Zenyatta Training Well

[TJ]

Rachel Alexandra has proven those who gave her Eclipse votes terribly wrong...

Just goes to show how political and nonsensical the HOY voting is, IMO.
Not only did she get robbed of HOY, she has been the best thing for racing in a long, long time. For that alone, she deserves a special award. So does John Sherriffs!

Hi Northstar, Wang,
I love to watch both these horses compete and HOY is a very special honor to bestow on a horse. It is usually given to the horse that's won the most GR I's, the most prestigious races, the most dominant wins and the most daring and courageous campaign for that particulate year. Now we all know the year was 2009, not what these horses accomplished in any other year. Was the competition weak in Rachel's run......after the fact it seems it was. But before the fact she defeated a Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner and won a race that is weighted very heavy for the older colts and geldings HOY, when she beat older horses in the Woodward. RA won on the dirt at eight different race tracks from 1 mile to 1 3/16ths. She won 5 Gr I's and 2 GR II's. in her 8 for 8 season.
Zenyatta won 4 GR. I's and 1 GR II in her 5 for 5 season. She raced strictly in California over the synthetic tracks. She culminated her season beating the boys in the BC Classic over Gio Ponte who is a turf horse and was trying that surface for the first time. Understand that an open mind is needed when looking at a horses record being considered for horse of the year....especially when the two contender's never ran against each other. Truth be told, RA was the horse to beat all year long and Zenyatta's connections knew that.....if they truly wanted horse of the year they would have gone hunting for RA and not rest on an undefeated record accomplished in one state over synthetic courses only.....which is what has kept Zenyatta tied down. A showdown between the two had to happen and Zenyatta had to beat RA in order to win HOY in 2009. Zenyatta had plenty time to come to Jersey and test RA in the Haskell. If she did that and won the Haskell she still had plenty time to get back to California for the BC Classic. She would have been the unanimous choice for HOY under that scenario.
Now, in 2010 Rachel has been found wanting as Zenyatta stays home winning the same Graded races she always wins over California's synthetic tracks. This is no dig against Zenyatta, but it is against her connections....if they really want horse of the year they need to do something about it. I'm still hoping they will change their mind and surprise the racing world and give Zenyatta the chance to win the Beldame at Belmont over a dirt track that should suit her perfectly. If she does that, stays in NY and trains up to the Classic on the dirt tracks, this will help her get accustomed to the surfaces (NY and CD).....that will afford her the best opportunity to win the Classic as well as HOY. If she stays in California and runs in the Lady's Secret again, all the pressure is on Z to ship east walk off the plane and try to win the Classic on a dirt course against some decent colts. It's not fair to ask so much of her.....let her come east now, give her a chance to prove herself in a long running, prestigious GR I race in NY before she goes to CD for the Classic. If she doesn't win the classic she will be defeated again for HOY. Click on the link below to compare the 2009 records of Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra. TJ

http://www1.drf.com/eclipse/2009/finali ... heYear.pdf

[Lucy]

if they truly wanted horse of the year they would have gone hunting for RA and not rest on an undefeated record accomplished in one state over synthetic courses only.....which is what has kept Zenyatta tied down. A showdown between the two had to happen and Zenyatta had to beat RA in order to win HOY in 2009. Zenyatta had plenty time to come to Jersey and test RA in the Haskell. If she did that and won the Haskell she still had plenty time to get back to California for the BC Classic. She would have been the unanimous choice for HOY under that scenario.

I agree with your post, however, you would need to replace 'Haskell' with 'Woodward' - the Haskell is for three years olds, Zenyatta could not have run in it if she'd tried.

I think the issue with the races chosen for Zenyatta so far isn't so much that they're in CA over synthetics, but rather, that they are soft spots for a mare of such quality. Had Z run in and won the Hollywood Gold Cup, Santa Anita Handicap, or Pacific Classic last year - and for the record, I think she'd have won any (or all) of them if she'd entered - she'd have won HOY.

Had she done so this year - and again, they were very winnable races for her - there wouldn't be the worry that a Blame or a Lookin at Lucky could snatch away HOY by beating her in the Classic.

[TJ]

if they truly wanted horse of the year they would have gone hunting for RA and not rest on an undefeated record accomplished in one state over synthetic courses only.....which is what has kept Zenyatta tied down. A showdown between the two had to happen and Zenyatta had to beat RA in order to win HOY in 2009. Zenyatta had plenty time to come to Jersey and test RA in the Haskell. If she did that and won the Haskell she still had plenty time to get back to California for the BC Classic. She would have been the unanimous choice for HOY under that scenario.

I agree with your post, however, you would need to replace 'Haskell' with 'Woodward' - the Haskell is for three years olds, Zenyatta could not have run in it if she'd tried.

I think the issue with the races chosen for Zenyatta so far isn't so much that they're in CA over synthetics, but rather, that they are soft spots for a mare of such quality. Had Z run in and won the Hollywood Gold Cup, Santa Anita Handicap, or Pacific Classic last year - and for the record, I think she'd have won any (or all) of them if she'd entered - she'd have won HOY.

Had she done so this year - and again, they were very winnable races for her - there wouldn't be the worry that a Blame or a Lookin at Lucky could snatch away HOY by beating her in the Classic.

Hi Lucy,
Thank you for the correction, I should have realized that. I think they lost track worrying about going for the consecutive win record and less about winning the HOY. HOY can't be taken away....a consecutive win record can always be broken. What bothers me most is Zenyatta will be under a lot of pressure to to win the BC Classic to secure HOY.....but if she does she will change the tide in one race, which most likely will be her final career start. That would be fitting for a horse from Hollywood:>) TJ

[TJ]

Zenyatta works 3/4's in 1:13.80 for Lady's Secret, article below, TJ
http://drf.com/news/zenyatta-works-ladys-secret

[TJ]

Zenyatta posted her final move in preparation for next Saturday's Lady's Secret. 3/4's in 1:13.80 over Hollywood syn. track. TJ
http://drf.com/news/zenyatta-completes- ... eparations

[TJ]

Zenyatta wins Lady's Secret now 19 for 19!! One to go. TJ

[wangkw]

Will she dance (with mike) her last tango in the big Classic ? But if the connections put her in the Ladies' version, her 20th win
would almost be a sure thing..not the men's though ...which may be THE one to break her back...my uneasy feeling now.

[dublino]

If the track is fast at Churchill Downs - Quality Road is going to be tough to run down.

[Matchemforever]

With so many horses eligible for the BC Classic, it may be impossible to get through the traffic. How many are allowed to start? Can Quality Road get in a pace duel and still hold off Zenyatta for an extra eighth, if that's the way the race goes down?

A couple questions:

Is it just me? I thought Zenyatta looked a bit heavy. Could it be that they are trying to stay one jump ahead of shipping issues?

Does this mare race with cotton in her ears or are the insides of her ears just white naturally?

Do they scratch if it rains for the BC? I am not suggesting the mare cannot run in slop, I don't know the answer to that. She has run in the dirt twice and her connections all say she's even better on dirt. I am suggesting that for a big, long striding horse, slop can be dangerous. From Dorothy Ours book, we now know that Man O' War, run at the Harve de Grace track against his trainer's wishes, almost fell victim to a track in less than ideal condition. A Mine That Bird can almost skim over such tracks. But in my mind, a big, long striding horse has much less room for any error in the track and I'm thinking that they will keep her safe rather than take the risk.

How important will the track condition at Churchhill be for this mare?

[TJ]

With so many horses eligible for the BC Classic, it may be impossible to get through the traffic. How many are allowed to start? Can Quality Road get in a pace duel and still hold off Zenyatta for an extra eighth, if that's the way the race goes down?

A couple questions:

Is it just me? I thought Zenyatta looked a bit heavy. Could it be that they are trying to stay one jump ahead of shipping issues?

Does this mare race with cotton in her ears or are the insides of her ears just white naturally?

Do they scratch if it rains for the BC? I am not suggesting the mare cannot run in slop, I don't know the answer to that. She has run in the dirt twice and her connections all say she's even better on dirt. I am suggesting that for a big, long striding horse, slop can be dangerous. From Dorothy Ours book, we now know that Man O' War, run at the Harve de Grace track against his trainer's wishes, almost fell victim to a track in less than ideal condition. A Mine That Bird can almost skim over such tracks. But in my mind, a big, long striding horse has much less room for any error in the track and I'm thinking that they will keep her safe rather than take the risk.

How important will the track condition at Churchhill be for this mare?

Hi Match,
A maximum of 14 starters are allowed in each of the 14 Breeders' Cup races with the exception of the Dirt Mile, Juvenile Fillies Turf and Juvenile Turf which are limited to 12 starters. One of the new variables this year is that the Classic will be run under the lights, some horses don't react favorably under such circumstances. I would rather have seen them run the Classic earlier in the day so this variable wouln't be yet another issue in any of the participants defeat.

It was the first time I noticed Zenyatta having cotton in her ears....other's that are on the west coast would probably know better if she has run before with it. It's possible knowing the layout of the track, they thought it would be a good idea to muffle the noise of the close by crowd. It was the crowd, noise and Zenyatta fans signs flapping that caused Rinterval to flip in the paddock and have to be scratched.

Concerning track conditions, that will be her camps call.....it is the final race of her career so I'm sure they have weighed this all ready. Zenyatta has handled the sythetic tracks well and the dirt track she ran over. She has also trained over the Churchill track, but was scratched last year from the Louisville Distaff because the track was sloppy. After the scratch, Shirreffs was quoted as saying.....“She is just starting off this year, and this is a grade II, it’s not the Breeders’ Cup,” Shirreffs told The Blood-Horse April 30, 2009 when hinting that the scratch would be likley if the weather did not cooperate. “It’s a long year." That was last years quote, so this season it will be her final race and it will be the BC Classic so he may decide to take the chance. TJ

[Sysonby]

Zenyatta has had cotton stuffed in her ears for at least the last year. If you look closely, you'll see it in this photo from last years BC

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_ ... oment.html

I wasn't there yesterday but when I have been I noticed that the track is usually willing to accomodate the other fillies and help them deal with the craziness surrounding Zenyatta. There was one race earlier in the year when Carla Gaines was allowed to have her filly leave the paddock before Zenyatta entered the paddock. I don't know if that ever made the news stories but I've seen it.

[TJ]

Zenyatta has had cotton stuffed in her ears for at least the last year. If you look closely, you'll see it in this photo from last years BC

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_ ... oment.html

I wasn't there yesterday but when I have been I noticed that the track is usually willing to accomodate the other fillies and help them deal with the craziness surrounding Zenyatta. There was one race earlier in the year when Carla Gaines was allowed to have her filly leave the paddock before Zenyatta entered the paddock. I don't know if that ever made the news stories but I've seen it.

Hi Sysonby,
I figured some one would know for sure.....it was very hard to miss yesterday. They must have pumped up the cotton expecting an enthusiastic crowd:>) TJ

[Matchemforever]

Thanks TJ.

I have seen Zenyatta before in a race with what I presume to be cotton in her ears. I did read once where Mike Smith said he'd had to get after her a little because she likes to get in front and then thinks of "posing." Maybe they damp down thesound of the crowd enthusiasm for another reason?

[Joltman]

I think CD has favorable conditions for Z if the track is good or fast. Wet fast or worse is a problem because all that slop getting thrown back on the deep closers and Quality Road being a press the pace type. That long stretch will give Smith a chance to pick a spot to run without going wide around the turns.

This will be her toughest test yet, if she makes it there. Lots of quality, just from the domestic guys. I would LOVE to see Goldikova take a shot at this.

[Joltman]

also...

Have you noticed that Z has showed no 'cycle' of form. THere are handicappers that routinely monitor the cycle of runners, horses coming into form or going out and bet accordingly. She is amazingly amazingly consistent - particularly for a mare (plz don't call me sexist) as the cyclical stuff can be related to reproductive cycles at times.