The idea of a horse retiring undefeated has an enormous appeal which ultimately, I think, does a disservice to all of the deeper connections that have been generated between the people who are privileged one way or another to participate in the horse’s career.
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Zenyatta will parade for her fans Dec. 6 at Keeneland in Lexington before retiring to the Farish family’s Lane’s End farm.
The Kentucky public event takes place one day after the champion mare’s scheduled appearance to parade at Hollywood Park. She’s scheduled to arrive in Lexington about 3:45 p.m. Monday before boarding a van for Keeneland, where plans call for her to parade in the paddock about 4:15 p.m.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Zenyatta was jogged and galloped on the Hollywood Park training track on Thursday, and there won’t be too many more days like that for the 6-year-old mare.
Trainer John Shirreffs said on Thursday that Zenyatta will leave for Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky on Dec. 6, a day after she will be honored at Hollywood Park. A winner of 19 of 20 starts for owners Jerry and Ann Moss, Zenyatta will be paraded in a ceremony on Dec. 5 that is expected to draw a large crowd to Hollywood Park.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Zenyatta was jogged and galloped on Wednesday, her third consecutive day of exercise on the backstretch training track. Even though Zenyatta has been retired from racing and is staying with trainer John Shirreffs in California until early December, she wanted to do more than asked on Wednesday.
“She wanted to boogie this morning,” exercise rider Steve Willard said. “We had to expand her exercise a little bit more.”
Zenyatta had a quiet day at trainer John Shirreffs’s stable on Thursday, a day after it was announced that she has been retired and will be relocated to Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky., in December.
Zenyatta was walked twice Thursday morning and was scheduled to have another walking session in the afternoon.
A two-time champion, she retires with 19 wins in 20 starts, with her only loss a second to Blame in the BC Classic on Nov. 6.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Zenyatta has been officially retired and her new home beginning next month will be Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky., the farm announced on Wednesday.
Zenyatta, whose 19-race unbeaten streak ended with a second-place finish by a head to Blame in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6, is expected to be flown to Kentucky in early December, trainer John Shirreffs said on Wednesday.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Zenyatta went back to the training track at Hollywood Park on Saturday for a light jog under exercise rider Steve Willard, then had an easy day on Sunday, merely walking before her usual late-morning routine, entertaining visitors at the barn of her trainer, John Shirreffs.
On Sunday, about two dozen fans fed Zenyatta carrots, gave her peppermints, petted her, and took pictures with the gentle giant, who was happy to stand in the sun in a grassy area just outside her barn.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Although Zenyatta ran 1 1/4 miles in the Breeders’ Cup Classic six days earlier and then flew home the next day, she looked remarkably fresh on Friday morning, walking briskly under the shed row of her trainer, John Shirreffs.
“I still have to walk her two hours every morning,” Shirreffs said. “She hasn’t gone back to the track yet. I usually give them about a week off to let them clear their heads.”
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Zenyatta took one look at the attractive pink-and-white floral arrangement delivered to her Wednesday at Hollywood Park before deciding what to do – she reached out and took a big bite.
“Wait a minute,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “Don’t let her eat it, until I get a picture of it.”
Racing’s queen has returned home, and Zenyatta remains the same playful ham she was even before she captivated the sport with a gallant runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Zenyatta finished second in her final career start Saturday in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but she remained first in the hearts of her adoring fans here Sunday morning at Churchill Downs, literally stopping traffic on a public road adjacent to the barn area when motorists realized she was out grazing.
The scene brought a smile to the face of Zenyatta’s trainer, John Shirreffs, who has allowed unusual access to the mare, both on the road, when Zenyatta raced both here and at Oaklawn Park, and at Zenyatta’s home base at Hollywood Park.