DEL MAR – Zenyatta let seven rivals array themselves in front of her soon after the start, then passed them all in rolling a seven the easy way in yesterday's Grade II Clement L. Hirsch Handicap.
The one-length victory under Mike Smith was the seventh straight to open the career of the 4-year-old daughter of Street Cry and No. 1-rated older female runner in the country.
And anyone who wasn't impressed with Zenyatta couldn't have been watching the race.
The time of 1:41.48 was the fastest for 1 1/16 miles in the two years Del Mar has had a Polytrack main surface. It bettered, by .09 seconds, the mark set by Well Armed in the males-only San Diego Handicap two weeks ago.
“Her last race (July 5, Grade I Vanity at Hollywood Park) was one of her 'C' races,” Smith said. “She didn't run that well, but she still got it done. That's what the good ones do. Today was one of her 'A' races.”
“They (other riders) all know her, she's such a great, big target you can't miss her. And they all rode to beat her. But it was fair and square and it was classy.”
In keeping with her racing style, Zenyatta was content to trail for a first-quarter run in :23.34 set by Silver Z. Smith was content to keep Zenyatta off the rail most of the way down the backstretch, before other riders made room along the rail. It was a potential trap, as Smith well knew.
“They were doing the best they could to try to help their horses win and trying to beat her,” Smith said. Zenyatta moved smoothly into and through the trap and came out running when the field straightened out for the stretch run.
“I only touched her once or twice, on the turn,” Smith said. “She gives you that power. I don't want to move my hands too much, just let her roll.”
Zenyatta bounded past Model, a 29-1 shot who had taken the lead at the top of the stretch, with a 16th of a mile to go and crossed under the wire geared down with Smith as still as a statue in the saddle.
“I know she set a track record, but if I'd have let her go, no telling what she might have done,” Smith said. “She was just galloping.”
Model held second, 5¼ lengths ahead of Tough Tiz's Sis, the filly that had come within a half-length of Zenyatta in the Vanity.
“When I opened up there on the turn, I thought for a second I might win this thing,” said Michael Baze, who was aboard Model. “My filly was really rolling, but then along (Zenyatta) came. What are you going to do?”
The 3-2 favorite, Zenyatta returned $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10. The $180,000 winner's share of the $300,000 total purse increased Zenyatta's career earnings to $914,580 for owners Ann and Jerry Moss.
Jerry Moss is a renowned record producer and co-founder with Herb Alpert of A&M Records. Zenyatta is named for the first word in the title of The Police's 1980 album “Zenyatta Mondatta,” which went to No. 1 in the United Kingdom and No. 5 in the United States.
The Mosses have a 3-year-old filly, Mondatta, in training. No relation to Zenyatta but with an increasingly tough act to follow.
Zenyatta's winning streak will likely next be put on the line in the Lady's Secret Handicap at Santa Anita on Sept. 27.
The $2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic is at Santa Anita on Oct. 24.
First racing fatality
Crazy Cash, a 2-year-old colt ridden by
Jon Court making his first start for Everest Stables Inc. and trainer
Marcelo Polanco, suffered a fractured right front ankle in yesterday's seventh race and was euthanized.
It was the first fatality from an afternoon racing program and came in the 16th day of the meeting. Four prior fatalities had occurred during morning training, two because of breakdowns and two reported as heart attacks by track veterinarians.
Hank Wesch: (619) 293-1853; hank.wesch@uniontrib.com
