ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]), honored as 2010 Horse of the Year at last
month’s Eclipse Awards ceremony, was bred to champion and noted sire Bernardini
Wednesday morning at Darley near Lexington, Kentucky. The news was announced in
a diary entry on
www.zenyatta.com, a website maintained by Dottie Shirreffs, the wife of
Zenyatta’s trainer, John Shirreffs.
According to the website, Zenyatta boarded a Sallee van at Lane’s End Farm
shortly after 7:30 a.m. (EST) for the approximate 10-minute ride to Darley. The
mating was described as “textbook” while Zenyatta’s behavior was noted as
“unbelievably professional, especially for a maiden mare.”
Zenyatta’s first visit to the breeding shed came two days after another
female Horse of the Year, 2009 champion Rachel Alexandra (Smart Strike), was
bred to two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.
Widely expected to enter the Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility in
five years time, Zenyatta won 19 of 20 starts and earned more than $7.3 million.
Named champion older female for three straight years (2008-10), she became the
first female Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner when taking the 2009 renewal at
Santa Anita. She suffered her only career defeat in last year’s Classic at
Churchill Downs, finishing second by a head to Blame.
Zenyatta was campaigned by Jerry and Ann Moss.