1/16 miles with 123lbs weight also breaking the record for All-time North American female earnings with a total of $6,404,580 against $6,312,552 held by Ouija Board.

Zenyatta’s Breeder’s Cup Classic pushed her limits finally when she attempted her 20th start against the field of 12 with Preakness and Haskell winner Lookin at Lucky, Espoir City (winner of Florida Derby, Metropolitan Handicap and Woodward Stakes) and also Stephen Foster Handicap and Whitney Handicap winner Blame. She finished second to Blame following a clean and injury free retirement. That year she became the Eclipse Award winner for the top older female runner third consecutive year. After a meritorious career, lined with records Zenyatta is in foal with 2006 Preakness Stakes winner Bernardini.

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