A Tribute to Zenyatta

[Judicious Player]

A nice tribute to Zenyatta: http://equinetic.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/a-tribute-to-the-legend-zenyatta-god-knows-what-he%e2%80%99s-doing/

[tomcat]

A crowd of about 1200 people showed up at Keeneland last night to welcome her back to Ky....the temperature was in the low teen's.....amazing.:)

[humphrey]

Friend was there Sunday at Hollywood and sent this

[ClockerQ]

My daughter made the trip from chilly Tampa for Z's day. She got to visit the stable both days.

[completebill]

I think it can now finally be said. The best tribute that I can think of is just to note that Zenyatta turned in SO many, consecutive, stunning performances IN SPITE OF the rides she was given by Mike Smith!!

I don't know to what extent Mike was given specific instructions by Shiriffe, and/or to what extent he (Smith) was given a free hand. I just know that this great horse was HORRIBLY handicapped by being taken WAY too far back, and by being ridden FAR too wide, in many races in which that tactic was unnecessary.

Yes---I do understand "one run" horses, as do I understand horses who won't run if "dirt" is kicked back in his/her dace. I also understand that there are horses who try to hold themselves back if allowed to hit the front "too" early. None of these factors excuse those instances where Zenyatta was taken 15 or 20, or 25 lengths back, making her task of catching the leader almost impossibly difficult, although highlighting the horse's true greatness in overcoming the difficulties posed for her, unnecessarily by her human connections.

Similarly, Zenyatta was almost always "forced" (by her jockey) to circle the field, giving away huge amounts of distance, when it was unnecessary in almost every instance.

Each race was different, of course, but I would be VERY hard pressed to find even one race where at least one of these human negative factors was in play---Usually it was a combination of BOTH--uneccesarily wide AND unreasonably far back.

Even though it doesn't really seem appropriate at this class level, with this horse, to talk about the "Better-Than-Looked" handicapping factor, in MY book, this great mare was "Better-Than-Looked" in almost every race she ever ran, because of the poor riding tecniques employed

[ClockerQ]

Wow, why don't you tell us how you really feel about Mike,,,LOL. I remember when he broke in on the NY circuit and he has been a top notch, class act throughout his career. Sure there were races where I felt he rode her a little too confidently and I think Mike got a few favors from the racing Gods along the way. That said, he did get her home first everytime except the last one. I was there, at the rail, a little north of the 16th pole, and as she went by for the first time and for whatever reason, she was just not into it. There was nothing Mike could have done. He saved ground and tried to follow QR, but he unexpectantly backed up early. Still Z lost by what I call a long nose. I can't drop the hammer on Mike, Bill. I beieve that sometimes there is a chemistry between horse and rider. Mike was the rider for Zenyatta.

[delayjf]

My daughter made the trip from chilly Tampa for Z's day. She got to visit the stable both days.

Now I'm mad, I also wanted to visit Zenyatta but when I called and asked Hollywood park if they were conducting backstretch tours they said they were not - I guess I didn't ask the right question. Did she have a press pass or something?

[completebill]

Wow, why don't you tell us how you really feel about Mike,,,LOL. I remember when he broke in on the NY circuit and he has been a top notch, class act throughout his career. Sure there were races where I felt he rode her a little too confidently and I think Mike got a few favors from the racing Gods along the way. That said, he did get her home first everytime except the last one. I was there, at the rail, a little north of the 16th pole, and as she went by for the first time and for whatever reason, she was just not into it. There was nothing Mike could have done. He saved ground and tried to follow QR, but he unexpectantly backed up early. Still Z lost by what I call a long nose. I can't drop the hammer on Mike, Bill. I beieve that sometimes there is a chemistry between horse and rider. Mike was the rider for Zenyatta.

PLEASE note that I did state that I had no "inside" knowledge as to whether Mike was following specific instructions by the trainer (or even the owner), or whether Mike was given "free rein" (pun intended!), and was himself making the decisions as to tactics. The (IMHO) poor choice of riding tactics may have been the trainer's, it may have been Mr. Smiths, the owner(s) may have had some input, or some combination.

All I'm saying is that the Mare demonstrated her true greatness in overcoming many obstacles, one of which was the riding style/tactics employed, whoever made those decisions.

[ClockerQ]

Now I'm mad, I also wanted to visit Zenyatta but when I called and asked Hollywood park if they were conducting backstretch tours they said they were not - I guess I didn't ask the right question. Did she have a press pass or something?

Last year she got to visit Sheriff's stable because a friend of hers knew an employee. I've got some great pics , especially one of Z and Life is Sweet poking their heads out of their adjoining stalls on the Sun after the BC. . This year she got in because of a connection with West Point. Once you are on the backside you can visit any stable. Now this will rile you I'm sure. She told me that anyone that wanted to visit Z could just go to the backside gate at 9:30 and make a request. At 10 they would let you in. She said there were about 120 people Sat, but less than 30 Sun. John Sheriifs is such a good guy. His people are the same. Nothing pretentious, fan friendly, down to earth. Sheriff's barn is the fartherst from the gate. When she went last year, as they were let in, they noticed an SUV coming towards them with a Giacomo sticker. It was John. He came to pick them up because of the long walk. He then took them on a tour, fed Life Is Sweet her aloe juice, hand fed Z something and then let them go on their own. He is a special person. Unfortunately for you it was a lot easier to do the visit than you imagined. You did ask the wrong question, but then again you probably didn't realize how fan friendly the Sheriff's operation is. Too bad.

[ClockerQ]

All I'm saying is that the Mare demonstrated her true greatness

Yes Bill, we can agree on that!!!!:)

[DanG]

Big Z's first taste of snow...:cool:

http://www.drf.com/sites/default/files/u14/Zenyatta01.12-20-10.BL_.jpg

http://www.drf.com/sites/default/files/u14/Zenyatta07.12-20-10.BL_.jpg

[tfm]

I think it can now finally be said. The best tribute that I can think of is just to note that Zenyatta turned in SO many, consecutive, stunning performances IN SPITE OF the rides she was given by Mike Smith!!

The only thing Smith did wrong is that he's not Cordero or Antley or Pincay. In other words, he's not able to help his horse to the wire by taking a tight hold and keeping it as straight as possible in the drive. Then again, presently, there's really no jock that can do this (maybe with the exception of Rosario).

When you push the biggest gear in every race, the idea is that you don't want to get stopped, because, you should be able to run down just about anything/everything. Smith was able to get this done in all cases save one, and that difference was a diminishing head, as a result of a bad setup and having to steady slightly at a key point. In other words, if Smith rides her in the Classic the way he'd ridden her in her other races, all those 'bad rides', in your opinion, she wins.