Zenyatta! Need We Say More?

by Fran Jurga | 9 November 2009 | The Jurga Report at Equisearch.com

Horse racing may be in a slump but you would never have known it on Saturday when the world gave a rousing unanimous roar for supermare Zenyatta as she barreled home ahead of the colts in the world's most prestigious stakes race, the 2009 Breeders Cup Classic.

It was her first time against colts. Her first time going the classic distance of a mile-and-a-quarter. But her undefeated race record stands now at fourteen. The grand girl has never been beaten.

Will she be horse of the year? Did Saturday's performance obscure the memory of Rachel Alexandra's stellar races on the east coast this year? Rachel's owners opted to skip the Breeders Cup. Did that leave the door open for Zenyatta to capture the title? She beat the same horses Rachel beat...plus some of the best in Europe and the top male turf horse in the US, Gio Ponti, in one fell swoop.

Many people are late to the Zenyatta party and may not know about some of this horse's quirky behaviors. One delightful one is her habit of pricking her ears forward as she crosses the finish line, as if to make sure she looks great in all the win photos (she does).

But another is that this girl likes to dance. In the paddock and during the post parade, she is famous for doing a little toe-flicking trot that makes me think she might be auditioning for the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, or maybe a second career in the dressage arena (not a chance, big girl, but you can piaffe out in the field in Kentucky with your foals).

California track journalist Mary Forney posted this video of Zenyatta showing off in the paddock before the race on Saturday. Thanks to Mary for making this available!



In case you missed the race, here's the replay. Zenyatta was late out of gate, started on her left lead instead of her right, switched leads, and came from dead last.

Champion California Mare Zenyatta Will Race Against Top Colts in 2009 Breeders Cup Classic on Saturday

Zenyatta, originally uploaded by Rock and Racehorses.

She's not just out to win the Breeders Cup Classic on Saturday. She's not just out to prove she's faster than the fastest colts in the world. She's making a grandstand play to capture the title of Horse of the Year. And she's going to do it by racing against the ghost of her biggest competition...who's not even in the race.

The stars are lined up for a great moment in Thoroughbred racing at California's Santa Anita racetrack. It's time for the 2009 Breeders Cup, the World Series, Superbowl, and Indy500 of American horse racing, spread across two days, two racing surfaces, two television networks and the fates of some super horses.

Undefeated Zenyatta declared today that she will bypass a chance for a repeat win of the Fillies and Mares Classic and go after the colts in the high-stakes mile-and-a-quarter Breeders Cup Classic. That means facing Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, who will come from behind with her, no doubt, and Belmont/Travers/Jockey Gold Cup winner Summer Bird, along with Rip Van Winkle, one of the best in Europe, and long-striding speedster Quality Road...among others.

This will mean two firsts for the big black supermare: first time against colts and first time going a mile and one quarter. And yet, she's the favorite with oddsmakers.

Most of those American colts have already been beaten by the red-hot three-year-old filly on the east coast, Rachel Alexandra. But her owners are bypassing the Breeders Cup, partly to give her a rest and partly out of distaste for the artificial surface--which is about all Zenyatta has ever run on. And never lost.

If Zenyatta loses, surely Horse of the Year remains Rachel Alexandra's. But if Zenyatta wins?

Some people like Coke. Some like Pepsi. Some people work on a PC. Some love their Macs. The Internet is clogged with fans of each horse declaring supremacy.

I'm just savoring them both, and the moment. This is as good as it gets. And she may be as good as they come. We'll soon find out.

Note: The Breeders Cup will be on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC at different times on Friday and Saturday. Approximate post time for the Classic on Saturday is 6:45 p.m. EST. Check your local listings to be sure. I believe that you can sign up at ESPN360.com and watch it streaming on the web, as well. At least that's what I'm hoping!

Thanks to Sarah K. Andrew of Rock and Racehorses--who is at the Breeders Cup!--for this photo of Zenyatta as she prepped for the Breeders Cup last year.

Tears of Joy and Sorrow for Americans at Historic Dressage World Cup as US Horses Alternately Win...and Stumble

by Fran Jurga | 16 April 2009 | The Jurga Report

I'm gobsmacked again: the American flag is flying high over the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas tonight, where the American combination of rider Steffen Peters and the black 11-year-old Dutch gelding Ravel put in an astounding performance to beat the best that Europe and the world could send to our desert to compete.

For those of you not familiar with international dressage: this is one for the record books and would be like the USA winning the soccer World Cup! It's not over yet; tonight's Grand Prix was like the short program in ice skating; the freestyle on Saturday night will give the Europeans some chances to catch up, should Peters lose form.

Peters and Ravel not only bested Olympic gold medalists, World Cup winners, World Champions, and European Champions tonight, he beat his closest rival, defending champion Anky Van Grunsven of Holland, by almost four full points.

As elated as we all should be for Peters, save some concern for his teammate, Leslie Morse, whose horse Kingston started his test without incident and suddenly went lame in the arena.

USEF Dressage veterinarian Dr. Rick Mitchell has had the 17-year-old stallion under his care since the horse arrived in Las Vegas on Monday and said in a statement provided by the US Equestrian Federation that Kingston had been training well and looked very much on form in Wednesday’s training session in the main arena.

Dr. Mitchell, in his typical routine at a horse show with the US horses, observed Kingston in the warm-up and then went to the arena to watch Morse’s fellow American Jan Ebeling. And with good reason: Ebeling and the 12-year-old Oldenburg mare Rafalca were the lead off combination for the entire Grand Prix. Rafalca, owned by Ann Romney and Beth Meyer, was clearly unsettled by the environment and atmosphere in the arena and was fractious in the arena, according to a memo from USEF. Rafalca's low score will not allow that US combination to continue on to Saturday's freestyle.

When Kingston began his test it was clear that he had some discomfort in the left front leg, something that was a surprise to all connected with the horse, as he has had no problems in this leg during the preparation for this competition.

Rider Morse said: "I could tell in the first corner, he felt unbalanced and I knew he wasn’t right. We respect the Ground Jury’s decision to ring the bell and we all agreed it was absolutely in the best interest of the horse which is always the most important consideration. Kingston has just been a gift for the last nine years and has introduced me to this level of competition.”

“We need to further examine Kingston to determine the nature and extent of the injury,” said Dr. Mitchell. “Everyone is devastated for Leslie and the horse.”

Thanks to Joanie Morris of the US Equestrian Federation for her assistance with this post.

Retirement Ceremony for Dressage Star Brentina Announcement

US Equestrian Team star Brentina and rider Debbie McDonald

The United States Equestrian Federation just announced the official timing for the retirement ceremony honoring the great dressage mare Brentina. Her final public appearance will take place on Friday afternoon, April 17 at the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Finals. The World Cup will be April 15-19, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Along with Brentina's rider Debbie McDonald, owners Peggy and Parry Thomas, for whom The Thomas & Mack Center is named, will be honored.

Brentina and McDonald represented the United States at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, they led the U.S. to the Bronze medal. In 1999, McDonald and Brentina put in an amazing performance at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, winning both the Individual and Team Gold medals.

Brentina recently recovered from colic surgery, as reported in January on The Jurga Report.