Zenyatta in Top Form
Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra fans have been trying to put the disappointment of not seeing these two racing greats perform, behind them. Unfortunately, performances by both these outstanding horse racing athletes has again ignited the fire, and it seems that racing enthusiasts will not be able to let go of this dream, until Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta meet some day. On Saturday, Zenyatta showed breathtaking form, as she defeated the rest of her field in the Vanity Handicap, to increase her consecutive victories to eleven.
The five year old Zenyatta was entered into the Vanity Handicap on Saturday, that carried a purse of $300 000 and was hosted by Hollywood Park. Zenyatta is owned by Jerry Moss and trained by John Shirreffs, who put jockey Mike Smith in the saddle, and watched as Zenyatta once again delivered her powerful closing that secured her a two length victory. Even with carrying a weight of a hundred and twenty nine pounds, Zenyatta showed no signs of strain as she began to move up passed her competitors, to place herself in third position by the final stretch. With a last urging from her jockey, Zenyatta turned on the power and cruised to a comfortable victory. Meanwhile at Belmont Park, Jess Jackson was enjoying the victory of Rachel Alexander in the Mother Goose Stakes, adding another win to the already impressive career of the three year old Rachel Alexandra. Both ladies seem to be performing with undeniable strength and talent.
When asked about Zenyatta’s next start, Shirreffs was a little vague, telling media and spectators that her next race will have to be discussed with her owner, even though there are quite a few options available at this stage. And in regard to meeting Rachel Alexandra along the way, he remained open minded, adding: “Rachel is in her 3-year-old campaign, so she’s running in 3-year-old races. There’s no discussion until she doesn’t run in 3-year-old races.” So even though it seems a possibility that the two greatest ladies on the track at present will race against each other, it all comes down to chosen racing events, and the hope that their schedules might cross each others paths somewhere in the near future.
