For the last time

[Dana666]

As I read these posts on Zenyatta, I still feel like how can so many seemingly astute handicappers be so wrong? I\'ve seen thousands of races on synthetic tracks and lost hundreds of thousands betting on them. I know a little something about the subject, all learned the hard way!

Real briefly, horses have a very unnatural action over synthetic tracks - few if any like it, some tolerate it better than others, almost none ever run like Zenyatta on them. Closing from last in slow paced races is near impossible on synthetic tracks because usually winners stalk, stay close up, trip out and fall down at the wire staggering home for the win. They don\'t finish they way she does. Her races should be way upgraded because of the way she wins on synthetic racks not downgraded as many of you do.  Her BC classic win last year was one for the ages - you all will never get that for a variety of reasons, but I\'m telling you it was. What she did last year was impossible yet she did it.

The reason she\'s done so well is her connections & she\'s a rare horse. She trusts and loves humans and is very gentle. She relaxes in races b/c she trusts Smith so much and doesn\'t fight the synthetic surface even thou she dislikes it. She\'s so relaxed she\'s able to give that huge burst for a quarter mile or so - a horse who can do that is really in good shape b/c most horses only have a stout run in them for a quarter mile if they\'re lucky, so hers is particularly potent, esp. when the others have probably fought the surface and are tired at the end.Being able to push off on dirt and feel even more safe should only increase her performance. She should run much faster than she ever has - will it be enough? I don\'t know with any logical certainly. My heart tells me one thing, my head another.

I also need to apologize for some of the stupid things I\'ve said. No one here has ever wished her to breakdown etc. The nature of betting and hadicpaping is to look for value. I understand that. Simply we may disagree if I think she\'s one of the all time greats, then 8-5 might be good value for me. I can\'t blame anyone for picking against her. But at least understand the truth of synthetic surfaces. She could lose for a variety of reasons tomorrow, the biggest one simply is that how far back will she be? She certainly has never run in races with the pace she\'ll see be tomorrow, so if she is used earlier, will that take away from her late kick? That\'s the big question for me. I don\'t doubt that she\'s good enough or even fast enough. Jerry and I will never agree that numbers on synthetic are very sketchy for so many reasons, but I don\'t think you can truly evaluate a horse on synthetic surfaces. AZ Warrior is a prime example but there\'s been so many.

Does she have a huge edge over her rivals? Of course not. Can she do it - maybe. I understand you don\'t want even money on a maybe horse. That\'s your right. I\'m no one to say otherwise. If she loses there will be no excuses no matter what.If she wins, she will have done something no horse could ever equal - winning a BC classic on synthetic and dirt? You kidding me? How great was Curlin and he couldn\'t do it. No one horse will ever run in major races over so many years and finish unbeaten either - in today\'s world of fragile t-breds that feat is perhaps her greatest. Anyway good luck to all. I hope you break the bank. If she loses it won\'t be the dirt that beat her!