[quote author=Rick1323 link=topic=35061.msg966541#msg966541 date=1276298378]
Please change the title. I just read 5 pages that contained no Zenyatta news. I'm so glad I went to the track today and avoided this crap.
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That's why you wait and only read every sixth or seventh page. I stopped reading all the NEW stuff weeks ago .. and honestly, haven't missed an ounce of news. LOL
Oh I see another page can be skipped that talks about the pages of crap that should be skipped
http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do...bs=0&arc=0
John Shirreffs, Zenyatta's trainer, is the control freak at the center of the storm. He was asked one morning this week if maybe things weren't getting a little boring, after running the mare 16 times and having the same old thing happen each and every time. Obviously, training Zenyatta has become no more challenging than turning on the barn lights.
"Are you kidding?" Shirreffs shot back. "A big mare like her, there have been things to deal with. The mental challenges alone have been considerable."
Citing trainer-trainee privilege, Shirreffs declined to expand on any physical hurdles Zenyatta may have faced during her 31 months in competition, although it is broadly known that her summers at Del Mar have not been exactly a day at the beach. There is a reason Zenyatta will remain at Hollywood Park this year after the meet closes, even though the Hirsch at Del Mar is tentatively on her schedule.
As for Zenyatta's psychological baggage, she has reached the midpoint of her 6-year-old season still preferring to run sideways in the mornings rather than straight ahead. She will protest, in various ways, even the slightest departures from established procedures. In the afternoons, her goose-stepping post parades are a physical transference of bottled anxieties, which are eventually soothed by her unhurried but carefully orchestrated stroll to the post, while the others gallop and jog. For the crowd, it's just good theater.
"We learned that absolutely everything with her has to be part of a strict routine," Shirreffs said. "We found that she'd get too worked up if you warmed her up, so we decided to pick a spot where she could walk and then stand and be calm and relaxed. We chose the quarter pole."
A Hall of Fame horseman once told me, "Good horses are more often than not their own worst enemies."
In this case, he could not have been more right. She is most certainly a handful of diva.
Her half sister Balance was a terror. High strung doesn't begin to define that one. Sounds like JS walks a high wire with Z indeed.
[quote author=Hermes link=topic=35061.msg967771#msg967771 date=1276391725]
Her half sister Balance was a terror. High strung doesn't begin to define that one. Sounds like JS walks a high wire with Z indeed.
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Balance lunged at me once. Lunged! From the back of her stall as I was walking by.
I thought, "what did I ever do to you?"
Zenyatta is more of a snuggler which seems very contrary to her diva ways. John's assistant said in the mornings when she goes in to check her legs she takes her nose and feels around in her pockets, up in her neck behind her hair, etc. Pretty cute.
Whatever it takes to make the big mare happy & content is all that I can hope for; and it seems that her "people" take care to make that all happen. I thank them for letting us be a part of the time that is Zenyatta.
No ulterior motives/why they brought her back in 2010/I really don't care...just that she is and has been a grand part of racing and what will ultimately go down in history as someone very special. Quotes from last November and the trainers, etc (people in the business who KNOW what they're talking about, not just US) and they were in awe and glad that they got to see her then. Some even pulling for her :grin:
What works for one doesn't always work for another; and who can say without a doubt how she would have been for ALL of these wins if she'd not been handled as well as she has been managed. I could care less who could/might/can beat Zenyatta--all I know is that they haven't yet.
Your sister might be the prettiest girl in the small town-but maybe if sis goes across the world then she'd be just another pretty girl...but until that is PROVEN- sis is just as pretty as the next pretty girl. AND Zenyatta is just as good as the next UNDEFEATED mare at this time.
She may have not been making mud pies during the trip but she's laid down every single step that the others have taken; whatever the surface and whatever showed up to take her on. And though some said that they would, they didn't. Not her problem, and certainly not ours armchair training.
If/when a defeat for her ever comes--then it will have come. Until then, I am enjoying perfection. I don't even care that she's undefeated. But, she IS perfect. However it has come, it IS. Like it or not. She has done it.
(AND I was truly glad to see Rachel win today. It hurt me to see her running 2nd though she wasn't that far off in her first two of 2010. I love the horses and could care less about the politics and the fusses.)
[quote author=fluffy link=topic=35061.msg967865#msg967865 date=1276396521]
Whatever it takes to make the big mare happy & content is all that I can hope for; and it seems that her "people" take care to make that all happen. I thank them for letting us be a part of the time that is Zenyatta.
No ulterior motives/why they brought her back in 2010/I really don't care...just that she is and has been a grand part of racing and what will ultimately go down in history as someone very special. Quotes from last November and the trainers, etc (people in the business who KNOW what they're talking about, not just US) and they were in awe and glad that they got to see her then. Some even pulling for her :grin:
What works for one doesn't always work for another; and who can say without a doubt how she would have been for ALL of these wins if she'd not been handled as well as she has been managed. I could care less who could/might/can beat Zenyatta--all I know is that they haven't yet.
Your sister might be the prettiest girl in the small town-but maybe if sis goes across the world then she'd be just another pretty girl...but until that is PROVEN- sis is just as pretty as the next pretty girl. AND Zenyatta is just as good as the next UNDEFEATED mare at this time.
She may have not been making mud pies during the trip but she's laid down every single step that the others have taken; whatever the surface and whatever showed up to take her on. And though some said that they would, they didn't. Not her problem, and certainly not ours armchair training.
If/when a defeat for her ever comes--then it will have come. Until then, I am enjoying perfection. I don't even care that she's undefeated. But, she IS perfect. However it has come, it IS. Like it or not. She has done it.
(AND I was truly glad to see Rachel win today. It hurt me to see her running 2nd though she wasn't that far off in her first two of 2010. I love the horses and could care less about the politics and the fusses.)
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Very well said - I will be there to root her on! I thank the Mosses - who I think are a class act - and will do what is right for the Big Z
May they run with the wind
Official Associate Backstretch Boys Stables Member Enrolled 11/5/2008 PostTimeMike presiding.
cannot wait to head to hollywood park today and watch the big girl in the paddock and on the track - just a really fun time every time - and hey, zenyatta supports old friends! - they will be selling zenyatta jersey's today at the track that will benefit the retired horses at old friends - i love that zen does so much for other animals - truly a classy mare and classy people around her - its a true joy to support this glorious horse and her connections.
Zenyatta no sure thing this time
Zenyatta might be greatest mare who ever raced, she probably is the best horse in the country, and she certainly has captured the hearts of California fans.
Yet when the towering 6-year-old seeks a record 17th consecutive victory Sunday at Hollywood Park, there is one thing Zenyatta is not. She is not a cinch.
http://www.drf.com/news/article/113844.html
The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it - Lou Holtz
i have been reading and hearing this a lot lately... while no win is ever a sure thing, zenyatta inspires confidence when you see her - i think mike has to be smart with her though - i don't doubt zen's talent or heart - she will always come running - but no matter the outcome today, as long as she comes back safe and sound (and all the horses do the same), it will be a great day - she has been such fun and so unique to observe, a loss will never erase any of that - but heck yeah we want to see her get her 17th today in front of her home crowd - good luck today zenyatta - your loyal fans love ya and always will!!!
Every single horse that puts hoof on a track can be beaten. If Zen is beaten today there will be no shame in it. I'll be cheering for Zen no matter what the outcome and I just hope she, and all the others, come back safe and sound! :grin:
In the oldest game in town, Zenyatta's an original. ~ Bill Nack, prior to the 2009 BC Classic
What's interesting is that both these DRF articles are written by Californians ... not Easterners with a bone to pick.
I haven't seen anything yet that tells me that either Zardana or St Trinians have a good chance to beat Zenyatta. Zardana beat Rachel in a first race off a long layoff and then lost to her so it's not as if she set the world on fire with her two trips East. What is in these stories that was not reported is that it was Zardana's work, not the shipping plans, that determined she would not go East. Previously, it was reported that her shipping plans fell through. I kind of didn't buy that shipping from L.A. to N.Y. was much of a problem, but at least now we know that they didn't want to ship her as scheduled because of a fast work. That makes much more sense to me. Still, I don't see wonder horse written all over her.
As for the other mare, is she really this good that the people who are most likely to be in Zenyatta's corner are questioning whether Zen can beat her? Maybe this is a reflex ... setting themselves up for a loss when no loss will occur.
The one thing I do agree with is ... there is no such thing as a lock, a sure thing. Never has been one, never will be one. Any horse can lose a race they were supposed to win. So from that standpoint, one always worries about things that are out of your control. You think you are good to go going in ... but when the gate opens, aren't there a hundred things that COULD go wrong. You always hope they don't, but you never really know and you have no control over what other horses do.
I was watching a race at Golden Gate yesterday afternoon/last evening and the race caller pointed out that it was a good thing that So and So was outside another horse because the last time the horse ran, it had gone into the infield to take a swim. Once he said something, I remembered that race. That's certainly something no one with even the wildest imagination would ever anticipate prior to a race, and yet it happened. There are tons of ways to lose races. I'd be very surprised if Zenyatta lost this one today ... but you never know. Who thought Bailey would go after Dare and Go?
egads gin you are right... i hope mike runs a smart race today.
While Zardana and St. Trinians are nice horses, they would need to put more than 130 on Zenyatta's back to even this field out. That weight won't matter to a horse of her size and strength. She will get them at the wire, per her usual performance.
Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta and Black Caviar.
well tvg showed zen schooling in the paddock a couple of days ago and she looked like her usual dappled awesome self - as long as she is still happy doing her thing, thats all that matters - she doesn't care what is written about her or the weight assignments - she just wants to pass any and all horses that are in front of her in the stretch.
I wonder why people never include Silent Witness on their list of win streaks. He won 17 in a row in some top class turf sprint races. I thought that would garner a few mentions but he doesn't even have data on pedigreequery or included on wikipedia for their win streak list. O_O.
[quote author=Huaka link=topic=35061.msg968105#msg968105 date=1276435497]
I wonder why people never include Silent Witness on their list of win streaks. He won 17 in a row in some top class turf sprint races. I thought that would garner a few mentions but he doesn't even have data on pedigreequery or included on wikipedia for their win streak list. O_O.
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Interesting. I know why he's not included in the BRIS or Equibase database ... he never raced here and I believe you have to make at least one start here to be included.
Pedigree Query isn't a really legit site as the data is entered by anyone, right. Am I right that you now submit the info and someone monitors it to make sure it's correct before it's put up on the site? If you have the info, enter it. Then it would be there for everyone.
[quote author=GinTalking link=topic=35061.msg968077#msg968077 date=1276433193] What is in these stories that was not reported is that it was Zardana's work, not the shipping plans, that determined she would not go East. Previously, it was reported that her shipping plans fell through. I kind of didn't buy that shipping from L.A. to N.Y. was much of a problem, but at least now we know that they didn't want to ship her as scheduled because of a fast work. That makes much more sense to me.
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It was reported, Gin. I know you have a tendency not to actually read articles when they are linked, so you may have missed it:
http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do...bs=0&arc=1Shirreffs had hoped to start Zardana in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park on Saturday, but said he was not happy with potential shipping arrangements.
Zardana worked five furlongs in 58.80 seconds on Sunday, the fastest of 55 works at the distance. Shirreffs said the fast workout, and complications with travel, made shipping to New York a hardship. "She worked too fast to ship across the country and be settled," he said.
Pleased as punch to be one of "the super race savy people like most of us here on the forum."
[quote author=GinTalking link=topic=35061.msg968115#msg968115 date=1276436629]
Pedigree Query isn't a really legit site as the data is entered by anyone, right. Am I right that you now submit the info and someone monitors it to make sure it's correct before it's put up on the site? If you have the info, enter it. Then it would be there for everyone.
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They've had to lock certain horses due to morons posting garbage on the site. Only a moderator can change them at that point.
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