Zenyatta to pass on the Dubai World Cup
DiscreetCat
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from the LA Daily News:
ARCADIA - Zenyatta, the 6-year-old mare who has already touched many lives, will have the opportunity to touch a few more after owner Jerry Moss announced Saturday his unbeaten daughter of Street Cry will race again in 2010.
It was only a little more than two months ago at Santa Anita, after Zenyatta became the first female to win the Breeders' Cup Classic, when Moss said the historic victory would be the horse's last and she would be retired with a 14-0 record and nearly $5.5 million in earnings.
But after sleeping on that decision for a couple of months, Moss said he realized it was a mistake.
"I think I was a bit almost overemotional when I spoke and said the Breeders' Cup Classic was the perfect sendoff," Moss said from his owner's box at Santa Anita. "I really felt that way and I felt that way for some time, but she keeps looking back at you and she looks amazing."
Zenyatta, embroiled in a spirited battle with Rachel Alexandra for 2009 Horse of the Year, looked so amazing Saturday morning at trainer John Shirreffs' Hollywood Park barn the decision was made to go on with her, partly for the good of a sport Moss said he and his wife, Ann, love so much.
Moss recounted a story about a lady in New Jersey who recently sent him a letter.
"She wanted written on her tombstone that she saw Secretariat," Moss said. "(But) now she wants it to say that she saw Zenyatta."
Said Ann Moss: "Everybody says how much she means to them, and it's wonderful to touch people's hearts like that."
The next order of business comes Monday night during the Eclipse Awards ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire when the Horse of the Year announcement is made. Then it will be time to decide when and where Zenyatta, who has been in light training at Hollywood Park, makes her 2010 debut.
According to Shirreffs, the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6, the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 3 and the $350,000 Louisville Distaff at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks day are all potential races for Zenyatta.
The only race Shirreffs will not consider is the Dubai World Cup on March 27, a race that will be worth $10million for the first time this year.
"It's such a faraway place," he said. "It's a long way to go. It just doesn't seem like it would be the thing to do.
"When she's ready to run, when we feel that we want to run her again, then we'll pick out a race."
It's almost certain Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra will hook up at some point this year if both remain healthy. Rachel Alexandra has been stabled at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans and is scheduled to begin breezing soon.
Moss said Zenyatta will take on all-comers.
"We'll run against anybody," he said. "The gender is not a problem. At this stage of the game, we think we can beat anybody. That's not being arrogant. I mean, we've already proven that."
He said the ultimate goal would be an attempt to join Tiznow as the only horses to win back-to-back Breeders' Cup Classics. This year's Breeders' Cup will be held at Churchill Downs.
"She's going to go race to race, and as long as she tells us that she wants to go on we'll let her go on," Moss said. "Really, it's up to her."
Mike Smith, who has ridden Zenyatta in her past 11starts, was thrilled by the news.
"I can't seem to get this smile off my face," he said. "It's kind of stuck on there. I'm still in shock. It's great."
Smith said he's looking forward to the much-anticipated showdown against Rachel Alexandra.
"I hope so," he said. "I mean, that's the idea. Hopefully we'll get our chance and hopefully we'll prevail. We'll see what happens.
"There's probably been only one or two races (ever) you can say has actually been as anticipated."
Said Shirreffs: "You have the East Coast and you have the West Coast, and we're sort of on different paths. But at some point you would think that they would merge, and nobody can predict exactly when that would happen."
ARCADIA - Zenyatta, the 6-year-old mare who has already touched many lives, will have the opportunity to touch a few more after owner Jerry Moss announced Saturday his unbeaten daughter of Street Cry will race again in 2010.
It was only a little more than two months ago at Santa Anita, after Zenyatta became the first female to win the Breeders' Cup Classic, when Moss said the historic victory would be the horse's last and she would be retired with a 14-0 record and nearly $5.5 million in earnings.
But after sleeping on that decision for a couple of months, Moss said he realized it was a mistake.
"I think I was a bit almost overemotional when I spoke and said the Breeders' Cup Classic was the perfect sendoff," Moss said from his owner's box at Santa Anita. "I really felt that way and I felt that way for some time, but she keeps looking back at you and she looks amazing."
Zenyatta, embroiled in a spirited battle with Rachel Alexandra for 2009 Horse of the Year, looked so amazing Saturday morning at trainer John Shirreffs' Hollywood Park barn the decision was made to go on with her, partly for the good of a sport Moss said he and his wife, Ann, love so much.
Moss recounted a story about a lady in New Jersey who recently sent him a letter.
"She wanted written on her tombstone that she saw Secretariat," Moss said. "(But) now she wants it to say that she saw Zenyatta."
Said Ann Moss: "Everybody says how much she means to them, and it's wonderful to touch people's hearts like that."
The next order of business comes Monday night during the Eclipse Awards ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire when the Horse of the Year announcement is made. Then it will be time to decide when and where Zenyatta, who has been in light training at Hollywood Park, makes her 2010 debut.
According to Shirreffs, the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6, the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 3 and the $350,000 Louisville Distaff at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks day are all potential races for Zenyatta.
The only race Shirreffs will not consider is the Dubai World Cup on March 27, a race that will be worth $10million for the first time this year.
"It's such a faraway place," he said. "It's a long way to go. It just doesn't seem like it would be the thing to do.
"When she's ready to run, when we feel that we want to run her again, then we'll pick out a race."
It's almost certain Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra will hook up at some point this year if both remain healthy. Rachel Alexandra has been stabled at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans and is scheduled to begin breezing soon.
Moss said Zenyatta will take on all-comers.
"We'll run against anybody," he said. "The gender is not a problem. At this stage of the game, we think we can beat anybody. That's not being arrogant. I mean, we've already proven that."
He said the ultimate goal would be an attempt to join Tiznow as the only horses to win back-to-back Breeders' Cup Classics. This year's Breeders' Cup will be held at Churchill Downs.
"She's going to go race to race, and as long as she tells us that she wants to go on we'll let her go on," Moss said. "Really, it's up to her."
Mike Smith, who has ridden Zenyatta in her past 11starts, was thrilled by the news.
"I can't seem to get this smile off my face," he said. "It's kind of stuck on there. I'm still in shock. It's great."
Smith said he's looking forward to the much-anticipated showdown against Rachel Alexandra.
"I hope so," he said. "I mean, that's the idea. Hopefully we'll get our chance and hopefully we'll prevail. We'll see what happens.
"There's probably been only one or two races (ever) you can say has actually been as anticipated."
Said Shirreffs: "You have the East Coast and you have the West Coast, and we're sort of on different paths. But at some point you would think that they would merge, and nobody can predict exactly when that would happen."
Comments
That said, the superstar mare Azeri seems to have produced an awfully good one in Take Control. It''ll be interesting to follow the offspring of both Zenyatta and Rachel in the coming years. Zarkava as well.