No problem on dirt for Zenyatta as Classic looms
Stargazers lined two and three deep along the backstretch on Wednesday
morning at Churchill Downs. More more than 170 top-caliber horses from around the worldnow are on the grounds for the Breeders' Cup
World Championships, but there was no mistaking the center of
attention.Even trainer JohnShirref fs and ownerJerry Moss toted cameras
to capture both thepreparation and anticipation
from fans, reporters,and opposing horsemen for Zenyatta's opportunity for perfection in the $5-millionBreeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday.
Steve Willard, Zenyatta's regular exercise rider, guided her to the
track just after 9 a.m. EDT, near the end of the morning training session,
and let her stand in the mile chute and look around for ten minutes.
She galloped once around, and Willard had his hands full.
"She's training very forwardly," Willard said. "I knew about the third
step I was in for a ride. Usually, she trains like a pussycat. Today, she
was like 'Vroom.' ... She was nice and straight and she was pulling me
enough to make it halfway comfortable, but I couldn't bow over her and
put my hands on her because then she would have been gone."
Willard also galloped Zenyatta at Oaklawn Park prior to her two dirt
victories in the Apple Blossom Stakes (G1) and when she came to
Churchill for the 2009 Louisville Stakes (G2), where she was scratched
because of track conditions. He said there is a noticeable difference
in how she trains on dirt compared with the synthetic tracks in Southern
California, where she has been based her entire career.
"She drives better off the dirt," Willard said. "She feels better on
dirt than she does on synthetic. I knew that the first time I put her on
dirt [at Oaklawn]. By the time I hit the far turn, I said, 'It's all over.' I
came back grinning like a Cheshire cat."
Shirreffs also has long believed that Zenyatta is better on dirt, and
he returned to the barn on Wednesday with a wide grin of his own.
"I thought she looked great on the track," he said. "She handled it
very well and was really happy to get out there.
"Obviously, there is a little bit of anticipation, but I think everyone
is pretty relaxed. Zenyatta is doing great. She looked great on the track
and she shipped in wonderfully."
Asked whether he is worried about one particular horse opposing
Zenyatta in the Classic, Shirreffs quickly said, "No."
"I think if Zenyatta runs her race, we're going to be happy with that,"
he said.
Shirreffs expects the Classic to be Zenyatta's career finale, but Moss
said he and his wife, Ann, are not thinking that far ahead.
"There's no point in planning with horses," he said. "It just doesn't
make any sense. You're setting yourself up. We just want to go one
race to one race. It's always been that way for three years [with Zenyatta].
It's worked, so let's keep it going that way."—Jeff Lowe
"She drives better off the dirt," Willard said. "She feels better on
dirt than she does on synthetic. I knew that the first time I put her on
dirt [at Oaklawn]. By the time I hit the far turn, I said, 'It's all over.' I
came back grinning like a Cheshire cat."
Oh lord..I didn\'t need to see this..
I\'ve got a bad video of her on the track today - she does seem like she\'s loving the surface; she\'s all ready to explode - I wish the race were today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQeoB99AxW0
I think she\'s going to eat them for dinner and ask for seconds!
Wrong board for such nonsense. Buy the seminar or at least tell me what type of trip and number she needs to eat them for dinner.
Monmouth,
Let\'s just hope Dana666 and many like him are part of the parimutuel pools on Saturday.
I love every report that comes out that says Zenyatta loves the dirt. I want all the track folks to report how great she looks, how much bigger than the colts she looks, how great her coat looks, etc.etc.etc.
The odds tick down down down. Maybe P-Dub was right the other day when he sais 6-5 to 3-2 (I think it was P-Dub, but if not, whoever said it).
A couple of Euro commentators called Zenyatta a spedd figure handicappers nightmare. Maybe they are right........
So Jimbo, I\'ve told you my thoughts both on the board and privately about who\'s GOING to win the Classic. I\'m curious to know what horse you\'re picking to win.
Jimbo, We get it. She\'s slow and will be overbet and you are taking your shot against her.
I think she runs well and will finish in the exacta. Mostly because of the likely pace scenario and the 1235 foot stretch. Don\'t forget that Mike Smith spent many years in Louisville and I wouldn\'t be surprised if he rides a race that Calvin would be proud of.Remember who rode Giacomo? That said, she offers no value at the price and sadly my money will not contribute to your big score.
Just Curious. Where would you be willing to place her in the history books with back to back wins in the BC Classic at the ripe age of 6? It seems like this crowd doesn\'t want to acknowledge her greatness because she doesn\'t have a -5 on her resume. I thought this game was about crossing the finish line first.
Good Luck.
Hard Core figure players are conditioned to looked at a choice between an 8-5 shot who never loses and run\'s zeros and weigh that betting choice with a 3-1 shot running -3\"s who only loses every now and then and say:
\"Illogical\"
And they are right. If this was a claimer moving up in class with each win people would toss her in the blink of an eye. Now they have to apoligize first!
Footlick Wrote:
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> A couple of Euro commentators called Zenyatta a
> spedd figure handicappers nightmare. Maybe they
> are right........
OK, so my take is that \"yes, Z\'s # are not as fast as some others\", however...she runs as fast as she needs to to win at the end. Is it her fault the comp out there is slow? I think not...feel she hangs with them near the back regardless of the speed it takes and goes by at the wire...like always.
Sandreadis,
If she wins on Saturday, she is the best horse in the past 20+ years IMO, not that my opinion matters,
Because if she wins I won\'t believe it is because every other faster horse bounced, it will mean she is an extremely rare horse, who has multiple gears that she never used and only did enough to win her races. Which I haven\'t ever seen.
By the way, never said I would have a \"big score\" and I think you can search the archives here for the past 6 years that I have posted and I am pretty sure you will never see me talking about having any big scores. Not my style.
I said this is a great betting opportunity for number players. Since this is a figure maker\'s board, I don\'t think I am exactly \"out on a limb\" with that statement. The fact that quite a few people on this board who would seem to be multi-year figure players are still supporting her, tells she that she gets people to emote and creates real fans, because betting her is about as illogical as it gets, if you have ever read a thorograph sheet.
Buck,
Still undecided between Quality Road and Lookin at Lucky. Will be playing pick-6, pick-4, pick-3 and DD to be live to those two horses. If I am alive, I won\'t have to decide which one to bet to win. I am torn. Quality Road is the best horse in the race IMO, but I think there is some chance he is \"over the top\", in which case Lookin at Lucky wins IMO. Can\'t decide between them and hope I don\'t have to. Will have a few saver pick-4\'s live to Fly Down and Blame, but 90% will be to QR and LAL.
And Yep, I got your private message and am well aware of who you are backing!!!
jimbo66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Monmouth,
>
> Let\'s just hope Dana666 and many like him are part
> of the parimutuel pools on Saturday.
>
> I love every report that comes out that says
> Zenyatta loves the dirt. I want all the track
> folks to report how great she looks, how much
> bigger than the colts she looks, how great her
> coat looks, etc.etc.etc.
>
> The odds tick down down down. Maybe P-Dub was
> right the other day when he sais 6-5 to 3-2 (I
> think it was P-Dub, but if not, whoever said it).
I said below her ML and closer to Even money than 2/1. I don\'t care what Betfair or any other book has.
Zenyatta will be no more than 3/2, not surprised if she is 6/5. Its her last career race, undefeated, public horse, etc... I know there are quality horses in a fairly large field, but there is absolutely no way that she is 2/1.
This may be one of the rare times that I am wrong about something on this board, but I guess we\'ll find out Saturday.
Agreed.. Let them suck it up. The horse is too slow, plain and simple. A 25k claimer can look great in the paddock and in gallops. No matter how great she looks on dirt, the fact is she is way too slow.
Its great that you guys think she\'s \"way too slow\".
Which horse gets your money??
I\'ve already posted my odds for the Classic elsewhere.
It\'s a 5-horse race that doesn\'t include the plastic tomato can kicking champion.
You didn\'t make a selection, you posted an odds line.
So if a horse listed at 40/1 goes off at 90/1 thats your play??
You\'ve mouthed off about the mare as much as anybody, have some guts and make a selection. Don\'t hide behind some BS oddsline.
I wouldn\'t be surprised at anything and imo Z could run a top and win - but doesn\'t that make her an underlay in the odds , specially if she would need to improve !? I\'m with the boss and QR backers on this - I\'m seeing Dollar signs .. .