Horse Racing: Zenyatta’s dominance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic
The six year old Kentucky bred filly is so far the only undefeated racehorse in American horse racing today. Starting her career at the age of three, Zenyatta has contending 19 races and has been successful in taking over the field in all of them. Her trainer
John Sheriff and the horses passionate fans are expecting the legendary filly to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic that will be kicking off at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
This race is of particular significance to the great racehorse because a victory in this start will mean a perfect conclusion to Zenyatta’s dominant racing career. The race that will be run on the Kentucky Derby track (dirt track) and over the same distance
of 1 ¼ miles, will be contended by some of the best racehorses of the American Horse racing industry. These champions include the Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky, Blame and Quality Road to name a few. Those who will be seeing these great colts run
parallel to each other, will witness a lifetime experience.
The last race which was run by Zenyatta before the Breeders’ Cup Classic was the Lady’s Secret Stakes on the 2nd of October 2010. Despite being denied the Horse of the Year Award 2009, the great thoroughbred filly went on to prove herself as an
invincible racehorse. Those who have witnessed her run say that her speed and racing style is spectacular and she is simply the best. This fan friendly horse is the most flaunted and advertised competitor of the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Her jockey Mike Smith
and trainer John Sheriffs are confident that their horse will take over the field at Churchill Downs. Although Smith is feeling a lot of pressure on him now that there is just a day to go for the event to start.
Zenyatta’s critics on the other hand have different views. They believe that the filly might not succeed in setting a perfect 20-to-20 win record. This is because all the races that have been won by her, but two, were run on a synthetic track. Moreover,
most of her career meets have been in California. Another point that the critics add when analysing her ‘great’ career is that most of Zenyatta’s victories have been against not very high profile racehorses of the industry.
One of the strongest competitors that Zenyatta will be encountering on the racetrack at Churchill Downs is Quality Road. The champion colt is being considered to be a threat to Zenyatta’s dominance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The thoroughbred is the winner
of the Florida Derby but could not make it to the first place in the Kentucky Derby due to an injury. Quality Road will be sent out to run in the $ 5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic as a 5-1 choice. The colt will be running a distance of 1 ¼ miles after 13 months
(the last race that he ran over this distance was the Jockey Club Gold Cup in which he finished second to Summer Bird). The thoroughbred champion will break in from the 12th position; while Zenyatta will be begin from the 8th. When Quality
Road’s trainer, Todd Pletcher was questioned about his horse’s practise sessions, he said, “It would not have been one of my choices, but it is what it is.” The satisfied trainer went on to say, “You do not get to choose. He was going to load in the gate first
regardless, so that part of it does not change.”
Zenyatta’s remarkable racing career will be named a perfect one if she manages to pass the champions of American Horse racing industry at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
Tags: