A Dancing Queen says goodbye

As England is celebrating the engagement of the future King of their country, the US is saying goodbye to a Queen. Of course that Queen is a horse. Zenyatta will call it a career after a very gallent second place finish to Blame in the Breeders' Cup Classic. While it's no suprise that she will be retiring, I think there where a few people who where holding out hope that she would return for her seven year old season. It's certinally going to be a different not seeing her or her "arch-rival" Rachel Alexandra running next season. Both of those two lovely future Hall of Famers (and both will get in on their first try as long as the HOF does not change their voting procudure) have in a way reignited horse racing. However, that's not here nor there to talk about Rachel in a Z post.

Here is a little bit of her story:

While in 2007 the headlines where focused on Street Sense, Curlin, Hard Spun and Rags to Riches, a three year old filly by Street Cry out of the Kris S. mare Vertigineux was just really starting to get her career underway. Trained by 2005 Derby winning trianer John Sheireffs and owned by Jerry and Ann Moss (Jerry being the M in A & M Records), Zenyatta was known only as G1 winner Balance's little sister. Little did we know is that Balance would be known as Zenyatta's big sister. In her first three races she was ridden by David Flores, however after he decided to stay in California for the SA Derby, a riding change was made for her first chance on dirt in the Apple Blossom. Her new rider would be Mike Smith who rode the Moss' Giacomo to that 2005 KY Derby upset (at 50-1) over eventual 3yo Champion Afleet Alex and beaten favorite Bellamy Road.

It would be the only riding change in her career. Together Z and Mike won all of the major G1 route races for Fillies and Mares in California. Won both the BC Ladies Classic and Classic (and was a head away from winning the Classic again) the first female to win America's richest race. She has won the Eclipse for Older Female twice (she'll be picking up her third Eclipse in January) and has come in second for Horse of the Year.

Zenyatta also did something that I have never seen another racehorse do. Dance. She just had this auroa about her that was different from any other horse that I've seen.

My biggest regret is never seeing her in person. Hopefully she will be able to pass along her heart to her foals. So who is the lucky guy? No announcement yet, however the fact that she is going to Lanes' End and not to Mill Ridge where the Moss's normally board their mares somewhat tells me they are going to take a chance and go to AP Indy. The problem is the greatest son of Seattle Slew standing at stud is having fertility problems. She could also go to Candy Ride who like her, was undefeated in California after being brought her from Argentina. Or she could just be boarded there and go to a stallion who stands elsewhere. It will be certinally interesting what ends up happening.

For now lets enjoy some videos of Zenny.

At Keenland in 2005 as a yearling,



Breaking her maiden



Her Classic win