In the opening stages, the two John Shirreffs trainees dropped to the back of
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Smith briefly entertained the idea of steering Zenyatta along the inside of
Life Is Sweet on the backstretch, but rival Garrett Gomez had no intention of
letting the champion through, and the once-inviting gap soon disappeared.
Instead, Zenyatta took her customary overland route entering the far turn.
Accelerating instantaneously, she left Life Is Sweet toiling in her wake and set
her sights on the leaders. By this time, Allicansayis Wow had put her head in
front, but her advantage was short-lived. Zenyatta zoomed past her in a matter
of strides and won as her rider pleased, rewarding her legions of supporters
with mutuels of $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10 as the deserving 1-5 favorite.
Life Is Sweet, who did not have as smooth a passage while trying to navigate
between horses, finally slipped through along the rail. The 5-2 second choice
stayed on resolutely to finish second, three-quarters of a length ahead of
Allicansayis Wow. Life Is Sweet returned $2.20 and $2.10, and the Shirreffs
exacta paid $1.60 ($1). Allicansayis Wow, the nearly 20-1 third choice, gave
back $2.80 and ended the $6.60 trifecta ($1). Another five lengths back came
Gambler’s Justice, who rounded out the $22.20 superfecta (9-7-3-1) at 35-1.
Champagne Eyes and Taste’s Sis completed the order of finish. Bel Air Sizzle
(Unusual Heat), Dawn After Dawn (Successful Appeal) and Hot n’ Dusty (Unusual
Heat) were withdrawn.
The five-year-old Zenyatta now brandishes a bankroll to the tune of
$2,234,580. She began her remarkable career rather belatedly in late November
2007 at Hollywood, taking a 6 1/2-furlong maiden by three lengths after rallying
from last. That race was just a preview of things to come, as Shirreffs next
saddled her to a 3 1/2-length score in an allowance to finish out her
three-year-old season. The massive miss made her stakes debut an easy win in
Santa Anita’s El Encino S. (G2), and was then given a three-month break before
returning to earn her first Grade 1 victory. That particular score came while
Zenyatta was also trying the dirt for the first time in the Apple Blossom H.
(G1), where she had divisional champion Ginger Punch back in third.
Returned to Hollywood Park, the four-year-old continued to pad her resume,
capturing her first Milady and the Vanity H. (G1) before switching over to Del
Mar and scoring a length tally in the Clement L. Hirsch H. (G2). Zenyatta had
her first taste of Santa Anita’s new Pro-Ride surface when cruising to a 3
1/2-length victory in the Lady’s Secret S. (G1), and she wrapped up her
brilliant campaign with a score in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1).
Zenyatta was originally scheduled to make her 2009 bow in the Louisville
Distaff S.
(G2) on Kentucky Oaks Day, but Shirreffs opted to scratch her because of the off
track. The dark bay was then rerouted to a title defense in the Milady.
Bred by Maverick Production Limited in Kentucky, Zenyatta is out of the
winning Vertigineux (Kris S.), making her a half-sister to multiple Grade 1
queen Balance (Thunder Gulch), a juvenile colt named Souper Spectacular (Giant’s
Causeway) and a 2009 filly by Bernardini. Zenyatta, who is from the same family
as 2001 Canadian champion turf mare Sweetest Thing (Candy Stripes), was a
bargain at only $60,000 for her owners at the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling
Sale.