Undefeated champion ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]), who was retired following
All fans in attendance will receive a full-color poster of Zenyatta, courtesy
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“We are thrilled and very honored to have Zenyatta return here to Santa Anita
one final time,” Santa Anita President Ron Charles said. “This will be great for
all of our fans as well. What she accomplished here in the Breeders’ Cup Classic
is something that none of us who witnessed it will ever forget and to have her
with us as we celebrate our 75th anniversary is very special.”
Zenyatta, who retired with a perfect 14-for-14 race record, won a total of
five races at Santa Anita, all of them stakes. In just the third start of her
career, she stormed to victory in the El Encino S. (G2) on January 13, 2008.
On September 27, 2008, Zenyatta won the Lady’s Secret S. (G1) at Santa
Anita’s Oak Tree meeting, which set up her huge victory in the Breeders’ Cup
Ladies Classic (G1) on October 24, and thus ensured her champion older female
honors.
Zenyatta again won the Lady’s Secret this year on October 10. She would use
that as a springboard to immortality, as she faced the boys and tried a mile and
a quarter for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Assured of being
named champion older female again, Zenyatta is also a candidate for Horse of the
Year.
Along with the Mosses, Zenyatta will be accompanied on opening day by trainer
John Shirreffs and his wife and racing manager Dorothy; Hall of Fame jockey Mike
Smith; exercise rider Steve Willard; and the husband and wife groom and
hotwalking team of Mario Espinoza and Carmen Zamora.
In addition to the Zenyatta poster, fans attending will also receive Santa
Anita’s traditional wall calendar, which this year will feature dramatic photos
chronicling some of the greatest moments of the past 75 years.
First post time on opening day is 11:30 a.m. (PST), with the $300,000 Malibu
S. (G1) for three-year-olds highlighting a 10-race program.