The legendary
Zenyatta, winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa
Anita and Horse of the Year in 2010, will be honored for all-time by Santa Anita
Park as a life-sized statue of the great mare will be unveiled in Santa Anita’s
Paddock Gardens area at noon (PDT) this Saturday.
Additionally, the Grade 1, $250,000 Zenyatta Stakes (formerly the Lady’s
Secret), a race won by Zenyatta over three consecutive years from 2008 through
2010, will be one of five Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” stakes to be
run on Saturday.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Moss and his wife Ann will do the actual
unveiling in a ceremony just to the south of Santa Anita’s Kingsbury Fountain
and directly across from a life-sized statue of the great John Henry.
Along with John Henry, Zenyatta, who at the age of eight is currently
enjoying her role as a broodmare at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky, will be also be
joining the legendary winner of the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap, Seabiscuit, as
her statuary likeness will now team with these legends of the American Turf
adjacent to the track’s grandstand.
Named after The Police’s blockbuster album “Zenyatta Mondatta,” Zenyatta is
owned by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Moss and his wife, Ann.
“Like the song written by Sting and performed by The Police, everything
Zenyatta did here will always be magic for the entire Thoroughbred industry,”
Santa Anita President George Haines said. “Her win against the boys in the 2009
Breeders’ Cup Classic is considered by many to be the greatest moment in Santa
Anita history.”
The incomparable Zenyatta retired with a remarkable 19 wins from 20 career
starts and $7,304,580 in earnings. Although she was defeated by a head in her
final start, the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic, her stature as one of the sport’s
all-time greats remained undiminished as she was voted the Eclipse Award as
Horse of the Year for 2010.
“The breadth of her accomplishments at Santa Anita alone is astonishing,”
Haines said. “She won a total of six races here, all stakes and five of them
were in Grade 1 competition. Her story will forever resonate with our fans and
we know we’ll have many thousands of people coming here over the years to admire
her statue, which will be situated on south side of the Kingsbury Fountain,
directly across from John Henry.”
Trained by John Shirreffs and ridden in her final 17 starts by Hall of Fame
jockey Mike Smith, Zenyatta made her first appearance at Santa Anita in her
third career start, winning the Grade 2 El Encino Stakes on January 13, 2008,
and ended her career with a six-for-six mark at the Arcadia, California, track.
As was the case in her 2009 Classic victory, all 19 of Zenyatta’s wins came
in last-to-first fashion.
“We’d again like to thank the Mosses for running Zenyatta here and we look
forward to welcoming them back as we again honor ‘the big mare’ on September
29,” Haines said.
Sculpted by Nina Kaiser, who also created the statue of John Henry,
Zenyatta’s likeness stands at her height of 17.2 hands, and weighs 1,200 pounds,
which is approximately what Zenyatta weighed throughout her racing career.
Commissioned by Santa Anita, the world-renowned Kaiser worked on the project for
more than two years.
Santa Anita’s 2012 autumn meet gets underway on Friday. For more information
or to make dining and seating reservations, fans are encouraged to visit
www.santaanita.com or
call (626) 574-RACE.
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