Zenyatta cruises in work for Clement Hirsch

Last updated: 8/2/09 5:08 PM

Zenyatta enjoyed a little target practice Sunday
(Benoit Photo)

At Del Mar on Sunday, undefeated champion ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire])
traveled five Polytrack furlongs in a sharp 1:00 for her title defense in
next Sunday’s $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1).

Del Mar clockers were
impressed enough to rate the work as “breezing.”

Regular exercise rider Steve Willard was aboard Zenyatta for the move in
company with stablemate Green Cat (Stormin Fever), a maiden four-year-old
gelding.

Zenyatta, who posted splits of :24, :35 4/5 and :47 4/5, started a
couple of lengths behind Green Cat and finished approximately four
lengths ahead. Green Cat was timed in 1:01 1/5, handily.

“Perfect,” trainer John Shirreffs summed up.

Following the drill, Shirreffs was rhapsodic as he talked of how
Zenyatta continues to amaze him with her huge stride.

“She has the biggest stride I’ve ever seen,” he said, “and then when she puts
her head down she stretches out even more. She’s just a racing machine.”

A perfect 11-for-11, Zenyatta is coming off a 2 1/2-length score in the
Vanity H. (G1) beneath a 129-pound impost.

The strapping five-year-old captured the Hirsch last year, setting a track
record for 1 1/16 miles in the process.