Zenyatta in foal to Bernardini

Zenyatta, pictured during her appearance at Keeneland, has reason to celebrate (Coady Photography) Horse of the Year ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) is in foal to Bernardini, according to a Thursday diary post on the popular mare’s eponymous website. Bernardini covered Zenyatta on February 23, so the pregnancy was revealed on a 15-day scan. “From what I am told, everything looks fabulous and solid. The embryo looks to be a good size,” Zenyatta’s ghost writer, Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffss, noted. The diary post adds that additional scans are scheduled at about the 28-day mark and again at the 40-42 day mark. Zenyatta, who retired as North America’s richest distaffer with $7,304,580 in earnings, was honored as champion older female for three straight years (2008-10). The Jerry and Ann Moss colorbearer became the first female to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in 2009, but lost a contentious Horse of the Year vote to Rachel Alexandra, who was just confirmed in foal to Curlin Monday.

In 2010, Zenyatta extended her perfect career mark to 19-for-19, until
suffering a heartbreaker in her career finale in the November 6 Breeders’ Cup
Classic. Though she was narrowly denied by Blame at Churchill Downs, Zenyatta
won the war for the Horse of the Year title, joining an honor roll that includes
Twilight Tear (1944), Busher (1945), All Along (Fr) (1983), Lady’s Secret (1986)
and Azeri (2002).

After unwinding for a bit at her longtime base at Hollywood Park, Zenyatta
was shipped in early December to Lane’s End near Versailles, Kentucky, where she
currently resides.

The Mosses ultimately selected champion Bernardini for her first mating, not
only because of his exceptionally promising start as a sire. Another compelling
factor was Zenyatta’s juvenile half-sister, the highly-regarded Eblouissante,
who is by Bernardini.

The Bernardini-Zenyatta foal will therefore be a three-quarter sibling to
Eblouissante, and the foal’s pedigree shows 5 x 4 inbreeding to Mr. Prospector.