LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Zenyatta’s day of reckoning is at hand. Nineteen times the beloved “Queen Z” has gone to post; 19 times, she dropped back to last; and 19 times, she ran past them all in the stretch, through a three-year campaign in which Jerry and Ann Moss’ 6-year-old super mare has raced more than 20 miles and beaten 112 foes.
Tonight, at 6:45 p.m. at Churchill Downs, Zenyatta will try to make it a “Perfect 20” in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, the climax of the two-day, 14-race Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Never before in the Cup’s 27-year history has a single race generated such anticipation.
Because if Zenyatta can win the Classic for the second straight year to remain undefeated in what could be the final start of her career, she will be hailed by her devoted legion of “Z-lots” as the greatest thoroughbred of all time.
The moment of truth will come on the far turn of the mile-and-a-quarter Classic, when Zenyatta, urged on by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, launches her trademark late charge. So many times in the past, she looked hopelessly beaten as the field turned for home.
“[At the top of the stretch] everything seems to pause,” said her trainer, John Shirreffs. “Then all of a sudden, she lowers her head, lengthens her stride and gobbles up the ground.”
But many feel today will be different, as Zenyatta, who notched 17 of her wins over the synthetic surfaces in southern California, ventures east of the Mississippi for the first time to tackle the toughest field of horses she has ever faced.
“She was phenomenal last year, but she did it on a synthetic track, so there’s going to be that question mark,” said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who will challenge Zenyatta with Lookin At Lucky. “If she does it here on dirt, on these grounds, that’s what it’s all about.”
But then Baffert repeated the time-worn racing axiom: “Eventually, they all get beat.”
Baffert looks to derail the Zenyatta express with Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky, who would be the first 2-year-old champion to repeat as 3-year-old champ since Spectacular Bid in 1979. The Smart Strike colt, a hard-luck sixth in the Kentucky Derby, looks better than ever.
“I don’t think there will be anybody rooting against her, but we’re supposed to try to beat her,” Baffert said. “There are other good horses we’re running against, too — Quality Road, Blame.”
Blame is the “wiseguy” horse for the Classic. Trained by Al Stall Jr. for storied Claiborne Farm, Blame was riding a five-race winning streak when he finished second as the 4-5 favorite in the Oct. 2 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
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Rightly So, the 3-1 morning-line favorite for today’s Filly & Mare Sprint, was scratched yesterday morning after being examined by the Breeders’ Cup Veterinary Panel, which determined she was lame.
Crown of Thorns, second choice at 4-1 for today’s Dirt Mile, was withdrawn yesterday by trainer Richard Mandella following a “flare-up of an old injury.”
