Zenyatta Uncertainty Provides Drama For Hirsch

As of Wednesday afternoon, it is still unclear if the undefeated and champion older mare Zenyatta will run in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (gr. 1) at Del Mar Saturday, but she has at least been entered. And while her potential last appearance before a California audience remains a mystery, it is clear that should she run, her competition on the track may not be her biggest hurdle. In fact, it may the track itself.

Despite passing the entry box in the Clement L. Hirsch however, it is still unclear whether Zenyatta will start in the 1-1/16th race on Del Mar’s Polytrack synthetic surface. According to Steve Andersen’s report in Daily Racing Form Tuesday, trainer John Shirreffs said a final decision will be made after the Zenyatta trains over the Del Mar track Thursday and Friday.

The Del Mar surface has again come under criticism from Southern California trainers for inconsistencies in the track and was closed for training for a day during the opening week of the seasons for repairs. “We won’t know until Thursday or Friday what we’ll do [in the Hirsch],” Shirreffs told Andersen at Del Mar. “Everything is different all the time,” he said referring to the surface.

After Zenyatta went to the track for the first time Wednesday morning, Shirreffs seemed very pleased, but would not yet commit to starting Zenyatta Saturday. In her only start at Del Mar last year, Zenyatta won the Hirsch but provided a much closer finish than anyone expected. As the heavy 1-5 favorite, she needed a furious late rally to catch Anabaa’s Creation to win by just a head at the wire.

Should Zenyatta go in the Hirsch, she will be trying to win the race for the third consecutive year – something she achieved earlier this season in winning the grade 1 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park for the third straight time. While the Hirsch was a grade 2 in 2008, I could only find one horse, the great gelding Forego, who has won two separate North American grade 1 races in three consecutive years. Forego won the 1974-76 Brooklyn Handicaps and upped the ante considerably by winning the Woodward stakes four consecutive years from 1974-77.

Worth mentioning is that Kelso won the Jockey Club Gold Cup five consecutive years from 1960-64 and three straight Woodward Stakes from 1961-63. However, that was before the American Graded Stakes Committee began grading races in 1972.

More historically, Zenyatta will be trying to add to her undefeated 17-for-17 record. Unfortunately for the Hirsch, the track and history are Zenyatta’s biggest challengers. Expected to offer the most competition is perhaps Rinterval, an Irish-bred invader from Chicago who just finished a very nice second to Informed Decision in the grade 3 Chicago Handicap at Arlington Park July 4. There are no grade 1 stakes winners in the Hirsch although Made For Magic won the grade 2 Milady Handicap at Hollywood Park in May and Dance to My Tune was just more than a length behind Zenyatta in the grade 1 Santa Margarita at Santa Anita in March.

It is unclear if Shirreffs is considering Zenyatta for the grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga August 29 against Rachel Alexandra. Shirreffs has mentioned shipping to New York for perhaps the $350,000 Beldame Oct. 2 following the Hirsch, but has also discussed staying in California for an additional start before the Breeders’ Cup in November.

Talk Again About Rachel Alexandra Versus Zenyatta

Several New York publications including the New York Daily News have speculated that the possible dream race between 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and the undefeated champion Zenyatta may again be a realistic consideration in the grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 29.

Trainer Steve Asmussen, trainer of Rachel Alexandra, has already indicated to Daily Racing Form that they are pointing towards the $400,000 Personal Ensign while the Zenyatta camp has made no commitment to the Aug. 7 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar.

The Personal Ensign offers two features that should be attractive to Zenyatta trainer John Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Ann Moss. The 1-1/4 mile distance appears to Zenyatta best, and the natural dirt main track. The $300,000 Clement Hirsch, also a grade 1, is the shorter 1-1/16 miles.

The Breeders' Cup this year will be run at Churchill Downs, so the Zenyatta camp may want to prepare the defending Breeders' Cup Classic winner on a natural track like Saratoga instead of the synthetic main track at Del Mar.

Zenyatta Has 1/2 Game Lead in Horse of Year Race

After her brilliant race in the Haskell Invitational, Rachel Alexandra certainly deserves every accolade that has been casts upon her. She was literally impressive from the moments she left her stall at Monmouth Park that day. Most thoroughbreds walk from their stall to the saddling paddock. Rachel Alexandra made an appearance - pausing for the fans as if on the red carpet. She then gave her performance and accepted her award with all the grace Joan Rivers would just die for. I was ver clempt.

But I'm not ready to jump off the Zenyatta band wagon just yet. Not until Saturday at least, when she runs in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (gr. 1). She is suppossed to win having defeated every horse in the field before and is the heavy morning line favorite to remain undefeated in 12 career starts. She is also the defending champion in the Hirsch having won the 1-1/16 mile polytrack event last year. Should she win, she'll be just one win shy of joining the legendary Personal Ensign who is long remembered for capping off her 13-0 career with a small nose victory in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Because controlling owner Jess Jackson has said no Breeders' Cup for Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta (photo) can probably stumble one time before the Breeders' Cup and still get the coveted Horse of the Year honor - even if Rachel stays undefeated. But Zenyatta must do two very important things. She can only falter once and maybe not very badly at that. And most important, she must win the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic at Santa Anita in November.

If Zenyatta has a loss on her record before then, she might have to win the Breeders' Cup Classic to edge out Rachel for the golden Eclipse Award given to the Horse of the Year. See undefeated Personal Engsign missing the 1988 Horse of the Year award after winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff. Of course she did lose out to a Breeders' Cup Classic winner in Alysheba too. Either way, her saves expire going into the Breeders' Cup round. Without a Championship Day victory, Zenyatta leaves with a home version of graded stakes wins.

A victory in the Breeders' Cup has proven repeatedly to be that influencial with the voters. If Zenyatta stays undefeated and wins the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic, she would be in line to join past Breeders Cup divisional winners Lady's Secret (1986), Kotashaan (1993), Favorite Trick (1997) and Azeri (1997) as Horse of The Year titlists.

With regard to the racing surface issue, it seems unjust to penalize Zenyatta because she races on the synthetic tracks in Southern California and because of the location of the Breeders' Cup. That arguement especially lost weight when Jackson announced he won't enter the filly in the Breeders' Cup because of the synthetic track.

Of course, if Zenyatta and Rachel should meet before the Breeders' Cup, or in the Breeders' Cup of course, this becomes mute. But it doesn't look like that is going to happen.