Zenyatta arrived at Oaklawn Park on Tuesday, cheered at the
airport and honored with a two-car police escort to the track where
shell try to run her record to 16-0.
The 6-year-old mare who created a sensation by beating the boys
in last years Breeders Cup Classic flew on a charter plane in a
rare foray from her home base in Southern California.
“She got a little excited landing, but other than that she was
real good, said Frank Lael, who accompanied her as the assistant
to trainer John Shirreffs.
She was greeted by about 100 cheering fans at the airport in
former President Bill Clintons childhood hometown. They held signs
reading, “Marry Me Zenyatta, “Go Girl, and “Rachel Who, a
reference to racings other female superstar whose owner declined
an invitation to run against Zenyatta in Fridays Apple Blossom
Invitational.
Jess Jackson said his 2009 Horse of the Year wasnt in top form
after losing her season debut last month.
As a result, the Apple Blossom will be worth $500,000 instead of
the $5 million that had been promised if both horses ran. Still,
Oaklawn spokesman Terry Wallace said the track expects 100,000
people over Friday and Saturday, when the Arkansas Derby is
run.
Zenyatta will try to equal the record of 16 consecutive
victories shared by Cigar and Citation.
“I think she can do it. Shes got it all right here, Lael
said, tapping his head.
She won the Apple Blossom in 2008, her first race on dirt. She
won her season debut last month on Santa Anitas synthetic
surface.
Shes set to run against four others this time, her perfect
record deterring serious competition. One of the entrants, War
Echo, is trained by Steve Asmussen, who trains Rachel Alexandra.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas saddles Be Fair, who has four
wins in 14 career starts.
“I feel like Butler going against Duke, he said. “I have no
grandiose ideas of beating her, obviously, and I dont think
anybody else in there does, whoever the other three are.
Trucks from four Little Rock television stations followed the
silver semitrailer carrying Zenyatta and several other horses on
its short drive to the track. About 50 people gathered to watch her
walk off the truck and into the barn, with several applauding.
“The biggest thing going in Hot Springs on a Tuesday is a bingo
game, one observer said, noting the excitement her presence
created.
She whinnied as she came in, prompting the heads of four other
horses to pop out of their stalls to check her out. They answered
her with whinnies, too.
Zenyatta did several laps around the barn, pausing regally to
appease photographers, her ears pricked at the sound of their
clicking cameras.
“She really loves people, Lael said.
That was evident by the parade of track workers gathered to
watch Zenyatta munch grass for more than an hour behind her barn.
Grooms done with their work for the day looked on while a parade of
camera-toting folks took turns posing with her, some joking it
would be their Christmas card.
She willingly accepted their pats on the head, at times
interrupting her snacking to strike a pose, her head held high.
Trainer Cindy Jones, the wife of trainer Larry Jones, massaged
Zenyattas back, prompting the mare to paw the ground in delight.
At one point, she lifted her right front leg high, balancing her
big body on three feet.
After a bath, Lael led her into Stall 27 piled high with a
bedding of fresh straw and a view of the parking lot. He hung a
bale of hay outside the door for her to snack on.
She wont lounge around for long. Zenyatta is expected to work
out Wednesday.