Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Horse Racing Results: Zenyatta Wins The Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita
Posted on Saturday, March 13th, 2010
The Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Zenyatta extended her horse racing career wins to 15 when she won the $250,000 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap by a length at Santa Anita Park March 13.
Six-year-old mare Zenyatta trailed the Santa Margarita field of 7 rivals going 1 1/8 miles in her season debut before unleashing her trademark late run to win under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.
“This was a great, great race for her and it wasn’t taxing at all,” jockey Mike Smith said. “We got enough out of this race to move forward.”
In New Orleans’ Fair Grounds, 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra was upset in her season debut, possibly jeopardizing the highly anticipated first meeting with Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom next month in Arkansas.
She was beaten 3/4 of a length by Zenyatta’s stablemate, Zardana; John Shirreffs trains both Southern California-based mares.
The two leading ladies of American horse racing were using Saturday’s races as tuneups for their scheduled April 9 showdown. Moss said he intends to run her there as planned, while Rachel Alexandra’s trainer Steve Asmussen was non-committal.
The owner of Oaklawn Park has promised a $5 million purse, but only if both the filly Rachel Alexandra and the mare Zenyatta run.
Moss watched Rachel Alexandra lose at the Fair Grounds about 20 minutes before Zenyatta won.
“I’m sorry she lost, but she lost to a better horse,” he said. “We’ll see what happens in the next race. Hopefully, she’ll come back a stronger racehorse in a month, and we’ll see the real Rachel, so to speak.”
Zenyatta was timed in 1:48.20 on the synthetic surface and paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10 as the overwhelming 1-5 horse wagering favorite in her first race in four months.
“I just have a lot of faith in Mike,” race horse trainer John Shirreffs said. “I know once he gets her in the clear, he has a good chance. She’s cut in between horses and everything, but when you have a big ‘X’ on your back, a lot of places don’t open up that normally would.”
Zenyatta was the class of the Santa Margarita field, and as such, she was assigned high weight of 127 pounds–12 to 19 more than her rivals. She was the only runner sent off at single-digit odds.
Dance to My Tune returned $19 and $9.40, while Floating Heart was another nose back in third and paid $4.20 to show.
“She’s the idol of perfection we all strive for,” Moss said of Zenyatta. “That’s about as profound as I get.”
Moss and his wife, Ann, were going to retire Zenyatta after she became the first female to beat the boys in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic in November on the same track. But they changed their minds in January, putting her back into training instead of into the breeding business.
“She’s such a gift,” Ann Moss said.
Striking Dancer finished fourth in the Santa Margarita Handicap followed by Pretty Unusual, Made for Magic, Pretty Katherine and Gripsholm Castle. Powerofvoodoo was scratched.
Tags: Dance to My Tune, Floating Heart, Gripsholm Castle, Made for Magic, Powerofvoodoo, Pretty Katherine, Pretty Unusual, Striking Dancer, Zenyatta
"Horse Racing Results: Zenyatta Wins The Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita" was posted on Saturday, March 13th, 2010 at 10:34 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Results & Payouts, Santa Anita Track, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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