 merrie says: and she did so in front of a raucous crowd of 58,825 on Saturday at Santa Anita Park. And she did it in spectacular fashion in her first career start against males, taking her typical position at the back of the field under Racing Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith and charging down the stretch with authority"her stride lengthening and becoming more powerful with every kick"to inhale the leaders and hit the finish line first, just as she did in each one of the previous 13 starts of her brilliant career. “There are tears coming to my eyes,” said trainer John Shirreffs, who won the Breeders’ Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) last year with Zenyatta and this year’s Ladies' Classic on Friday with Life Is Sweet, becoming the first trainer to achieve the rare double in the same season. “I can’t believe it. “She is a great, great filly. She is all heart. The way the crowd took to her was just amazing. They cheered for her; they clapped for her; they love her. What a wonderful relationship.” With her 14th victory, however, Zenyatta took a step toward transcending the sport and becoming a legend. And many who before the Classic had conceded Horse of the Year honors to BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Rachel Alexandra now were going to be forced to make a much more difficult choice. “You tell me,” Shirreffs said with a wry smile when asked if Zenyatta deserved to be Horse of the Year. As Zenyatta overtook multiple Grade 1 winner Gio Ponti in the final sixteenth, and the crowd realized that history indeed was about to be made, the grandstand crackled with an explosion of emotion that too rarely is seen in the sport as patrons cheered and hu... |
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