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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Long before Zenyatta was born, there was Eclipse.

Eclipse was a race horse from Great Britain that retired with an undefeated record in eighteen career starts during the 18^th Century.

Eclipse never felt the feeling of defeat.

He made the winner’s circle his stomping ground.

And today, Eclipse is one of the most coveted names in racing. He is the namesake to the annual Eclipse Award trophies that recognize the outstanding achievements of horses and individuals in the racing industry.

When we crown a champion “Horse of the Year,” we’re talking about Eclipse.

And, when we start talking about Eclipse, we should point to the horse embodies his level of achievement.

I’m pointing at Zenyatta.

Zenyatta has never felt the feeling of defeat.

She’s made the winner’s circle her stomping ground.

And today, Zenyatta is one of the most coveted names in modern racing. She has racked up a list of achievements that would have given Eclipse himself a grueling run for his money if he had met her in his lifetime.

Zenyatta has a perfect record of winning eighteen consecutive starts.

Yes, Eighteen. The only horse in U.S. history that has ever retired with a perfect record greater than eighteen was Pepper’s Pride, the holder of nineteen consecutive victories during her racing career. And, there is no doubt in my mind that Pepper’s Pride truly accomplished something spectacular.

However, Zenyatta and Pepper’s Pride raced in different circles. Pepper’s Pride built her winning record through racing solely in New Mexico in many state-restricted races. She never entered a graded race in her career.

And yes, there is a value for earning good grades on a report card.

I’m pointing at Zenyatta, again.

She is a virtual valedictorian in graded outings.

Zenyatta holds the world record for the most consecutive Grade I wins and has built her undefeated record through winning sixteen graded races, twelve of which were Grade I races.

Yes, twelve Grade I victories. Only six horses in U.S. history have ever captured more Grade I victories than Zenyatta. The record for the most Grade I victories in U.S. history stands with John Henry, who captured sixteen Grade I wins during his career.

But, John Henry isn’t up for “Horse of the Year.”

He already won it in his lifetime.

Twice.

Yet, John Henry provides a fine example of the mathematics of being “Horse of the Year.” Aside from holding the record for winning the most Grade I races, John Henry was the highest money-earning thoroughbred of his time when he retired with career earnings of $6,597,947.

So, yes. There is the business of making money.

I’m pointing at Zenyatta, again.

Currently, Zenyatta has earned $6,254,580 during her career. She stands as the all-time female earnings leader in North America. And, she’s earned it in some impressive outings.

In 2009, a single female horse stomped into the gates of the Breeder’s Cup Classic and challenged all the boys to beat her to the wire. It was a bold move.

That female made history.

I’m pointing at Zenyatta, again.

When Zenyatta became the first female to win the 2009 Breeder’s Cup Classic, she didn’t break a standing record. And, she didn’t set a record that was vulnerable to being broken in the future. She stamped out an untouchable spot in racing history.

So, yes. Zenyatta is a living legend.

And, she keeps blazing along.

Through her journey, Zenyatta is redefining what it means to be a race horse in the modern age. She’s dancing for crowds and drinking Guinness. Zenyatta is posting her activities on Facebook and sharing videos on You Tube.

She is hovering on the L.A. Dodgers billboard like Godzilla, announcing that Los Angeles is her town.

How many race horses lay claim to owning a town?

I’m pointing at Zenyatta, again.

Yet, many people are pointing at Zenyatta these days. Children show up at the race track with pink and teal painted faces.

And, they’re pointing at Zenyatta.

Non-industry media is starting to notice Zenyatta. The Huffington Post and W Magazine are telling the non-racing world that there is something spectacular going on at the race track.

They are pointing at Zenyatta.

Even Oprah is praising Zenyatta these days.

When Oprah set out to find twenty elite women who embodied various character traits for O Magazine’s 2010 Power List, the maven found one woman who stood along in demonstrating the “Power of Heart.”

Oprah pointed at Zenyatta.

Yes, Oprah. A woman who has been televising heartwarming stories for twenty-five years went ahead and picked Zenyatta as the woman who showed “heart” above all rivals in the human field.

And still, Zenyatta races toward her last two outings in a mirror image of Eclipse’s undefeated record.

If she wins, she’ll eclipse it.

And, if she loses, she’ll match it.

Regardless, she has already raced into Eclipse’s territory.

And, when we start talking about Eclipse, we’re talking about “Horse of the Year.”

A horse that has never felt the feeling of defeat.

A horse that makes the winner’s circle their stomping ground.

I’m pointing at Zenyatta.

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