UNBEATEN ZENYATTA SCORES 15TH CAREER VICTORY

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(left) Zenyatta in the Santa Margarita Handicap (Photo : Examiner)
(right) Rachel Alexandra in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes (Photo : TB Times)
(Footage : YouTube)

ZENYATTA VS RACHEL ALEXANDRA

The unbeaten Zenyatta (Street Cry) strode to her 15th career victory in the Santa Margarita Handicap (Gr1) at Santa Anita on Saturday and in doing so added more hype to her intended match race with Rachel Alexandra in the US$5 million Apple Blossom Invitational on 9 April - a race in which Zenyatta is a finalised starter. The headline story was the defeat of Rachel Alexandra in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes.

It was a bit more eventful than perhaps it had been scripted: Zenyatta was still last as they headed into the stretch, and jockey Mike Smith opted to take the shorter route to the wire. He had to steady briefly and, for a moment, it seemed that the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner was in a spot of trouble. But she angled inside to pass one rival, eased up on the outside of pacesetter Dance to My Tune (Stravinsky), and was on her way to yet another earspricked victory.

“I cut some corners and gambled a bit, but I was confident at all times that if she needed to make room, she could,” jockey Mike Smith said. “She’s a bit of a bully.”

“Everybody really loves her,” owner Jerry Moss said. “Everybody’s so pleased to have her back and to root for her, and when she wins, she makes everybody happy. She’s perfect. She’s the idol of perfection we all strive for. That’s about as profound as I get.”

Meanwhile, the defeat in New Orleans for the Horse of the Year put in some doubt Rachel Alexandra’s participation in the April 9 Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn Park. Trainer Steve Asmussen said shortly after the Ladies. “If I thought she’d get beat I wouldn’t have run her today”. “We’ll have to be cautious. We want to do what’s right for the mare.”

“She needed the race, that’s all,” said Jockey Calvin Borel. “She needed the race more than anything.” That assessment was echoed by Steve Asmussen, who blamed himself for Rachel Alexandra’s defeat.

“The filly’s lacking fitness,” he said. “It was my job to have her there, and I didn’t do it.”

Extract from ANZ Bloodstock News

MEYDAN MASTERS JOCKEYS' CHALLENGE 2010

Meydan Racecourse
(Photo : Meydan)

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL RACING CARNIVAL 2010

Dubai Racing Club has announced the launch of “Meydan Masters”, an international jockeys’ challenge to be held on 5th March at the new Meydan racecourse.

Held during the Dubai International Racing Carnival, the “Meydan Masters” will feature winning jockeys from the world’s 11 premier races of 2009, plus a special invitation to another rider to bring the number to a twelve.

“The races we have identified have been won by jockeys that are true masters of their craft and we are very excited about this initiative. We look forward to celebrating what will surely be a fantastic opening season at the Meydan racecourse,” said Dubai Racing Club CEO, Frank Gabriel.

The riders are: Aaron Gryder (won the Dubai World Cup) Ahmed Ajtebi (Dubai Sheema Classic) Calvin Borel (Kentucky Derby) Norihiro Yokoyama (Japanese Derby) Ryan Moore (King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes) Johnny Murtagh (Irish Derby) Corey Brown (Melbourne Cup) Mike Smith (Breeders’ Cup Classic) Olivier Peslier (Hong Kong Cup) *Mick Kinane (Derby) *Michael Kinane (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) **Christophe Lemaire (Prix du Jockey-Club) **Ted Durcan (St Leger)

*subsequently retired from race-riding
** offered places due to Kinane’s retirement

Meydan Board member Malih Lahej Al Basti said that the Meydan Masters will be a competition with a difference: “With racing now being so international, it is difficult to establish a formula for which jockey should represent which country. Jockeys now don’t necessarily ride full time in their home country. With the Meydan Masters, these world-class jockeys will represent themselves against their contemporaries from across the globe, those that excelled and triumphed on the biggest stage throughout 2009. There could be one rider fortunate enough to win more than one of the races we have identified, in which case we have identified alternate races in the same jurisdiction to invite another rider. For instance, Michael Kinane was invited courtesy of his Derby win, but having also won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, we have had to go to the alternate French race, the Prix du Jockey-Club, and its winning rider Christophe Lemaire. Kinane’s retirement means that we have also had to go to the alternate race in England which, for 2010, was the St Leger and its winning rider Ted Durcan.”

The Meydan Masters will be held over four support races on the programme that features the recently upgraded Gr.2 Zabeel Mile.

The Meydan Masters will conclude six weeks of racing, comprising nine meetings and 18 Group and Listed races, beginning with the opening round of the Al Maktoum Challenge on 28th January.

Extract from European Bloodstock News

The second leg of the American Triple Crown

The Preakness second leg of the American Triple Crown, saw Curlin (by Smart Strike) turn the tables on Street Sense (by Street Cry), his Kentucky Derby nemesis of just a fortnight earlier. Going into the Kentucky Derby, Preakness hero, Curlin was hitherto unbeaten and Street Sense spoiled his party on that occasion. However, Curlin turned it over this last weekend, on a track which obviously suited him, and at a time at which his Kentucky Derby experience had obviously counted.

The Thoroughbred Daily News reports
(Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News 20 May 2007)

The top three finishers from the GI Kentucky Derby completed the trifecta once again in yesterday’s GI Preakness S., but this time it was Curlin (Smart Strike) who came out on top by a head over Derby hero Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}). The final time of 1:53.46 tied the stakes record. “He stumbled pretty bad leaving the gates,” jockey Robby Albarado said. “My whole focus today was getting him away from the gates in order. I kept focusing on that, making sure he is wound up well enough and he stumbled. Obviously, I had to go to plan B. I had to use him a little more than I needed to under the wire the first time, keeping him in contention. But I was always content where I was. I kept my horns spun and awaited the champ to come on by any time.”

Saturday, Pimlico
PREAKNESS S.-GI , $1,000,000, PIM, 5-19, 3yo, 1 3/16m, 1:53 2/5, ft.
1—CURLIN, 126, c, 3, by Smart Strike
1st Dam: Sherriff’s Deputy, by Deputy Minister
2nd Dam: Barbarika, by Bates Motel
3rd Dam: War Exchange, by Wise Exchange
($57,000 yrl ‘05 KEESEP). O-Stonestreet Stables, Padua Stables, George Bolton & Midnight Cry Stables; B-Fares Farm Inc (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen; J-Robby Albarado; $600,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1, $1,602,800.
2—Street Sense, 126, c, 3, Street Cry (Ire)—Bedazzle, by Dixieland Band. O/B-James Tafel (KY); T-Carl A Nafzger; $200,000.
3—Hard Spun, 126, c, 3, Danzig—Turkish Tryst, by Turkoman. O-Fox Hill Farms Inc; B- Michael Moran & Brushwood Stable (PA); T-J Larry Jones; $110,000.
Margins: HD, 4, 1HF. Odds: 3.40, 1.30, 4.10. Also Ran: C P West, Circular Quay, King of the Roxy, Mint Slewlep, Xchanger, Flying First Class.

How the Race Was Won…

Curlin was taken back early after stumbling slightly at the start. Longshots Xchanger (Exchange Rate) and Flying First Class (Perfect Mandate) exchanged blows through :22.83 and :45.75 splits, before Hard Spun (Danzig) catapulted himself to the lead midway up the backstretch. Curlin and Street Sense both began to rally from the back of the pack entering the far turn, and it was the two-year-old champ who threaded the needle beneath Calvin Borel to take over from Hard Spun at the top of the lane. The Jim Tafel colorbearer led by 1 ½ lengths at the furlong marker, but a determined Curlin kept on battling and was able to grind down the Derby hero to win by the narrowest of margins.