Horse Racing: the ‘beaten’ champion Zenyatta
Popularly known as The Queen of the American horse racing industry, Zenyatta was unsuccessful in giving her spectacular athletic career a perfect conclusion as she lost the much anticipated Breeders Cup Classic to the champion colt Blame. The filly could
not end her career with a 20-to-20 record, but is still loved by her associates and passionate fans. Even after Zenyatta was held off by Blame in the 1 ¼ mile Classic event, she is considered to be the greatest filly of the American horse racing industry.
In a post race interview on Sunday, the fames trainer John Sheriffs said, “It was a fairy tale and it did not end the way everybody wanted it to end.”
The trainer went on to say, “That is what I feel badly about. However, Zenyatta is pretty happy out there and she will be happy.”
Zenyatta’s victories and performances in the past have made history in the industry. She has the honour of being the first filly to have won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in competition with male horses. Since she had been undefeated in 19 out of her 19 career
starts, she was the most flaunted and advertised contender of the Breeders’ Cup Classic 2010 at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky bred filly faced the strongest competition by some of the most talented racehorse of the industry in the Breeders. This was the sixth
start of Zenyatta’s 2010 racing season, and the only defeat. Meanwhile, the winner of the Breeders, Blame started four times this season and won three events. The one meet that he lost was the Jockey Club Gold Cup that he lost to Haynesfiled.
Now the question that remains in the mind of the fans of both the champions and the trainers of Zenyatta and Blame, is which racehorse will be awarded with the Horse of the Year honour. Zenyatta already lost the title to Alexandra Rachel last year, when
most of the people voted for her. John Sheriffs, Zenyatta’s trainer was disappointed with this decision as he thought his filly was the deserving candidate for the most prestigious award of the industry. On the other hand, sports analysts are of the view that
since Blame broke the filly’s winning streak, he is the stronger nominee of the award.
Trainer Rick Dutrow, who did not even send out a single colt in the Breeders, openly preferred Blame over Zenyatta for the Horse of the Year award. He said during an interview on Sunday, “Without a doubt, Blame. He got beat one time and he beat Zenyatta.
How can they take it from him? He beat her, so how can they give it to her over him?”
On the other hand, when the Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito was asked for his opinion about who will become the Horse of the Year, he said, “They will have to give it to Blame, unfortunately, but I wish they could give her something else, a special award.”
Nick went on to say, “They should create a special award for horses. She should get it. You cannot change the outcome. You are what your record is and she is 19 and a half.”
The six year old filly Zenyatta is taller and faster than some of the best racehorses of the industry. She will be truly missed and will always be fancied by the fans of the sport, since her contributions to the industry and the sport have only been made
by only a few thoroughbreds.
Zenyatta has been the most favourite racehorse of her trainer John Sheriffs, as he said in an interview about a month back, “For what she has done for the horse industry over the last three years, I would have to say that would be a real slap in the face.”
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