Ed Golden
Santa Anita Park

ZENYATTA TO ARRIVE AT SANTA ANITA THURSDAY

ARCADIA, Calif. – The countdown to Zenyatta’s 2010 debut is on in earnest. The undefeated Breeders’ Cup Classic winner is set to accept high weight of 127 pounds for Saturday’s Grade I, $250,000 Santa Margarita Handicap, a race the racing world expects will lead to a showdown with Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the $5 million Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 9.

“Zenyatta will leave for Santa Anita tomorrow after training and school Thursday afternoon,” trainer John Shirreffs said Wednesday from his Hollywood Park headquarters. “She’s doing well and we’re looking forward to the race.” Zenyatta is scheduled to arrive at Santa around 11 a.m.

HRTV will present a special one-hour live show Saturday featuring the 2010 debuts of Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, who will seek her 15th straight victory in the Santa Margarita at 1 1/8 miles.

Entitled “The Champions Return,” the HRTV show will be hosted by Scott Hazelton and Gary Stevens, who will be live at the Fair Grounds for Rachel Alexandra’s race, the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies’ Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. It will go as the 10th race at approximately 3:15 p.m. The Santa Margarita will be Santa Anita’s seventh race with a probable post time of 3:40 p.m.

Zenyatta worked six furlongs Friday at her Hollywood Park headquarters in 1:11.80, breezing. She will be making her first start since her dramatic last-to-first victory against males in the mile and a quarter Classic, in which she carried 123 pounds. Her highest impost was 129 pounds, which she carried to victory by 2 1/2 lengths in the Grade I Vanity Handicap at Hollywood on June 27 last year.

Second starting high weight in the Santa Margarita under 115 pounds is La Canada Stakes winner Striking Dancer.

Zenyatta, a charismatic 6-year-old daughter of Street Cry, has earned $5,474,580 for owners Jerry and Ann Moss.

Although Zenyatta finished second to Rachel Alexandra for Horse of the Year honors, she lost no stature with trainer A.C. Avila, who entered Made for Magic in the Santa Margarita. “It’s true she’s not Horse of the Year,” Avila said. “To me, she’s Horse of the Decade.” As for anyone upsetting Zenyatta Saturday, Avila offered little hope. “It’s impossible to beat the monster,” he said.

The field for the Santa Margarita: Dance to My Tune, Martin Garcia, 111; Pretty Katherine, Joel Rosario, 111; Made for Magic, Omar Berrio, 111; Pretty Unusual, Chantal Sutherland, 113; Striking Dancer, Alex Solis, 115; Powerofvoodoo, Tyler Kaplan, 108; Gripsholm Castle, Victor Espinoza, 112; Zenyatta, Mike Smith, 127; and Floating Heart, Joe Talamo, 111.