THE SATURDAY POST

Today, Zenyatta received a royal reception as her plane landed at Louisville International Airport from her home base in California.

Zenyatta gently stepped from the plane and was carefully loaded into a private van as a group of spectators stood to catch a glimpse of the mare. The van headed straight to Churchill Downs, accompanied by a two-car sheriff escort during her five-minute ride to the track.

It appears no one is willing to mess with perfection.

And, Zenyatta is just that.

Perfection.

The Breeder’s Cup Classic 2.0 Version of Zenyatta has received some upgrades since her last venture toward the richest race in North America. She still dances throughout the paddock, slams a Guinness like a champ and remains undefeated in all of her career starts.

However, Zenyatta 2.0 has upgraded from the 13-0 record that she held when she entered the Breeder’s Cup Classic in 2009. The 2.0 version of Zenyatta holds a perfect 19-0 record. She is the highest earning female horse in history. And, she has won more consecutive Grade I races than any horse.

Zenyatta 2.0 has pulled three “three-peats” through her series of consecutive victories in the Clement Hirsch, Vanity, and Lady’s Secret. And, she’s pointing toward a “three-peat” in the Breeder’ Cup.

As of now, no horse has ever won three consecutive Breeder’s Cup races. Yet, Zenyatta 2.0 doesn’t believe much in “never happens” and “impossibles.” She hoof-kicked those ideas straight out of her stall long ago.

Yes, there is a “Triple Crown” in play this year. And, it’s between Zenyatta and Goldikova at the Breeder’s Cup.

Let the wild rumpus begin.

Similar to last year, Zenyatta faces a tough field and a handful of critics.

Yet, Zenyatta 2.0 is also managing social calendar that makes Paris Hilton look like a shut-in. She is in the society section of W fashion magazine. And, she’s listed as one of the most powerful women in Oprah’s kingdom. Zenyatta 2.0 has a country song, an L.A. Dodgers Billboard, and was recently featured in a segment on 60 Minutes, questioning whether she is possibly the best racehorse ever.

Zenyatta has become a “Zen-sation” across the nation in her journey toward her second Breeder’s Cup Classic. As Bob Anderson, the producer for Zenyatta’s 60 Minutes segment explained, “Little by little, she sort of seduces you.”

Remember the first version of Zenyatta at the Breeder’s Cup Classic? There wasn’t a police escort to guide her to the track. Oprah and 60 Minutes were nowhere to be found. Zenyatta stood there as the lone female in the gates, rubbing shoulders with the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champions.

It was the first time she ever raced the boys. And, as luck would have it, she happened to be doing it in front of an international audience during the richest race in North America. If Zenyatta could talk, I would have paid serious money to hear her thoughts as she stood waiting for the gates to snap open during those golden seconds. I imagine she had a few priceless sentiments swirling around in her head.

Yet, despite the odds, Zenyatta delivered a breathtaking performance as she became the first female horse in history to beat the boys in the Breeder’s Cup Classic. She appeared to have accomplished all she had to give the racing world and was widely-believed to be retired after the race. Case closed.

Or was it? Zenyatta is in the business of perfection. And, in her mind, she had some unfinished business before she made her final curtain call.

In January of 2010, Zenyatta stepped out of retirement and pointed toward the track again. It appeared she was tired of hearing “never has,” “impossible,” and “couldn’t do.”

Enter Zenyatta 2.0.

The previous version beat the boys.

Zenyatta 2.0 can win by daylight on dirt, roll like a Rockefeller in earnings and hold a modern day revival for horse racing on a national stage. And, she can do it while building a perfect 19-0 record.

And still, the critics aren’t impressed.

Well, if perfection doesn’t please a person, nothing will.

They said she couldn’t beat the boys. And then, she did it.

They said she couldn’t win on dirt. And then, she did it.

They said she couldn’t win outside of California. And then, she did it.

They said she was beating up on “nobodies.” And then she beat the Kentucky Derby and Belmont winners in the same race.

And, now the critics have fused all complaints into one tall order: Can she beat the boys on dirt in a top-notch field outside of California in the richest race in North America as the oldest horse in the gates?

I sure hope she can do it.

Yet, Zenyatta has already done all of these things at different points in her career. And, if she does it all at once this Saturday, the critics will inevitably dream up new reasons to undercut her achievements.

Some people can’t be pleased, even by perfection.

And, Zenyatta is perfection.

On Saturday afternoon, a lone six-year-old female will enter the gates at Churchill Downs with a perfect record. She’ll be brushing shoulders with the Preakness winner and some of the most talented male horses in the racing world on an international stage. She’ll be standing on the same dirt where every Triple Crown winner in history started their journey in the Kentucky Derby. And, she’ll be running for the “Triple Crown” of the Breeder’s Cup.

Zenyatta deserves an ovation from the crowd whether she wins or loses in her quest. She has accepted every challenge throughout her career and delivered a victory in every outing. And, Zenyatta has traveled where most champions fear to tread – the place that holds the real potential for defeat. This is the mark of true legend.

Legends take risks that outweigh rewards.

Legends take challenges that seem insurmountable.

Legends survey the existing world and carve their own path.

This is the mark of true greatness in any field.

This is the mark of Zenyatta.

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Click Photo to Watch Zenyatta Video

With Zenyatta’s final race scheduled for the Breeder’s Cup Classic, it is hard to find any new words to say about this amazing champion.

I’ve written several articles about Zenyatta at this point.

They mark out her many endeavors and outstanding achievements in her career.

But, the bottom line remains the same - I think she’s absolutely perfect.

Rather than write another piece about the greatness of Zenyatta, I wanted to show her in motion. The beauty of watching her move tells her story better than any words I can find.

I believe she is the best racehorse that I will witness in my lifetime.

Zenyatta has traveled beyond my wildest dreams of a racehorse. She dances. Paints for charity. Celebrates her birthday (with cake). Drinks Guinness. And, Zenyatta proved she could beat the boys in the richest race in North America in 2009 – The Breeder’s Cup Classic.

Zenyatta remains perfect with a 19-0 racing record as she heads into her last start. She has amassed thirteen Grade I victories. And, she has surpassed the 18-0 undefeated record of Eclipse, the namesake to the Horse of the Year award.

I wholeheartedly believe Zenyatta deserves the “Horse of the Year” award whether or not she wins the Breeder’s Cup Classic. And, if they invent a “Horse of a Lifetime” award, my vote goes to Zenyatta as well.

In celebration of her career as she heads into the Breeder’s Cup Classic, I am posting a video montage of Zenyatta’s previous Breeder’s Cup victories, along with footage of her dance routines and photos. Click here to view the Zenyatta tribute for the Breeder’s Cup.

I hope you enjoy the Zenyatta show.

I believe it is the greatest show on earth.

Thank you for the show, Zenyatta.

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Saying “Uncle!” used to mean you had given up in a contest.

Remember that one? “Uncle!” is a word that has resolved countless childhood conflicts throughout the ages.

Once you recognized your opponent had you licked at arm wrestling or a thumb war, “Uncle!” was the magic word that conceded the match. And, upon uttering the word, it was time to walk away in humiliation and heal your wounded ego in private.

That used to be what saying “Uncle!” meant between two-year-olds in contests.

And then, Uncle Mo showed up and changed the game for two-year-old racehorses.

Say “Uncle!” if you’re winning well beyond daylight.

Say “Uncle!” if you’re breaking your maiden by 14 ½ lengths in your first lifetime start.

Say “Uncle!” if you just won a Grade I race on your second outing at a track.

In his two career starts, Uncle Mo has proven that screaming “Uncle!” isn’t what it used to be back in the day.

It’s all about winning now.

Uncle Mo, owned by Mike Repole, may be the best two-year-old pointing toward the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile on November 6, 2010. In six years of owning horses, Repole was 0-26 in graded outings. And then, Uncle Mo showed up.

On August 28, 2010, Uncle Mo delivered a stunning 14 ½ length maiden victory at Saratoga in his first lifetime start. It wasn’t your ordinary maiden. Uncle Mo led the field through the entire race and earned a 102 Beyer figure in that outing. He is currently tied with Boys at Toscanova for the best figure of the year by a juvenile from his maiden start. (Click photo to see video footage of the race)

After his maiden victory, Uncle Mo jumped directly into Grade I territory. He entered the Champagne Stakes as his second career start and delivered an authoritative 4 ¾ victory. In that race, Uncle Mo also gave Repole his first Grade I win as an owner.

And, Uncle Mo won the Champagne Stakes with pure style. His finishing time was 1:36.51 in the Champagne – only a fifth of a second away from the stakes record set by Devil’s Bag in 1983. Uncle Mo beat Secretariat and matched Seattle Slew in his finishing time at the outing. (Click photo to see video footage of Champagne Stakes)

So now, Uncle Mo heads to the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile to attempt a three-peat of victories.

I’m screaming “Uncle!”

And, I’m marveling at Uncle Mo.

It’s all about winning now.

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In less than a year, Blind Luck transformed her career from being an unraced $10,000 filly at auction to become the 2010 Kentucky Oaks winner.

On June 21, 2009, Blind Luck made her racing debut in a $40,000 maiden claiming race at Calder Race Course. After she blazed to a 13¼ length victory, Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer privately purchased Blind Luck. She soon began racing in graded outings.

In her next eight starts, Blind Luck captured five wins – three of which were Grade 1 victories.

In April of 2010, Blind Luck was shipped from California to Kentucky to challenge a field of rivals in the Kentucky Oaks. In her riveting last-to-first fashion, Blind Luck bulleted in the final stretch to clinch a victory by a nose in one of the most highly-regarded filly races in the United States.

Since the Oaks, Blind Luck has won two of her last four starts and finished second in the remaining outings.

Throughout her career, Blind Luck has raced throughout the United States, hit the board in every outing, and has proven her ability on both synthetic and dirt surfaces.

As she points toward her next start in the Breeder’s Cup Ladies Classic at Churchill Downs, Daniel Ward answered our questions about Blind Luck. Ward is an Assistant Trainer for Hollendorfer and heads the Southern California Division.

JW: Blind Luck has amassed five Grade I victories, including the Kentucky Oaks in 2010. How did you feel about Blind Luck’s potential when she first joined the Hollendorfer stable?

DW: She was a good-looking filly - very tall with long legs. When we were just working her, we could tell that she was a nice filly. But, until the first time that she ran, we didn’t know.

The first time she raced for us she had a lot of trouble, but she circled the field and won pretty easily. So, we were very excited about that.

Then, we took a big step up from that starter allowance race and she ran the Grade 1 Debutante. When she ran second, we knew we had a good filly.

JW: Blind Luck has been shipped all around the country and has run on both dirt and synthetic surfaces. In your opinion, does she prefer any particular surface or track?

DW: She has won at eight different tracks. She has three Grade I victories on synthetic and two on dirt. So, I really don’t think she has a preference since she has run well on every track. I believe if she gets a chance someday, she would run well on grass - just because of her running style.

JW: Blind Luck appears to enjoy running from behind-to-first in the final seconds during her races. Do you think she knows where the wire is in any given field?

DW: I think she races the same way she acts and trains in the morning. She runs like that in the morning.

In a morning workout, it is a really big advantage when you have a horse like her because you don’t have to worry about her being too strong galloping or working too fast. She can go very slow if you want, and then, she just picks it up on her own or on the turn. We try to teach a lot of horses how to do that and she’s always been able to do that.

She doesn’t have any off-days in workouts.

It just seems like she knows what she’s doing.

JW: Do you get nervous in the final seconds of her races because of her style of running?

DW: Yes. Nobody can really say that they don’t, but it’s very exciting.

A lot of the time when I’m watching her race, I really think that when she moves around the turn and she’s running at a target, she’s going to get there. But sometimes, when she gets there, she waits on the other horse. So, that makes it closer than it should be in the end.

JW: How did you feel when Blind Luck won the Kentucky Oaks?

DW: It is very hard to start a year and pick a goal for any horse. It was satisfying just to get to the race.

When she won the race that we were pointing for all year, it was a very big accomplishment.

JW: You have regular contact with Blind Luck. What is her personality like at the stable?

DW: She is very smart. She likes to go out early. She gets very anxious when she sees other horses go out to the track. She likes to be the first one out.

She usually works at 8 o’clock. She is so smart that if she doesn’t go out early, she relaxes with the thought that she’s not going to work out that day.

I can do anything I want with her, without them tying her up or putting a halter on her, because I have a bag of carrots with me when I check all the horses in the morning. She knows me. But, when she sees my foreman coming around to give her vitamins, she won’t let anyone catch her. Especially the vet. She is just that smart.

She also like peppermints and sugar cubes. She is a little spoiled. Spoiled, but friendly.

She is a very nice horse to be around and doesn’t give anybody any trouble.

She doesn’t like to stand still, but if you catch her, she’s very relaxed.

JW: Does Blind Luck have any unique or fun personality traits?

DW: She really makes a mess out of her stall because she likes to make big mountains of straw. I look in there sometimes and say, ‘What are you doing?’ But, if she wants to do that, it’s fine. It’s a mess, but overall, it’s nothing really.

She also loves to travel. If she hears the van, she’ll prick her ears up and get excited. And, when you walk her up to the van, she’ll drag you into the van. You better be ready.

JW: What makes Blind Luck so special to you?

DW: It’s her competitiveness. I’ve heard stories that when she was growing up at the farm, she was always the one that pushed all the other horses away to get to the feed.

She is very competitive when she gallops. When she sees other horses, she wants to go after them. And, when she’s working, she’ll see a horse way out front and try to catch the horse.

It’s something you just can’t teach them, they just have it.

She has a lot of desire to win.

JW: What led to the decision to point Blind Luck to the Breeder’s Cup Ladies Classic?

DW: She already has had a good race at Churchill Downs, so the Ladies Classic was an easy race to point toward. She’s already won at that track and at that distance. It has been the goal all year, especially since she proved that she liked Churchill Downs.

JW: Do you intend to run Blind Luck as a Four-Year-Old?

DW: Yes. She will get a break. But, there are a lot of races for older females all over the country and she has already won on most of those tracks. We could try the Apple Blossom since she has won at Oaklawn. We could also run in the Delaware Handicap since she’s already won the Oaks at Delaware Park. And, we could also run her at Churchill since she has already won there. She doesn’t mind shipping for races.

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DYNAMITE! A Video Montage of Zenyatta’s Dancing and Racing Moments. Click Here to View!

Although the final Kentucky Derby starters won’t enter the gates at Churchill Downs for over two months, several horses have begun to emerge in the prep races as early hopefuls for the first Saturday in May.

I’ll admit it. It is premature to cement any horse in Derby contention as anything other than a hopeful at this stage. The field for the Derby will transform itself many times in the upcoming months with unexpected turns and challenges as it does every season. However, at this early stage, here is a rundown of the major prospects.

Lookin at Lucky

Lookin at Lucky. It would be impossible to start any discussion of Derby hopefuls without mentioning the generally-regarded favorite, Lookin at Lucky. Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert has maintained the quiet supremacy afforded to this horse without even having run Lookin at Lucky in one start this season. Further, he has stated that Lookin at Lucky will only run in two prep races in hopes of clinching a slot in the gate at the Kentucky Derby.

So, what is so spectacular about the mysterious Looking at Lucky? In his six starts, four of which were Grade 1 races, Lookin at Lucky has only succumbed to a single defeat – The Breeder’s Cup Juvenile.

During the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile, Lookin at Lucky lost by a head after struggling with a bad trip throughout the race. At the start of the race, Lookin at Lucky was wide early, got stuck in midpack while facing a slow pace, rallied wide, and was ultimately outfinished from the inside by Vale of York. When interviewed after the Juvenile, Baffert stood firm. “We know we have a legit horse, we just didn’t get paid.”

Since the Juvenile defeat, he captured a win in the Breeder’s Cup Cash Call Futurity in December of 2009. Under jockey Garrett Gomez, Lookin at Lucky won by three-quarters of a length, after making several different moves throughout the race, to kick clear at the wire to secure a win. “Hell of a day, huh?” Baffert remarked in a post-race interview. “He’s getting better and better.”

Select videos of Lookin at Lucky’s past performances are available here for the Cash Call Futurity (1st), Breeder’s Cup Juvenile (2nd) , Norfolk Stakes (1st), and Del Mar Futurity (1st).

Buddy’s Saint. Buddy’s Saint is another strong candidate at this early stage in Derby prep races. Of his three starts in 2009, Buddy’s Saint captured two wins in Grade 2 races. In his most recent race, the $200,000 Remsen Stakes, Buddy’s Saint tracked the leader throughout the race to clinch a 4 ¾-length victory in the final stretch.

Prior to the Remsen, Buddy’s Saint dominated the $150,000 Grade 2 Nashua Stakes, winning by twelve lengths at the wire. He is expected to run in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on February 20, 2010 – competing against two other major hopefuls - Jackson Bend and Eskendereya.

Super Saver. It would be impossible to ignore this horse with the powerhouse team that catapulted Super Saver into his flashy first-place finish at the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. Super Saver, owned by WinStar Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher, made an amazing romp toward a victory under rider Calvin Borel in the Jockey Club Stakes. In the upcoming prep races, it will be interesting to see if this horse has the ability to give a repeat performance and capture a Grade 1 win.

Jackson Bend

Jackson Bend. In seven starts, Jackson Bend has proven himself a legitimate Derby hopeful by capturing five victories and harboring earnings of $477,820. He was beaten by Winslow Homer in the Holy Bull Stakes, but still delivered an honorable second place finish. Prior to the Holy Bull, he was unbeaten in five consecutive starts and remains a strong hopeful – especially considering the depth of his experience in comparison to his other rivals at this stage. He is expected to race in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on February 20, 2010 in his next endeavor to remain on the Derby trail.

Rule. Rule has emerged as a serious contender among Derby hopefuls – having closed out his two-year-old campaign with three consecutive victories and, more recently, capturing a win in the Grade 3 $225,000 Sam. F. Davis Stakes.

In the Sam F. Davis Stakes, Rule drove toward the finish and won by three-lengths over a field of well-respected rivals. It remains to be seen if he can match his Sam F. Davis performance in a Grade 1 race. After the Sam F. Davis, trainer Todd Pletcher did not point toward the next prep race for Rule – but mentioned the Florida Derby, Blue Grass, or Wood Memorial among the options being considered.

Dryfly. With a record of three wins in four races, Dryfly is gaining respect as a Derby hopeful after his impressive win at the Smarty Jones Stakes in his three-year-old debut. Among a large field of contenders, Dryfly, ridden by Calvin Borel, managed to clinch a 2 1/4-length victory in a stylish performance. As with many other early hopefuls, it remains to be seen how he will handle a Grade 1 race. However, judging by his current record, he remains a strong early contender.

Eskendereya. This hopeful, trained by Todd Pletcher, has delivered two wins in four career starts. Although Eskendereya closed his 2009 season with a disappointing ninth place finish in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile, this hopeful has re-emerged as an interesting contender in the 2010 season.

This past January, Eskendereya clinched a first-place finish during an ungraded race in a relatively large field. After the win, Pletcher showed confidence in his horse, stating that “The Fountain of Youth is a possibility, although I don’t know if he needs to wait that long to come back… The one thing I am sure of is that getting a mile and one-eighth will be no problem.” It remains to be determined whether this horse is capable of matching Pletcher’s confidence with ability to conquer a Grade 1 race.

Noble's Promise

Noble’s Promise. Noble’s Promise has established himself as a legitimate Derby hopeful through showing the capacity to deliver a respectable performance in repeated Grade 1 races. Of his six starts, Noble’s Promise has clinched three wins – including a victory in the Grade 1 Dixiana Breeder’s Futurity. With the demonstrated capacity to consistently win or place while taking on serious rivals in the Juvenile Breeder’s Cup (third) and the Cash Call Futurity (second), Noble’s Promise is one of the few hopefuls who has proven his capacity to manage the difficulty of a Grade 1 race

Conveyance. In his three starts, this Bob Baffert-trained horse has remained undefeated and is emerging as a respectable Derby hopeful. Conveyance recently made his three-year-old debut in the Grade 3 San Rafael Stakes – clinching a 1 3/4-length victory over his rivals. Conveyance is expected to race again in the Southwest Stakes on February 15.

On Saturday, a field of nine Derby hopefuls will square off in the one-mile Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park in Southern Florida. With varying degrees of experience throughout the lineup, the likely favorite in the race will be Jackson Bend, a Florida-bred horse trained by Nick Zito.

Jackson Bend has won his last five consecutive stakes races and is the top money-earner in the field, with winnings totaling $477,820. In his last race, he clinched a 2 ¾ length win over his current rival, Thank U Philippe, at the In Reality Stakes in October 2009. Jackson Bend has been working steadily at Palm Meadows, with his most recent five-furlong workout on January 16th timing above a perfect 12-clip at :59.30. The only question is whether the depth of his prior competition will equal the field set before him in the Holy Bull Stakes this Saturday.

Among his main rivals in the Holy Bull, are Aikenite, a Florida-bred horse trained by Todd Pletcher, and Homeboykris, the winner of the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) on October 10, 2009. Aikenite, a multiple graded-stakes-placed horse, has not raced in nearly three months after his fifth-place finish in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile in November 2009. However, Aikenite remains a significant rival, building his record on Grade One races in his two-year-old season.

Homeboykris, a Maryland-bred racehorse, won two of his four starts in 2009. His most impressive race was undoubtedly the Champagne Stakes (gr. I), where he captured a win and beat Super Saver, who finished fourth in the race. Homeboykris is trained by Juan Rodriguez with Edgar Prado as his current jockey. In his most recent workout, he ran six-furlongs in 1:14:69.

The other horses in the race include Winslow Homer, Piscitelli, Litigation Risk, Thank U Philippe, William’s Kitten and Wild Lime. Piscitelli and William’s Kitten make interesting picks for a long shot. Both horses raced in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile (Gr. I), with Piscitelli finishing fourth – one length from the winner – and William’s Kitten finishing eighth. The drop in grade may improve their chances at placing in this race. The least talked-about horse, Wild Lime, has demonstrated some early potential – winning two of his three lifetime races.

Wild Lime made an impressive debut at Delaware Park in July of 2009, winning his maiden by 3 ½ lengths. More recent, he earned a top speed rating in an Allowance race at Meadowlands in December of 2009. It remains to be answered whether he can stand out among a stronger grade of contenders in the Holy Bull Stakes.

Here are my bets for the Holy Bull:

$2 Win – Jackson Bend

$2 Exacta Box – Jackson Bend and Aikenite

$1 Trifecta Box – Jackson Bend, Aikenite, and Homeboykris

$1 Superfecta Box – Jackson Bend, Aikenite, Homeboykris, and Wild Lime.

With the Kentucky Derby nearly four months away, the major trainers are beginning to take stock of the talent in their stables and nominate their hopefuls for the upcoming prep races leading up to the Kentucky Derby. As with any year, there will inevitably be many twists and turns of fate before the ultimate winner hits the wire at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

My early favorite this year is “Lookin at Lucky,” a horse trained by the legendary Bob Baffert. In his six starts, four of which were Grade 1 races, Lookin at Lucky has only succumbed to a single defeat – The Breeder’s Cup Juvenile.

During the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile, Lookin at Lucky lost by a head after struggling with a bad trip throughout the race. At the start of the race, Lookin at Lucky was wide early, got stuck in midpack while facing a slow pace, rallied wide, and was ultimately outfinished from the inside by Vale of York. When interviewed after the Juvenile, Baffert stood firm. “We know we have a legit horse, we just didn’t get paid.”

Since the Juvenile defeat, he captured a win in the Breeder’s Cup Cash Call Futurity in December of 2009. Under jockey Garrett Gomez, Lookin at Lucky won by three-quarters of a length, after making several different moves throughout the race, to kick clear at the wire to secure a win. “Hell of a day, huh?” Baffert remarked in a post-race interview. “He’s getting better and better.”

After the Futurity, Baffert said that Lookin at Lucky would get an extended break. He anticipates that the horse will run two prep races before the Kentucky Derby. The targeted races have not been announced, but with the early promise demonstrated by this colt, the betting public should be looking at a “Lucky.”