Zenyatta parade set for Dec. 5 at Hollywood Park

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Zenyatta was jogged and galloped 1 1/2 miles on Hollywood Park’s training track on Friday, and she will be paraded at the track on a day in her honor on Dec. 5.

Friday’s type of exercise is expected to be the maximum she will be asked to do occasionally until early December, when she is scheduled to be shipped to Kentucky.

Earlier this week, Lane’s End Farm in Versailles. Ky., announced that owners Jerry and Ann Moss will keep the popular 6-year-old mare at that farm. Breeding plans have not been finalized.

Until she leaves for Kentucky, Zenyatta will be based with trainer John Shirreffs at Hollywood Park.

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Zenyatta will be paraded between races, and the team behind her – the Mosses, Shirreffs, jockey Mike Smith, racing manager Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs, exercise rider Steve Willard, groom Mario Espinoza and hotwalker Carmen Zamona – will be recognized.

Shirreffs said on Friday that the ceremony will be low-key, at least in regard to what will be asked of Zenyatta. “I don’t think we’ll put the tack on her,” Shirreffs said.

Shirreffs said he had Zenyatta exercised by Willard on Friday to keep her from becoming too excited less than two weeks after she ran second to Blame in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, the only loss of her 20-race career.

“She’s going to be here for a while, so we have to do something,” Shirreffs said. “Otherwise, the barn won’t hold her. We have to keep her exercising.”

Zenyatta was not expected to do much exercise this weekend, other than walking, because of likely wet weather, Shirreffs said.

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