Zenyatta gets some target practise
The final target for John Shirreffs is a successful defence of Zenyatta’s Breeders’ Cup Classic title at Churchill Downs in November and her next target has yet to be decided.
But on Tuesday, Zenyatta had something different to aim for in a six-furlong workout at Hollywood Park. All athletes, human or equine, tend to find training much more of a strain on their enthusiasm than the brief periods of competition.
So Shirreffs had Zenyatta work chasing two stable companions. It is an old trick often used by a trainer with a sprinter who is too fast for the rest of his yard, working other horses, sometimes in relay, to provide the necessary level of exercise performance.
Ridden by regular jockey Mike Smith, Zenyatta worked in company with Theodora and Green Cat and, just in the racing style that has brought her 17 straight career victories, was held off the early pace that was set by Theodora.
She led by three lengths over Green Cat entering the turn, with Zenyatta about another two lengths in. Swinging into the straight Smith slipped into the drill that he did for the most recent time competitively in the Vanity Handicap on the same track a month ago.
This time however there was no St Trinians to catch in the dying strides of a Grade One race and Zenyatta, racing three wide, quickly passed Green Cat and finished a half-length in front of Theodora. "She went really good,” Smith said to the Daily Racing Form. "She finished strongly under the wire."
Shirreffs decided to use galloping companions, something which is used far more widely by trainers in Britain, to make the gallop "more entertaining,” for Zenyatta. "I wanted to make it a little different," he said.
Zenyatta clocked in 1minute 14.40seconds in what was her third workout since the Vanity but Shirreffs has still to commit Zenyatta to a specific next race. The most logical option for Shirreffs, should he decide to keep the mare in California, would be the Grade One Clement Hirsch Stakes over an extended mile at Del Mar on August 7th.
However, Shirreffs has gone on record as having doubts about running Zenyatta in the race, which she won in both 2008 and 2009, until he has satisfied himself over concerns that he has about the current quality of Polytrack surface at the course. Shirreffs will defer any decision about the race until he has assessed how the surface performs in the early weeks of the meeting, which begins on July 21st.
Either way Zenyatta will be based at Hollywood Park this summer.
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