Zenyatta should still get trip to Guinness brewery in Dublin after incredible race
Posted on Sunday, November 07, 2010 at 12:40 AM
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Zenyatta was more honorable in defeat than at any time during her 19 win streak.
Left with an almost impossible task, spotting 20 lengths to the best horses in the world, she finished like a train and almost pulled of a sensational victory in the Breeder's Cup classic at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
This horse is almost human. Her little Riverdance before she entered the stalls, her fine walk, keen eye and intelligent head mark her as an incredible champion with a personality to match.
Hearts were pounding all over Louisville as she made her flying late run down the center of the track. Gareth Gomez on Blame however, had stolen that extra half yard that made all the difference in the end.
When it comes to timing there are none better than Gomez who has a stopwatch in his head and knew exactly when to kick for home.
Blame held on by his chinni chin chin, but he is aptly named as Mike Smith, rider of Zenyatta, blamed himself for the tardy beginning and slowness to get Zenyatta into the race.
Yet he should not be too hard on himself. Perfection is for the movies, and even Secretariat was beaten several times, as was the mighty Cigar who tasted defeat in his sixteenth race.
Could Zenyatta have won?
Possibly with Garett Gomez riding, he is that good in a big race. But Smith will know that, in the end, after nineteen races, something was sure to go wrong at some point and it did at Churchill Downs.
It doesn't make her any less a champion and Guinness should still offer her that free flight to come over to Dublin and taste the product she devours after every race!
4 comments
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SingleDonald | Nov 07, 2010, 07:09 PM EST
As a big horse fan, I agree with Amante2me. Mike Smith shouldn't have let Zenyatta lag so far behind, in the early stages! If it had been up to me, I would have raced Zenyatta in the Ladies Classic, which was run on Friday. She had already won the Classic last year. Therefore, to have her 20th & final race be against the girls, rather than the boys, would have enhanced her chances of a perfect 20 for 20 career! BTW, she runs all right on real dirt, as well as on her home tracks'(Hollywood Park & Santa Anita) synthetic surfaces. She had 2 wins in Oaklawn Park, and finished like a champ yesterday, despite falling a head short. She may well win the Eclipse Award, for Horse of the Year, in spite of her only career loss!
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Amante2me | Nov 07, 2010, 05:20 PM EST
Sadly, I have to agree that it was Jockey error that lost her the race. Mr Smith needed to ask her sooner than he did to go to the front. He didn't give her enough time to get there. But you can't go back and do it again. She is still the greatest Mare the US has had. Mike Smith is still an excellent rider. Garett Gomez has made Jockey errors many times in his career too. There is no such thing as a perfect Jockey nor a perfect horse.
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killowen | Nov 07, 2010, 02:35 PM EST
the cudda wuddas at play
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