Zenyatta's last serious prep pre-BC Classic

[Terlingua]

I just picked this up from TVG on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6_qq3GIzR0

ENJOY!

[winds]

Wow, she's just awesome!

[zinn21]

I wish they would have shipped early to Churchill to get a few works in. That is my only concern.

[Hotwalker]

I don't think it matters with her. Keep her comfortable in her familiar surroundings until they need to ship.

[EquineAdvocacyExaminer]

In case you hadn't seen this, here's a link to my story with a link to a preview of Bob Simon's interview with Mike Smith, and the 60 Minutes story about Zenyatta, to be aired tonight:

http://www.examiner.com/thoroughbred-pe ... 60-minutes

[karenkarenn]

I just won a Zenyatta Breyer -- Im so stoked...

[Toccet02]

ummm . . . does it matter that she appeared NOT to catch her workmate before the wire?

[RuffianT21]

I was wondering about that too, Toccet.

I'm sure by now she knows the difference between a race and a workout, but still... Does anyone who knows more about training than I do care to comment?

[Tappiano]

They wanted to make sure she did not think that as soon as she crossed the finish line she should ease up, in fact if you watch it closely you will see Mike move as they cross the line where she then passed the workmate and the workout ended a sixteenth of a mile later.

She knows that if Mike shows up in the morning it's a workout and if he shows up later in the day it's a race.

[TJ]

I was wondering about that too, Toccet.

I'm sure by now she knows the difference between a race and a workout, but still... Does anyone who knows more about training than I do care to comment?

Hi Ruffian,
You notice Mike Smith getting after Z at the wire. That was because the 6 furlong workout didn't finish at the wire. It began at the 5 1/2 furlong pole and ended at the 1 1/16th pole, or a 1/16th past the wire. Zenyatta beat her workmate by a head and remains undefeated even in her workouts:>) TJ

[Tucumcari]

ummm . . . does it matter that she appeared NOT to catch her workmate before the wire?

Nope, as they were working past the wire.
I am not in love with the work. She has worked better visually

[xfactor fan]

I've got a question. Got to watch Zenyatta's last race, and TVG had a pretty close view of her at the end of the race.

What I noticed is that she appeared to not exactly stop, but slow down a bit in the middle of her final run. Looked like Mike Smith had to get into her a bit to keep the drive going. I'm wondering if there was a roar from the crowd where she faltered, and she being a bit of a ham, was inclined to strut for the crowd. It looks like she figured out that she's the center of human attention, and loves it.

And she had one ear cocked toward the horse she was trying to catch, the other was pricked. As soon as she passed the horse both ears came up. Sure looked like she knew exactly where the wire was, and that she was supposed to finish ahead of the other horse.

Did anyone else catch this? And might it be the reason some folks think she's lost a step?

[TJ]

I've got a question. Got to watch Zenyatta's last race, and TVG had a pretty close view of her at the end of the race.

What I noticed is that she appeared to not exactly stop, but slow down a bit in the middle of her final run. Looked like Mike Smith had to get into her a bit to keep the drive going. I'm wondering if there was a roar from the crowd where she faltered, and she being a bit of a ham, was inclined to strut for the crowd. It looks like she figured out that she's the center of human attention, and loves it.

And she had one ear cocked toward the horse she was trying to catch, the other was pricked. As soon as she passed the horse both ears came up. Sure looked like she knew exactly where the wire was, and that she was supposed to finish ahead of the other horse.

Did anyone else catch this? And might it be the reason some folks think she's lost a step?

Hi X,
What you saw was one of the reasons for working past the wire....once again note Mike Smith was asking her for run in this last work coming to the wire. She's so much better than her competition she has the luxury of.....I wouldn't say falter, but loafed a bit or is actually bored...as she nears the competition....but is still so much the best there are no consequences. Zenyatta has a tendency to lose interest if she gets to the lead to soon.....so Mr. Sheriiff's is covering all the bases for this, the toughest race of her career. TJ

[xfactor fan]

Thanks TJ, just wanted a reality check on what I was seeing. The only way anyone is going to see exactly how fast she can go is to use a relay of horses.

Mike Smith was asked if Ms Z was better than Secretariat. Wow, wouldn't that be an amazing race.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Is there a way to see the actual race? I mean, are any cable channels going to show it?