Zenyatta gets job done yet again
By Jay Privman
ARCADIA, Calif. - Zenyatta kept up her end of the bargain, weaving through traffic to capture her 15th straight victory in the Grade 1, $250,000 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Her race took place less than a half-hour after Rachel Alexandra was upset in her first start of the year. Both Zardana, who won the New Orleans Ladies Classic, and Zenyatta are trained by John Shirreffs.

Zenyatta ($2.60) was last, per usual, in the eight-horse field before beginning her late charge. Her jockey, Mike Smith, elected to come inside because there was a wall of horses preventing him from getting out, and for a moment Zenyatta looked in trouble. But that moment passed quickly, and she flew past her rivals in the final furlong without feeling Smith's whip.

She completed 1 1/8 miles on Pro-Ride in 1:48.20 and returned to the cheers of an adoring crowd.

A large crowd surrounded the paddock and cheered for Zenyatta when she entered the walking ring and began her trademark strut. Several celebrities, including actors Dustin Hoffman and Dennis Farina of the upcoming HBO series Luck, were in the walking ring before the race.

is there any questions now??????

Zenyatta definately looked like the better horse today . Her race was by far a better showing than Rachel's race with Zenyatta's stablemate beating Rachel.

It wasn't even close. From my observations....

Rachel - Never really looked right. Toward the middle half mile she looked to relax a little but just didn't look like the same horse. At the top of the stretch when Borel did his usual turn around and her still in hand and I figured maybe she would still blow these away. Flattened out tremendously in the stretch and showed little response to the whip and lead change.

Zenyatta - Brilliant. Wasn't really thrilled with Mike Smith's ride, looked to me like he tried to copy his breeder's cup ride until the 3-4path hole closed up and he hit the rail with her. Despite the shifting in and out she wins going away, in hand, without a single whip crack.

IMO, consider April 5th tentative at the very best. Rachel may return to the work tab for awhile before coming back.

How will she like the dirt?

agreed on the ride...but was it not funny looking seeing this huge monster weaving thru traffic....she looked awesome and never even thought about breaking a sweat....

Originally Posted by rhgraham

How will she like the dirt?

She's already won @ Oaklawn, so it's not much of an issue at all.



Btw, here you go kids. We all knew this was coming.........


from the Bloodhorse article:


There was some doubt from Rachel Alexandra’s camp after the race as to whether she would still be pointed toward the Apple Blossom.

"We'll have to be cautious. We want to do what's right for the mare," Asmussen said. "The filly's lacking fitness. It was my job to have her there, and I didn't do it.

“How tired she is off of that will be established in the coming days. She’s not where I thought she was and if I had thought she’d get beat she wouldn’t run. You take her back, you evaluate her, you see how her mood is, her diet, how she goes back to the racetrack, how she breezes. No crystal ball could see that far ahead."

thats funny...to be honest we probably will never see her again...what I cant get is people talking about layoffs..well hello people zenyatta has ran since the classic and she went an extra 1/16 then RA...this had to be expected because of the recent comments from assman....IF YOU ARE SCARED THEN JUST SAY YOUR SCARED...

i think they will still run her...

in the jocks room word is she is coming to oaklawn next week

Zenyatta is pretty clearly the better horse right now, but i still think the pace issue is decidedly in Rachel's advantage. We all saw how far behind Zenyatta was today, which of course is pretty normal for her. Hard to see her catching Rachel from 10 lengths behind, so i think they'll be forced to place her much closer early. DShe's done that before, but it's really not her style. Would have to think that Shirreffs will put Zardana in the race to keep Rachel honest up front (and maybe beat her again, lol). Will be very interested to see the fginal field after it shaps up, but i have my doubts the race will go off. Not with Rachel in it, anyway. As it stands, i'm glad i dodn't bet that Zenyatta prop, because there's a good chance the books will be holding onto the money indefinitely. If Zenyatta and Rachel don't meet, you don't get a refund until November.

I was told yesterda that after the Woodward Rachel feel flat out in her stall and laid there for over a hour never trying to get up. That race took everything out of her and like I said from my buddy she don't look the same and looks alot leaner. Jess Jackson is a piece of work, you would of thought he was the President or something yesterday. He had private secruity all around the FG, and even about 4-5 walking with him everywhere they went. When the race was over they left the suit like someone with the swine flu walked in!!!! The stat stills holds to form the winner of the Woodward has never won there next out race.

I still cannot see RA at 100% for the apple b. which i think is where she would need to be for them to run her.

RA's race and Zen's race were both in 24 and 47 and change clicks. The difference is that RA hit the mile in 1:37 and change and Zenyatta hit the mile at 1:35 and change that's 10 length better that RA. There's no dought in my mind that if yesterday was a match race, Zenyatta would have kill RA by 15 length.