Zenyatta breezes six furlongs

The undefeated champion mare Zenyatta rolled through an impressive workout Friday morning at Hollywood Park as she prepares for the Grade 1 Lady’s Secret on Oct. 2.

According to Hollywood clocker Russ Hudak, Zenyatta and jockey Mike Smith broke off behind workmate El Vino, tracked that one until near the head of the stretch, then cruised the final quarter-mile in 23.60 seconds for a six-furlong time of 1:13.20, breezing.

“I gave her breezing because [Smith] was just sitting on her,” Hudak said. “She was going very easily.” Hudak said. Zenyatta galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26.20.

Zenyatta normally trains late in the morning, between 9 and 9:30. Trainer John Shirreffs moved the workout to 8:45 because he had a plane reservation to Kentucky. “Everybody said it was great work. They were very happy,” assistant trainer Michelle Jensen said.

The work was the third by Zenyatta since winning her 18th consecutive race Aug. 7 at Del Mar. She worked a slow half-mile Aug. 25, followed with a 1:00.20 five-furlong workout on Sept. 2, and picked up the tempo with her six-furlong workout Friday.

Plans call for Zenyatta to run Oct. 2 in the 1 1/16-mil Lady’s Secret at Hollywood, then ship to Kentucky where she will try to win her second consecutive Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Zenyatta, owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, has won 18 races and $6,254,580 from 18 starts.