I was fortunate enough to be at Churchill Downs for this race, sitting in a lower box seat just past the finish line. I watched Zenyatta dance by in front of me before the race as she was led from the barn to the paddock by the groom and trainer John Shirreffs. The whole experience was magical... right up to the finish. The reaction by the crowd is unforgettable. Some people began sobbing, others seemed not sure if Zenyatta had lost, yet what I recall most was the near silence. A crowd that moments earlier had been roaring was suddenly close to silent, much like a wake or funeral, saddened and stunned all at once. I looked up to the crowd on the balcony and there were many people being consoled with faces buried in suits. It was more than losing money or a horse race, a dream had been lost.
YES! The crowd was roaring, and then the noise just died. It was the craziest thing to watch everyone's faces fall, and the palpable disappointment rise. We drove from Florida to see the race, my first time actually watching a major race in person. Z lost, but tried her heart out. Then we had a flat tire on the drive home and couldn't get the flat off. AAA came the next morning, replaced the tire, and then my ex-husband totaled the car a few more hours down the road. 🤦♀️ I think I was bad luck for Zenyatta that day, sorry everyone! 😅
In my opinion, this is without doubt one of Trevor Denman’s best calls. Knowing the result all these years later, you still get excited listening to the call thinking that maybe just maybe Zenyatta is going to get by Blame even though we know she didn’t. He captured the emotion of the race perfectly.
@@jsl964 The grandstands were shaking during that stretch run, but the disappointment after she lost was really something to behold. I've never seen the like.
You are spot on. It absolutely confirmed her greatness. Even Andy Beyer had to admit it, and believe me, it killed him to acknowledge how great she was. Her stretch run was one of the greatest in history, win or lose. She is the greatest female horse of the last 112 years.
I don’t think there was ever a better dirt route mare in history. This race still hurts. If she could have gotten out of traffic a split second sooner.
@@YogsenForfothadd Go For Wand, Lady's Secret, Ruffian, Personal Ensign, Beholder, Winning Colors, Genuine Risk, Azeri Lucas said he'd wished he'd gotten Terlingua later in his career. He said she was maybe the best filly he'd ever seen. And can't leave out Winx, no horse will ever win 30 consecutive races. Then you have to add Black Caviar. Oh how blessed we've been to see these female superstars.
I was at this race; I'm just your typical 25 y/o guy. When she broke free of the pack and made that run down the stretch I completely lost control of myself; I was screaming like a lunatic, trying to will her on to victory. Zenyatta's greatness is inarguable. When it came time to perform, she answered the call in every single one of her races, with this one being her swan song. In my mind she never lost. I love Zenyatta. She may be just a horse but I'll never see anything like her again.
Zenyatta is one of best racehorses in history. The 2010 Breeders Cup Classic was a tough race, but she stayed strong and performed magnificently. I take heart in the fact that she must have thought that she won this race, just as she won all those other races. She's a beautiful runner and she has an amazing kick.
@@racing747 True, but she didn't like the dirt in her face either. CD was Blame's favorite track, he'd already won there more than once. I think John should have had her on dirt more than he did. But, she still was amazing. My husband and I were at the 2010 race. You should have heard that crowd at the end.... The paddock was a mad house. Crazy. She was a rock star, for sure.
@@tonygunk2226 To be honest all countries have different tracks. Especially American dirt tracks it has been hard to break in if you are a foreign horse. Same with Japanese turf race tracks in current years. Even in European tracks the home country horses tend to have the advantage.
Doesn't happen often, but every great once and a blue moon, a horse comes along who's ability is so special that you'll learn as much about that horse's intelligence, heart, & determination in the slimmest of losses to another top shelf contender where everything they had was left on the racetrack moreso than you'd learn if they'd won the race. This race without question qualifies as an "every great once and a blue moon."
Broke my big toe watching this race. Sat myself right in front of the TV and jumped up with excitement, poorly obviously, near the finish. Still gives me goosebumps ❤
I was fortunate enough to be standing on the first turn and have never seen a horse that indulged or placated to the crowd as she did. She cemented herself as my favorite horse of all time that day.
@SNK Drone How exciting was the 73 Belmont? Halfway through that race, people were already lining up to use the bathroom. It was over after a minute of racing. The winner turned out to have an unusually large heart, which made him run faster than everyone else. That was a yawner, excuse me. This Breeder's Cup was far more heart-stopping. A six and a half year old lady horse getting left behind early by all the younger champion stallions, only to catch them all except one whose owner was praying that she won't pass his horse at the wire.
@@SyracuseStunner I just don't usually watch this for that very reason! Thanks Jerry Moss for racing another year putting her perfect record at risk! Just a heartbreaking loss, definitely her best race...
Blame is one amazing horse - NO QUESTION. However, not at all sure why people continue to bash the beautiful and amazing Zenyatta. I was there to witness this race and I am so glad I made the trip. Have fun in 'retirement' pretty girl!
what? Dont know much about horses? I would say it just was a big mistake by the jockey, getting second with the best horse, this was his fault as he admitted later
Let me add that Zenyatta and her connections did the sport proud! I thought I would not ever see a horse that capture a audience again like the great Cigar did in the 90's. I do love this sport of kings and wish our younger crowd would understand that there is more to this sport then a wager. This one of the few sports you can feel like you are part of a team even if it is for a single race or when you follow a horse career!
You're still the greatest Lady Z! Nothing to be ashamed of. No other horse could have come from 20 lengths back like you did. A tremendous way to go out.
Zenyatta brought people from the entire sports world together that day. It transcended all of sports for about 30 minutes. For 20 years we have been going to Las Vegas to watch the Breeders Cup. Never have we seen such a pack house at Caesar Palace sports book. About an hour before the race it was like a tsunami of people crept in. The amount of people there at that particular moment that were rooting for Zenyatta surpassed the college football crowd by 10 times over
good god, she was SO stuck in traffic. Any other odds, she would have taken this easily and she clearly had the heart to do it. Long live Queen Z. So grateful to her for letting me witness how great she is
Zenyatta gave horse racing sooooooo much color it just feels so empty knowing we wont get to see the great Zen run again it she was an inspiration and a phenominal philly one of the greatest ever im happy to witness her in my generation ive been a big horse racing fan for over eight years and im only eighteen i love you zenyatta congrats on what you have accomplished you raced twenty times and only beat by one horse congrats girl you were an honor to get to see run in person
The look on her owners face, u can see him stomach turn. I have watched this race 20 times and it never gets old,i love the commentary. If she had won it would certainly, undoubtably have been the best race I have ever seen and believe me I watch a lot
I met Blame recently at Claiborne Farm. He has a sweet personality and still impressive stallion. For some reason, Zenyatta's loss to him doesn't sting quite as much as it did before.
I've grown up around horses from the time I was 9 (38 now), but I've never really cared much about them. My mom told me about this race so I figured I would check it out..... Zenyatta gave me chills. In spite of missing the mark by such a short amount...what a incredible run.
Zenyatta was a monster. This race, despite it being a loss, was testament to her ability. They said she couldn't do it but even coming in second, she did. She showed doubters what true greatness is and had she not run into traffic and had she had the race been a few yards longer she would have won it. One of the most impressive stretch runs I've ever seen in all my years following this sport. Magnificence.
+saveus228 Not having that Sir! Zenyatta was 0.8 lengths down fifty yards out and 0.1 down at the line in receipt of five pounds from winner. She was 1.5 lengths up on the third , Fly Down, 300 yards out and beat him/her 3.4 lengths! She did nothing spectacular, was drawn ok and couldn`t win. She is overrated! Check out Dayjur or Arazi if you want to see BC heaven! Mysteriously both given the impossible draw but still spanked the yankee bum!
+saveus228 Saveus228 my deluded friend ! Zenyatta ran against a poor lot by historical standards and in seventeen races, she had seven or less rivals! On five occasions, she won by 1/2 length or less and in her final race she was beaten by a smaller horse who was giving her five pounds. Check out Dayjur and Arazi my friend but note that both had impossible draws at BC. What astonishing things did Switch(beaten 1/2),Rinterval(beaten neck) or St Trinians(beaten 1/2length)Anabaa`s Creation(beaten head)or Tough Tiz`s Sister(beaten 1/2 length) do on the racetrack?Do you really think that she would have beaten Barbaro or American Pharoah??
+postcardterry Its interesting that you left out all the horses she beat in both BC Classics to make your point..How come you left out all the G1 winners and Kentucky Derby winners she beat in both races? I think she was a great horse, but the greatest? Who knows? She caught the horses that were put in front of her.. Also if you want historical standards check to see if there has EVER, in horses racing HISTORY , been a horse that won 19 straight races in a row coming from dead last, every time, at ANY level, in any country that has held a horse race.... You can go back as long as you want and you won't find one.. Regardless if you think she is overrated or not you have to give her credit for doing something no horse has ever done before anywhere in the world, in the history of the sport, and if you really like horse racing you have to appreciate that..
The most impressive Breeders Cup Classic in the last 10 years still remains Ghostzapper's anhilliation in 2004 of Roses In May, Pleasantly Perfect, Perfect Drift, Funny Cyde, Birdstone and Azeri. The way the Zapper toyed with that solid field while setting a track record was just not fair.
I'd have won about a hundred grand on that day had Better Talk Now been disqualified (I had Wilco and Ghostzapper). I was sick to my stomach without anything on the easiest and surest BC classic win ever by a horse who, on figures, was among the greatest ever to run.
Just watched Zenyatta's 2009 victory. This was the next video. Every time I see it, I get keyed up when she switches to the outside, and every time,I think she's going to get there like she had every other start.
Tom Kim Shields, I agree. I have watched this replay 40-50 times and wish so much for 10 more yards of track. I get choked up watching her fly down the backstretch. And this announcer has the best voice for calling races. It just looked like she couldn't quite get her footing in the first half of the race? I just know on one of these replays she will pull it out😊 A trip to see her in person would be worth it to me.
Freaking jockey of Zenyatta asked her to go far too late. He lost this race for her. I was watching this race as a teenager with my family, so excited to see the “dancing,” brilliant Zenyatta. Absolutely broke my heart to see her run out of track, but again, that was the fault of her jockey, not her. She was BRILLIANT❤
@@Sincerejnn No, she wouldn't have. Zenyatta was no doubt a great horse, but her problem was, dropping so far back all the time. In synthetic races, which are run more like turf races, you can get away with that because the leaders are never that far away. Dirt races tend to have faster paces and favor horses with tactical speed, which Zenyatta didn't have. Smith didn't do anything wrong in that Classic, IMO. She just didn't pick it up until late. But that is the way she ran all her races.
I will never forget this race. A schmuck like me in Millionaires row. The video doesnt do it justice but the patio was literally shaking from how loud the crowd was. Grat ride by GoGi. Rip
I always get chills when I watch this. I always hope that they made a mistake, that Zenyatta really did win. But I'll have to accept it. Zenyatta is still the best! Still unbeaten in my heart!
Just remember, Zenyatta was 6.5 years old female horse, twice the age of the other male horses. 20 lengths behind and passes everyone and lost by a nose. That is truly incredible, she is by far, the greatest horse that has ever lived, no horse has done ran from behind and wins like Zenyatta.
@@incrediblesulk555 Secretariat was great but lost several races. Zenyatta could be best filly ever. Of course, Zenyatta cannot beat Secretariat head to head at their primes but remember there is that gender difference. There's a reason fillies with stallions don't usually run together.
@@exfoliosthey run fillies with the boys more often overseas. I think economically it just makes sense to keep them in the filly division. I love to see the fillies take on the boys!
Regardless about how great or not truly great anyone thinks about Zenyatta there is a FACT about the horse that was truly remarkable. She won 19 races in a row almost 20 by coming from far back DEAD LAST EVERY TIME!! Anyone who know anything about horse racing knows closers are up against it being at the mercy of pace ,traffic and wide trips.. Never has this been done in horse racing history by ANY horse at ANY LEVEL..Period..
Rob Talstra Fantastic horse who required the skills of a great jockey. She no doubt had the heart of winner. She seemed to know where the finish line was.
@guitarlegend32 You can't forget the role that the jockey plays here. Mike Smith was the right jockey for this horse but even he admits that if he had to do it all over again he would have run a different race. There is also the dirt factor which Zenyatta wasn't used to. Then Mike decided to keep her on the inside instead of running around the outside. Maybe right, maybe not. Zenyatta is sleeping soundly at night but I bet Mike will never stop reliving this race.
IDK...Secretariat often started last. As if it took a few to gather himself. Then he blew their doors off. I would like to see his comments, TBH. Mike truly loved her in all the pics and videos I've seen. Different tracks, the size of the field, traffic, etc...I think a lot of factors come into play. Regardless. She's a great one!
Garrett used to come to my restaurant every week when he was racing at Monmouth for the summer one year.He was an awesome guy.All we ever talked about was golf,he was a 5 handicap.What a great loss,so sad,I miss him
A foot from racing immortality. Only two other horses would have retired "more" undefeated - actually both were also mares. Black Caviar never raced outside Australia (25 wins). Kincsem won 54 races in what is now seven countries and defeated mostly male competition as she did it.
Everytime I watch this I always hope the outcome will somehow be different. She is still an amazing horse and the most amazing female racehorse ever to live in my opinion.
It is a definitely a handicap to spot "other horses that close off the pace" that many lengths. Zenyatta typically does not fall that far back. Often she was not last on the first call. Mike had to use her on the back side at a time he typically doesn't have to. Also she ran sideways for bit in the stretch. Blame, a quality off the pace type horse had a nice ground saving trip; it was too much for Z To over come. I do believe she would have passed Blame eventually - That is the only way Zenyatta knows how to run. She also thought that she had won - got up in time and started to pull her self up. That with the combination of Blame digging in, cost her 20/20
Blame honestly deserved to win this race. The field collapsed, which means Zenyatta who is a come from behind horse, had the most beneficial position when the horses in front collapsed. Blame is not a come from behind horse, he didn't have the benefit of running easy at the beginning, he kept fighting at towards the wire. Blame deserved that win, he had to fight for it. Zenyatta was incredible, and would have caught him had the race been any longer, but Blame deserved more credit for that win. He ran the hardest of any horse in that field. Too, people forget Blame was an fantastic racehorse in 2010. Blame simply put on that day, against that field, at that distance, was the best horse in the race.
Quality Road cost her the race. The exact time she lost getting around him, as he was practically backing up, was what she lost by. There is absolutely no doubt as to who the greatest horse in that race. Blame beat her, but by luck only. Without his dream trip, he would have lost, no doubt about it. She overcame a seriously bad beginning, a trip fraught with problems, and came within 4- 6 inches of winning from 20 back. She was a phenomenon.
He ran the race of his life but he had a ton of luck. Even in the Foster he would have been crushed by Battle Plan- a well beaten second, but Battle Plan suffered a suspensory injury in the stretch that ended his career. Blame ran the race of his life and she had a bad trip- regardless- he didn't deserve HOY and he never would have even won the races he did had Battle Plan not suffered that career ending injury. .
@caz11533 I give Garrett Gomez credit for the perfect ride. Perhaps one of the best of all time. BLame never got his momentum broken and he kept his rhythm the entire race. Just the start alone where Zenyatta got squeezed by the 2 horses to the left and right cost her more than the margin of her defeat.
The effort that Blame and Zenyatta put forth in this race is really something to be applauded and treasured by true racing fans. The list of horses that Blame's beaten at CD reads like a who's who of dirt racing. Zenyatta found herself in a difficult position in this race. She could've easily folded, and just thrown in the towel. But that enormous champion's heart that drives her refused to let her. She ran her heart out, beaten a mere 6 inches by another great champion. No disgrace in that. JMO
I still can't believe how so many people take sports (including horse racing) so seriously that their disagreements with others cause them to insult the character, intelligence, and sometimes birth status of other commenters. Remember, the way we criticize others say far more about us than it does about the target of the criticism. At any rate, Zenyatta showed herself to be an outstanding horse again in this race. It wasn't a great field. Certainly not as strong as the 2009 BC Classic -- which she won. But Blame deserved this win. Because Blame was in the second pack, he was only 5 lengths ahead of Zen for the majority of the race. He made his move slightly before she made hers. He had to fight through more traffic throughout his final surge. She had to fight to hook outside,but once there had clear running. The final 25 yards he held her off. Either Z slowed slightly or B stepped it up when she pulled alongside -- hard to tell. But her rate of gain on his disappeared in the final few strides when she still had a chance to catch him. Zenyatta is a great racehorse. Not just a great race mare. She earned her stripes against males in the two BCs, but don't overstate the significance of her previous record against all-filly competition.Had those been regular races with males included she would have suffered a number of losses. But keep things in context. Her time at Churchill Downs was 2:02.28. Secretariat's was 1:59.40 (Kentucky Derby). That means her rapid close would still have placed her 14-15 lengths behind Secretariat. And 11-12 lengths behind Sham. In fact, Our Native finished 8 lengths behind Sham and Forego was right with him . . . which means the best that Zen's CD performance would have gotten her is fifth. And remember those were just three year old colts, not fully grown/filled out adults. Zenyatta was a completely mature adult.
Finally some common sense. She was great, and I hate when I write comments that people take to mean I am denigrating her, but I feel she did nothing to be ranked amongst the like of Secretariat. You really make good sense here. Thank you for that! Also, I like how you point out the maturity vs immaturity factor, which most brush off.
Thank you for your astute personal insult, observation. I frequent a basketball blog where I am routinely insulted for my intelligence and called profane names, just because I have an opinion of my own, do my own stats to reach my own conclusions, and don't always go along with the crowd sentiment regarding players and coaches. We live in a Neanderthal Age Social Slime Pit, these days, is all I can conclude.
I agree with most of what you said except for the part where you state that if her other races had males in them she would have had more losses. That is just speculation. I doubt that any of those races would have had stronger fields than her 2009 and 2010 BCC races. Obviously no one can compare to Secretariat. As Chick Anderson said in his Belmont that Secretariat was moving like a tremendous machine, pretty much says it all. He was a "Tremendous Machine" with a heart twice the size of a normal thoroughbred!
If Mike Smith doesn't panic & move up to the back markers, where she usually is, she wins, the slight steady on the turn, the track was a little less cuppy, she wins! He stays in the middle, IDK, but most of all, she hesitated, shied from the whip, that she wasn't used to, While she was running her heart out as if to say, Wtf? Mike knew it in the post race interviews, any one factor she wins, the overview was useful this 1 time, ( I hate it) on the 1st turn, sooo far back! Still the best race she ever ran, always overcame adversity, just not this time, but that's horse racing.. now I finally put my thoughts down after all these years... Woulda bet 2 fisted the year before at 5-2, but I was broke & on the street. Was a no bet at 4-5 but I was undicipline, now I'm done.. cheers!
What was the track variant? You're talking about what most see as the greatest racehorse of all time and the track record at Churchill! This day the track was about 2.5 seconds off, lot of times and horses in between there. Alysheba was the one horse I think might beat Zenyatta on the square at 1 1/4 mi. And his "Derby" time is like 2:03...
One of the best horse's, male or female, to ever step foot on a race track. Three years in a row, the BC ladies classic ( Distaff), the BC Classic, and a damn close 2'nd in the BC classic the third year. Wow. What a lady!
Zenyatta was clearly the better horse, Mike Smith did a Pat Day, No way can you spot these horses 20 lengths, if they run this race 10 times, Zenyatta wins 9 times, The last 30 Years this Mare ranks up their with Easy Goer, Cigar and Ghostzapper, amazing horse!!!!
Take a look at all of Easy Goer's races on TH-cam and look at his charts, Jockey errors cost him most of his losses, If they run the Classic 10 times, Easy Goer wins 8 times, Easy Goer was a machine..
All Easy Goer fans want to blame Pat Day because he disappointed. I deal with facts, he lost 3 out of 4 to Sunday silence and only beat him in ny at belmont. Not to mention getting beaten by is it true in the juvenile in 88. He rarely won the big one.
If we go by stats he was a much better horse than Sunday Silence, Easy Goer had 6+120beyers,more than any horse in the past 40 years, all his races were near broken track races. He Broke Secretariats mile record and no horse other than Secretariat ran a faster Belmont, those are facts!!If Easy Goer and Sunday Silence ran today in any track, Easy Goer would be favorite.
And how many races did Easy Goer lose as the favorite? All those big races he ran wasnt against Sunday silence? He was supposed to run like that he was bred to be a superstar, he was expected to win the triple crown. The facts are aside from the belmont where he ran on his home track, he couldn't win the big one. He failed to win the big race at 2. He failed to win the big race at 3. At 4, he finished behind criminal type and housebuster in the met mile. He might be the greatest horse to never win horse of the year. That's what you call underachieving.
I’m a big sports fan, however, not so much a horse racing fan. But, Zenyatta captured my heart in 2009, and remember watching this race. I was so emotionally invested and it broke my heart when she lost at the end. Had the race been 5-10 m longer....
When Blame's jockey says he wouldn't want to rematch Zenyatta because he knows he had a perfect trip in this race and if Blame met Zenyatta again, he would lose....and when Mike Smith knows with another step or moving a little sooner, he would've caught Blame, that should pretty much cement the fact that Zenyatta would have won this. I don't know how everyone is making these calls otherwise from their armchairs at home or far off in the grandstand - these jockeys were IN THE THICK OF IT and they BOTH said Zenyatta would've had this if one tiny detail of the race had been changed. Going to trust the people on the horses before I believe someone watching from afar. Just to clarify, I'm not saying Blame isn't great. He is. He just is not better than Zenyatta and got very lucky in this race. The better horse lost this race.
Blame got the trip , She saw him at the last minute. 6 wide charging like the Attack of the 50ft women. (old movie) He's not in her league. Did you see the after Burners , she passed Looking at Lucky , Pricked her and once she saw Blame she got back in gear..
+A Sincerejnn yes,but in the pantheon of bc classic winners,Blame isnt in the top 20 . no way was he better than alysheba,unbridled,sunday silence,skip away,tiznow,or ghodtzapper. all were better than blame or zenyatta...
I doubt you could name 20 horses who were legitimately better than Zenyatta from any time anywhere. Only a few horses had her late kick, the fabulous closer and nemesis of Dr. Fager, Damascus, Buckpasser, Kelso and Secretariat. Kelso and Secretariat, what a duo! Not personal, JMO
Many people underrate Blame, a horse who ran down Quality Road at Saratoga at 9f which is Quality Road's optimum distance. At that Distance Quality Road could have run with anyone even up. In her last race Zenyatta was so nervous because of the crowd they had to have six handlers to get her through the tunnel to the track. The energy expenditure of that struggle should depleted her early and she should have not even hit the board. Also the track was 2 1/5 seconds off that night due to the bad weather which makes the run of both horses astonishing. "alysheba,eady goer,sunday silence,unbridled,holy bul" no! Easy Goer had bad ankles that had to be treated constantly. In the world of If, ands, or butts Easer Goer with good ankles would have been a monster among the others, along with others career with very short careers due to injury such as Raise a Native, Hoist The Flag, Graustark, Kaui King, and lastly a horse very much like Easy Goer, Buckpasser who threw up 15 in a row. I don't doubt you could put up hundreds, but that would be incorrect. Just everones opinion. Zipse at HRN has the great mare at 23 all time. I have her at 19.
The better horse won. Blame was better than Zenyatta on this day. You can't blame Mike Smith for running the same gameplan that had worked every time before. Zenyatta just found a horse she couldn't quite catch. Blame ran a great race. Give him some credit.
I agree, and to add to that, the pace was rapid and contested by 6 horses. This was a dream set up for closers. Not only did Blame beat her this day, he also beat the top males of 2010 throughout the year when those males were on their preferred surfaces and distances and while they were in top form. Everyone points out one second-place finish to Haynesfield when he won loose on the lead, but since Blame defeated him in 2 out of 3 meetings, it's safe to say Blame was the better animal. He got no credit, and if owned him I would be very upset being denied HOY honors. He won 5 open male races against the best AND beat Zenyatta. Since we all know open-division male races are the toughest GI's, how does Zenyatta's zero wins in open male company in 2010 outweigh that? Zero wins against GI males vs Blames 5 wins against open males and a defeat of Zenyatta? The math is off, and so was the voting.
Greta Stall Unfortunately when a hero or heroine loses, the blame stats going around. In fact that winning jockey becomes the villain. How is Blame doing?
Zenyatta broke badly out of the gate which put her far behind the field. But she still ran down the rest of the field very quickly and almost caught Blame. If she would have broke well she would have had enough track to easily run Blame down.
His public workout is on youtube "Frankel racecourse gallop" ,and if memory serves, it was a few weeks before his clash with Excelebration at Newbury !
Tiznow lost to Skimming in the Pacific Classic, but Skimming was injured in the JCGC and didn't make the Breeders Cup. The following year Tiznow was again beaten by Skimming, but Skimming was injured again in the stretch in the Goodwood and, again, didn't make the Breeders Cup.
They say Secretariat had the biggest heart of any race horse, almost twice the size of a normal heart. He could run all day at any speed he wants and beat any horse in his path. That horse will never run out of gas. But looking at how Zenyatta runs her races, I ask, who really had the bigger heart?
I don't care that she lost. She was at one point 20 lengths back. Was not comfortable on the track at all. Kick back she wasn't to. Despite all this, she overcame ALL OF IT. To just miss by a NOSE. A. NOSE. Beating all but one of the best colts in the country at the time. If that doesn't make for an incredible race, I don't know what does. Hands down the best race OF HER CAREER.
When a loss is a win, you know you’ve witnessed something incredible. Even Blame’s jockey had mixed emotions about beating her. Now that’s a true sign of absolute respect for the impact that Zenyata had on horse racing. He was happy to make her 19-1, but would’ve been just as happy to see her at 20-0 at the expense of another horse. That was absolutely fantastic!!!
Zenyatta is still one of the greatest racehorses and one of the greatest racehorse mares ever even with this upsetting loss! 19 wins out of 20 starts! what an incredible mare and an incredible career
Z never lost. Had she not been bottled up for so long she would have gotten there. Part of the perils of being a closer. Blame was never better than her not on this day or any day!
I've been a UK-based mega-fan of the sport for 3/4 of my life and this race has resonated more powerfully with me than any other. One thing: I heard this race online in Krakow, Poland (pictures weren't available) and, even today, I prefer to close my eyes and relive the thrill, conveyed brilliantly by Trevor Denman, as that freak of a mare so nearly pulls off the impossible. Btw is anyone else enjoying the current Racing Post series "Queens of the Turf" and wondering how high she'll finish?
18 lengths behind and lost by a kneck. Greatest ever filly in the world on my life time and thats not easy to say against horses like enable. zarakava. But zenyatta was cut from a completely different cloth.
@Kostly, Totally agree. Switch is a damn fine filly. And just finishing her 3yr.old season, too. She's franked that great run against Zenyatta in the Lady's Secret by running 2nd to the female sprinter eclipse award winner, Dubai Majesty, in the Breeders Cup F&M Sprint. Then Switch just recently won the G1 Le Brea Stakes at Santa Anita. Mike Smith once commented that he thought Switch was a tougher filly for Zenyatta to run down in the Lady's Secret than St Trinians was in the Vanity Handicap.
@BeetleSales The ratings for that BCC tripled over last year's BCC, so you can't say that they would have increased anyway. And no, the world doesn't stop just because one person leaves the sport, but that doesn't mean it's the same. Without Zenyatta, I don't have a horse to root for in every race. I don't have a horse with as much personality- no other horse dances before their race.
One of the greatest losing performances of all-time.
I was fortunate enough to be at Churchill Downs for this race, sitting in a lower box seat just past the finish line. I watched Zenyatta dance by in front of me before the race as she was led from the barn to the paddock by the groom and trainer John Shirreffs. The whole experience was magical... right up to the finish. The reaction by the crowd is unforgettable. Some people began sobbing, others seemed not sure if Zenyatta had lost, yet what I recall most was the near silence. A crowd that moments earlier had been roaring was suddenly close to silent, much like a wake or funeral, saddened and stunned all at once. I looked up to the crowd on the balcony and there were many people being consoled with faces buried in suits. It was more than losing money or a horse race, a dream had been lost.
What a great expirence and story. Thanks for sharing.
YES! The crowd was roaring, and then the noise just died. It was the craziest thing to watch everyone's faces fall, and the palpable disappointment rise.
We drove from Florida to see the race, my first time actually watching a major race in person. Z lost, but tried her heart out. Then we had a flat tire on the drive home and couldn't get the flat off. AAA came the next morning, replaced the tire, and then my ex-husband totaled the car a few more hours down the road. 🤦♀️ I think I was bad luck for Zenyatta that day, sorry everyone! 😅
RIP Garrett Gomez. One of the all-time greats.
In my opinion, this is without doubt one of Trevor Denman’s best calls. Knowing the result all these years later, you still get excited listening to the call thinking that maybe just maybe Zenyatta is going to get by Blame even though we know she didn’t. He captured the emotion of the race perfectly.
Je admitted it was a biased call but amazing. I wish anu raving fan vould have been there.
The grandstans WAS SHAKING!!!
@@jsl964 The grandstands were shaking during that stretch run, but the disappointment after she lost was really something to behold. I've never seen the like.
You are spot on. It absolutely confirmed her greatness. Even Andy Beyer had to admit it, and believe me, it killed him to acknowledge how great she was. Her stretch run was one of the greatest in history, win or lose. She is the greatest female horse of the last 112 years.
I don’t think there was ever a better dirt route mare in history. This race still hurts. If she could have gotten out of traffic a split second sooner.
Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra, and Eight Belles were some of the best fillies of all time.
@@YogsenForfothadd Go For Wand, Lady's Secret, Ruffian, Personal Ensign, Beholder, Winning Colors, Genuine Risk, Azeri
Lucas said he'd wished he'd gotten Terlingua later in his career. He said she was maybe the best filly he'd ever seen.
And can't leave out Winx, no horse will ever win 30 consecutive races. Then you have to add Black Caviar.
Oh how blessed we've been to see these female superstars.
@@YogsenForfoth Inside Information was better than all of them.
@@jackprecip5389
Wasn’t better than Zenyatta.
I was at this race; I'm just your typical 25 y/o guy. When she broke free of the pack and made that run down the stretch I completely lost control of myself; I was screaming like a lunatic, trying to will her on to victory.
Zenyatta's greatness is inarguable. When it came time to perform, she answered the call in every single one of her races, with this one being her swan song. In my mind she never lost.
I love Zenyatta. She may be just a horse but I'll never see anything like her again.
Zenyatta is one of best racehorses in history. The 2010 Breeders Cup Classic was a tough race, but she stayed strong and performed magnificently. I take heart in the fact that she must have thought that she won this race, just as she won all those other races. She's a beautiful runner and she has an amazing kick.
True.. But jock had her entirely too far back that even great Zenyatta couldn't get there on time.
Zenyatta not even in top 20 best horses ever.....not even best mare.
@@racing747 True, but she didn't like the dirt in her face either. CD was Blame's favorite track, he'd already won there more than once. I think John should have had her on dirt more than he did. But, she still was amazing. My husband and I were at the 2010 race. You should have heard that crowd at the end.... The paddock was a mad house. Crazy. She was a rock star, for sure.
Doesn't even crack top 50 in uk racing
@@tonygunk2226 To be honest all countries have different tracks. Especially American dirt tracks it has been hard to break in if you are a foreign horse. Same with Japanese turf race tracks in current years. Even in European tracks the home country horses tend to have the advantage.
All these years I still come back to watch these and cry every single time. I feel honored to have experienced her in my lifetime.
I still tear up watching this race! Zenyatta is one of the best horses ever. She ran out of track! Always a winner!!!
Me to
Doesn't happen often, but every great once and a blue moon, a horse comes along who's ability is so special that you'll learn as much about that horse's intelligence, heart, & determination in the slimmest of losses to another top shelf contender where everything they had was left on the racetrack moreso than you'd learn if they'd won the race. This race without question qualifies as an "every great once and a blue moon."
Flightline
Broke my big toe watching this race. Sat myself right in front of the TV and jumped up with excitement, poorly obviously, near the finish. Still gives me goosebumps ❤
I was fortunate enough to be standing on the first turn and have never seen a horse that indulged or placated to the crowd as she did. She cemented herself as my favorite horse of all time that day.
One of the greatest races I've ever seen.
I STILL keep waiting for her to catch him.
@Don't Bet Chalk 1997 Most of them lose, sooner or later. Secretariat; 4 times, the "Zen" once, by a diminishing head, taking all the worst of it...
@SNK Drone How exciting was the 73 Belmont? Halfway through that race, people were already lining up to use the bathroom. It was over after a minute of racing. The winner turned out to have an unusually large heart, which made him run faster than everyone else. That was a yawner, excuse me. This Breeder's Cup was far more heart-stopping. A six and a half year old lady horse getting left behind early by all the younger champion stallions, only to catch them all except one whose owner was praying that she won't pass his horse at the wire.
20+ lengths off the lead early to lose by a head charging hard. Amazing heart.
it still brings a tear to my eye when i see this race
La pudo a ver ganado si Mike smiw no la deja tan lejo
Lol I'm literally tearing up now watching this 12 years later.
I can't believe how old this race is now 😭
@@SyracuseStunner I just don't usually watch this for that very reason! Thanks Jerry Moss for racing another year putting her perfect record at risk! Just a heartbreaking loss, definitely her best race...
Zenyatta is still a champion in my heart(:
She ran 18 lengths and passed the whole herd and if she had gotten 1 more stride in she coulda won it! i
Blame is one amazing horse - NO QUESTION.
However, not at all sure why people continue to bash the beautiful and amazing Zenyatta. I was there to witness this race and I am so glad I made the trip.
Have fun in 'retirement' pretty girl!
Keep watching, everyone: Zen's gonna get up one of these days. She won this race in several multiverses.
To be fair there are also multiverses where she flattens out in the stretch and finishes off the board
@@DanielSong39 They never talk about those multiverses. Seems to be a multiverse rule.
She was an absolute amazon. She brought it EVERY time.
What an effort to get second by Zenyatta, most of the time the horse flattens out in mid-stretch after such a big effort and finishes off the board
what? Dont know much about horses? I would say it just was a big mistake by the jockey, getting second with the best horse, this was his fault as he admitted later
Let me add that Zenyatta and her connections did the sport proud! I thought I would not ever see a horse that capture a audience again like the great Cigar did in the 90's. I do love this sport of kings and wish our younger crowd would understand that there is more to this sport then a wager. This one of the few sports you can feel like you are part of a team even if it is for a single race or when you follow a horse career!
Why do I do this to myself?
Louie Lou Real Quiet vs Victory Gallop - Belmont
Saddest TC race ever.
Because you know that one day you'll come back and watch this, and she'll win. ;-)
Because the race she ran was probably her best. That was an unbelievable run. Blame had the perfect trip and barely won.
I see you didn't bet on Blame
You're still the greatest Lady Z! Nothing to be ashamed of. No other horse could have come from 20 lengths back like you did. A tremendous way to go out.
Pause it at 2:05 or play in slow motion, Zenyatta passed blame right after finish line. 😥
I have and I think she won with her right leg actually coming in first ♥️🤣
Zenyatta brought people from the entire sports world together that day. It transcended all of sports for about 30 minutes. For 20 years we have been going to Las Vegas to watch the Breeders Cup. Never have we seen such a pack house at Caesar Palace sports book. About an hour before the race it was like a tsunami of people crept in. The amount of people there at that particular moment that were rooting for Zenyatta surpassed the college football crowd by 10 times over
good god, she was SO stuck in traffic. Any other odds, she would have taken this easily and she clearly had the heart to do it. Long live Queen Z. So grateful to her for letting me witness how great she is
One word for Zenyatta... Magnificent.
Although I wanted her to win so bad, it still may be my favorite BC Classic, they way she fought from last to almost first.
Zenyatta gave horse racing sooooooo much color it just feels so empty knowing we wont get to see the great Zen run again it she was an inspiration and a phenominal philly one of the greatest ever im happy to witness her in my generation ive been a big horse racing fan for over eight years and im only eighteen i love you zenyatta congrats on what you have accomplished you raced twenty times and only beat by one horse congrats girl you were an honor to get to see run in person
One of the absolute greatest performance I have ever seen in sports
The look on her owners face, u can see him stomach turn. I have watched this race 20 times and it never gets old,i love the commentary. If she had won it would certainly, undoubtably have been the best race I have ever seen and believe me I watch a lot
I met Blame recently at Claiborne Farm. He has a sweet personality and still impressive stallion. For some reason, Zenyatta's loss to him doesn't sting quite as much as it did before.
It was a bad ride and shit happens- not her fault at all. Blame lost plenty of races.
I will never forget how heartbroken I was for Zenyatta. That was a performance for the ages.
RIP Garrett! You will always be one of the best ever to ride in this Sport!🏇🏿🏇🏿🏇🏿
I've grown up around horses from the time I was 9 (38 now), but I've never really cared much about them. My mom told me about this race so I figured I would check it out.....
Zenyatta gave me chills. In spite of missing the mark by such a short amount...what a incredible run.
One of the most gut-wrenching losses ever. No disrespect to Blame but Zenyatta is the horse that will live on in our memories. A true legend.
Ways, 3 months later and watching this race still gets my heart pumping!
Zenyatta was a monster. This race, despite it being a loss, was testament to her ability. They said she couldn't do it but even coming in second, she did. She showed doubters what true greatness is and had she not run into traffic and had she had the race been a few yards longer she would have won it. One of the most impressive stretch runs I've ever seen in all my years following this sport. Magnificence.
+riotracer well she was bigger than the colts she received weight from but in what way was she a monster?
+postcardterry yes, she ran 67 more feet than blame. I'd rather give back the 5 pounds and run 67 feet less..
+saveus228 Not having that Sir! Zenyatta was 0.8 lengths down fifty yards out and 0.1 down at the line in receipt of five pounds from winner. She was 1.5 lengths up on the third , Fly Down, 300 yards out and beat him/her 3.4 lengths! She did nothing spectacular, was drawn ok and couldn`t win. She is overrated! Check out Dayjur or Arazi if you want to see BC heaven! Mysteriously both given the impossible draw but still spanked the yankee bum!
+saveus228 Saveus228 my deluded friend ! Zenyatta ran against a poor lot by historical standards and in seventeen races, she had seven or less rivals! On five occasions, she won by 1/2 length or less and in her final race she was beaten by a smaller horse who was giving her five pounds. Check out Dayjur and Arazi my friend but note that both had impossible draws at BC. What astonishing things did Switch(beaten 1/2),Rinterval(beaten neck) or St Trinians(beaten 1/2length)Anabaa`s Creation(beaten head)or Tough Tiz`s Sister(beaten 1/2 length) do on the racetrack?Do you really think that she would have beaten Barbaro or American Pharoah??
+postcardterry Its interesting that you left out all the horses she beat in both BC Classics to make your point..How come you left out all the G1 winners and Kentucky Derby winners she beat in both races? I think she was a great horse, but the greatest? Who knows? She caught the horses that were put in front of her.. Also if you want historical standards check to see if there has EVER, in horses racing HISTORY , been a horse that won 19 straight races in a row coming from dead last, every time, at ANY level, in any country that has held a horse race.... You can go back as long as you want and you won't find one..
Regardless if you think she is overrated or not you have to give her credit for doing something no horse has ever done before anywhere in the world, in the history of the sport, and if you really like horse racing you have to appreciate that..
The most impressive Breeders Cup Classic in the last 10 years still remains Ghostzapper's anhilliation in 2004 of Roses In May, Pleasantly Perfect, Perfect Drift, Funny Cyde, Birdstone and Azeri. The way the Zapper toyed with that solid field while setting a track record was just not fair.
I'd have won about a hundred grand on that day had Better Talk Now been disqualified (I had Wilco and Ghostzapper). I was sick to my stomach without anything on the easiest and surest BC classic win ever by a horse who, on figures, was among the greatest ever to run.
ZANYATAS two breaders cup runs against the boys was just eyecatching. The loss to blame by a nose after being 22 lenths back was incredible
Just watched Zenyatta's 2009 victory. This was the next video. Every time I see it, I get keyed up when she switches to the outside, and every time,I think she's going to get there like she had every other start.
Tom Kim Shields,
I agree. I have watched this replay 40-50 times and wish so much for 10 more yards of track.
I get choked up watching her fly down the backstretch. And this announcer has the best voice for calling races.
It just looked like she couldn't quite get her footing in the first half of the race?
I just know on one of these replays she will pull it out😊
A trip to see her in person would be worth it to me.
@@frankkinley6272 I got ten more yards for you.
@@frankkinley6272 I think she loses by a neck if the race is a few yards longer, Blame was pulling away at the wire
AND YES.
SHE GOT BY HIM IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WIRE..
I have a picture of the teletimer photo after the wire and her eyes could steql your soul
Freaking jockey of Zenyatta asked her to go far too late. He lost this race for her. I was watching this race as a teenager with my family, so excited to see the “dancing,” brilliant Zenyatta. Absolutely broke my heart to see her run out of track, but again, that was the fault of her jockey, not her. She was BRILLIANT❤
To this day when I watch it I think she is going to get there.
Still heartbreaking all these years later, I genuinely don't think I'll ever get over this race.
Everytime I watch this stretch run I still think she might just make it and get to the wire first.
Keep hoping.
if the race 5 more times she would destroy him
+A Sincerejnn .no,she wouldnt have...
yeah blame was dead game
@@Sincerejnn No, she wouldn't have. Zenyatta was no doubt a great horse, but her problem was, dropping so far back all the time. In synthetic races, which are run more like turf races, you can get away with that because the leaders are never that far away. Dirt races tend to have faster paces and favor horses with tactical speed, which Zenyatta didn't have. Smith didn't do anything wrong in that Classic, IMO. She just didn't pick it up until late. But that is the way she ran all her races.
I will never forget this race. A schmuck like me in Millionaires row.
The video doesnt do it justice but the patio was literally shaking from how loud the crowd was. Grat ride by GoGi.
Rip
Win or loose look at what she did!!!!!! It's simply amazing!!!!! Another length and it would have been hers ❤️
I always get chills when I watch this. I always hope that they made a mistake, that Zenyatta really did win. But I'll have to accept it. Zenyatta is still the best! Still unbeaten in my heart!
2020 and this race still hurts, she almost had it. RIP Garret Gomez.
I still watch it periodically hoping she will win.Garrett was a great guy so that eased the pain a little
I bet on Blame. One of the greatest overlays ever.
Me too. Blame-Zenyatta exacta!!
Just remember, Zenyatta was 6.5 years old female horse, twice the age of the other male horses. 20 lengths behind and passes everyone and lost by a nose. That is truly incredible, she is by far, the greatest horse that has ever lived, no horse has done ran from behind and wins like Zenyatta.
Umm,there was a horse named Secretariat that was pretty good. She is great but the best?
@@incrediblesulk555 Secretariat was great but lost several races. Zenyatta could be best filly ever. Of course, Zenyatta cannot beat Secretariat head to head at their primes but remember there is that gender difference. There's a reason fillies with stallions don't usually run together.
@@exfoliosthey run fillies with the boys more often overseas. I think economically it just makes sense to keep them in the filly division. I love to see the fillies take on the boys!
I gotta say, she was my favorite.
She was the best
Regardless about how great or not truly great anyone thinks about Zenyatta there is a FACT about the horse that was truly remarkable. She won 19 races in a row almost 20 by coming from far back DEAD LAST EVERY TIME!! Anyone who know anything about horse racing knows closers are up against it being at the mercy of pace ,traffic and wide trips.. Never has this been done in horse racing history by ANY horse at ANY LEVEL..Period..
Rob Talstra Fantastic horse who required the skills of a great jockey. She no doubt had the heart of winner. She seemed to know where the finish line was.
+Rob Talstra AMEN that is 100% on the money for a closer to win that many in a row is near impossible
+gmann67able not on synthetic it wasnt...
Mostly synthetic races which means NOTHING.
Native Dancer kind of did it. I don't think he was last most of the time, but he came from behind most of the time. He won all but 1 start.
@guitarlegend32 You can't forget the role that the jockey plays here. Mike Smith was the right jockey for this horse but even he admits that if he had to do it all over again he would have run a different race. There is also the dirt factor which Zenyatta wasn't used to. Then Mike decided to keep her on the inside instead of running around the outside. Maybe right, maybe not. Zenyatta is sleeping soundly at night but I bet Mike will never stop reliving this race.
I can never forgive mike smith for this
It was John Shirrefs fault..no works over dirt track to get used to it hitting her in the face...she ran mainly on synthetic tracks
IDK...Secretariat often started last. As if it took a few to gather himself. Then he blew their doors off. I would like to see his comments, TBH. Mike truly loved her in all the pics and videos I've seen. Different tracks, the size of the field, traffic, etc...I think a lot of factors come into play. Regardless. She's a great one!
This announcer call of this race gives me goosebumps
That is Trevor Denman.
Trevor Denman the voice of my childhood! My dad used to take me to Santa Anita in the early 1990s and just hearing him takes me back!
RIP Garrett Gonez
What happened to Garrett Gomez?? He was pretty young wasnt he?
patr70 I think it was related to his alcoholism/drug addiction
Fantastic jockey😀.The good die young🙁😢
@@richardliebe6974 The horses outlived him.
Garrett used to come to my restaurant every week when he was racing at Monmouth for the summer one year.He was an awesome guy.All we ever talked about was golf,he was a 5 handicap.What a great loss,so sad,I miss him
A foot from racing immortality. Only two other horses would have retired "more" undefeated - actually both were also mares. Black Caviar never raced outside Australia (25 wins). Kincsem won 54 races in what is now seven countries and defeated mostly male competition as she did it.
One of the saddest moments in Racing History
Worst than thee Triple Crown Meltdowns!! Mikey Why didnt you go Around instead of behind thee wall of Horses
No sadder than Real Quiet's Belmont.
Agree 100%..., and he had the gall to whip the horse down the back straight, How many times!?
Her only loss was arguably her greatest race. To come back from 20 lengths off the lead and almost win was historically amazing.
A horse finishing second is sad? How about Ruffian, Go for Wand, Mike Veniza, Mr Brooks, Barbaro, etc, etc.
I don't know why I do it to myself and keep watching this race!
Like the 04 Belmont this race still makes me sick.
s ME For me it's the '05 KD. Afleet Alex just running out of gas in the last f.
Agree with you there!! I also think just not enough room for a perfect trip. That horse was an athlete imo though.
Everytime I watch this I always hope the outcome will somehow be different. She is still an amazing horse and the most amazing female racehorse ever to live in my opinion.
highlight of my year
I think this might be the greatest race I've ever seen a horse run, certainly in defeat..
Definitely her best race despite it being her only loss.
It is a definitely a handicap to spot "other horses that close off the pace" that many lengths. Zenyatta typically does not fall that far back. Often she was not last on the first call. Mike had to use her on the back side at a time he typically doesn't have to. Also she ran sideways for bit in the stretch. Blame, a quality off the pace type horse had a nice ground saving trip; it was too much for Z To over come.
I do believe she would have passed Blame eventually - That is the only way Zenyatta knows how to run. She also thought that she had won - got up in time and started to pull her self up. That with the combination of Blame digging in, cost her 20/20
Blame was never behind Zenyatta at any point, he was extending his lead at the wire
@@DanielSong39 Extending his lead??? 1 maybe 2 more strides and Zenyatta passes Blame.
@@inigomontoya15 No, 2 strides later Blame was ahead by a neck
Then again, it doesn't matter since Blame was ahead at the wire
@@DanielSong39 Play it in slow motion...Zenyatta passed Blame at 2:05 right after finish line.
Blame honestly deserved to win this race. The field collapsed, which means Zenyatta who is a come from behind horse, had the most beneficial position when the horses in front collapsed. Blame is not a come from behind horse, he didn't have the benefit of running easy at the beginning, he kept fighting at towards the wire. Blame deserved that win, he had to fight for it. Zenyatta was incredible, and would have caught him had the race been any longer, but Blame deserved more credit for that win. He ran the hardest of any horse in that field. Too, people forget Blame was an fantastic racehorse in 2010. Blame simply put on that day, against that field, at that distance, was the best horse in the race.
Quality Road cost her the race. The exact time she lost getting around him, as he was practically backing up, was what she lost by. There is absolutely no doubt as to who the greatest horse in that race. Blame beat her, but by luck only. Without his dream trip, he would have lost, no doubt about it. She overcame a seriously bad beginning, a trip fraught with problems, and came within 4- 6 inches of winning from 20 back. She was a phenomenon.
Gotta give Blame credit for being the only horse who ever held Zenyatta off long enough. He still had to have something special just to do that.
He ran the race of his life but he had a ton of luck. Even in the Foster he would have been crushed by Battle Plan- a well beaten second, but Battle Plan suffered a suspensory injury in the stretch that ended his career.
Blame ran the race of his life and she had a bad trip- regardless- he didn't deserve HOY and he never would have even won the races he did had Battle Plan not suffered that career ending injury. .
@caz11533
I give Garrett Gomez credit for the perfect ride. Perhaps one of the best of all time. BLame never got his momentum broken and he kept his rhythm the entire race. Just the start alone where Zenyatta got squeezed by the 2 horses to the left and right cost her more than the margin of her defeat.
Spotted the boys 20 lengths and still almost won
Got a perfect suicidal pace duel to close into,and couldnt get there. Zero excuses...
Often the closer " in the pocket" or 2nd flight gets the jump in those scenarios, love betting those types..❤️🙏👉🇺🇸
Mike smith will never get over this race . This is the biggest fuck up by a jockey ever!
The effort that Blame and Zenyatta put forth in this race is really something to be applauded and treasured by true racing fans. The list of horses that Blame's beaten at CD reads like a who's who of dirt racing. Zenyatta found herself in a difficult position in this race. She could've easily folded, and just thrown in the towel. But that enormous champion's heart that drives her refused to let her. She ran her heart out, beaten a mere 6 inches by another great champion. No disgrace in that. JMO
I still can't believe how so many people take sports (including horse racing) so seriously that their disagreements with others cause them to insult the character, intelligence, and sometimes birth status of other commenters. Remember, the way we criticize others say far more about us than it does about the target of the criticism.
At any rate, Zenyatta showed herself to be an outstanding horse again in this race. It wasn't a great field. Certainly not as strong as the 2009 BC Classic -- which she won. But Blame deserved this win. Because Blame was in the second pack, he was only 5 lengths ahead of Zen for the majority of the race. He made his move slightly before she made hers. He had to fight through more traffic throughout his final surge. She had to fight to hook outside,but once there had clear running. The final 25 yards he held her off. Either Z slowed slightly or B stepped it up when she pulled alongside -- hard to tell. But her rate of gain on his disappeared in the final few strides when she still had a chance to catch him.
Zenyatta is a great racehorse. Not just a great race mare. She earned her stripes against males in the two BCs, but don't overstate the significance of her previous record against all-filly competition.Had those been regular races with males included she would have suffered a number of losses.
But keep things in context. Her time at Churchill Downs was 2:02.28. Secretariat's was 1:59.40 (Kentucky Derby). That means her rapid close would still have placed her 14-15 lengths behind Secretariat. And 11-12 lengths behind Sham. In fact, Our Native finished 8 lengths behind Sham and Forego was right with him . . . which means the best that Zen's CD performance would have gotten her is fifth. And remember those were just three year old colts, not fully grown/filled out adults. Zenyatta was a completely mature adult.
Finally some common sense. She was great, and I hate when I write comments that people take to mean I am denigrating her, but I feel she did nothing to be ranked amongst the like of Secretariat. You really make good sense here. Thank you for that! Also, I like how you point out the maturity vs immaturity factor, which most brush off.
Thank you for your astute personal insult, observation. I frequent a basketball blog where I am routinely insulted for my intelligence and called profane names, just because I have an opinion of my own, do my own stats to reach my own conclusions, and don't always go along with the crowd sentiment regarding players and coaches. We live in a Neanderthal Age Social Slime Pit, these days, is all I can conclude.
I agree with most of what you said except for the part where you state that if her other races had males in them she would have had more losses. That is just speculation. I doubt that any of those races would have had stronger fields than her 2009 and 2010 BCC races. Obviously no one can compare to Secretariat. As Chick Anderson said in his Belmont that Secretariat was moving like a tremendous machine, pretty much says it all. He was a "Tremendous Machine" with a heart twice the size of a normal thoroughbred!
If Mike Smith doesn't panic & move up to the back markers, where she usually is, she wins, the slight steady on the turn, the track was a little less cuppy, she wins! He stays in the middle, IDK, but most of all, she hesitated, shied from the whip, that she wasn't used to, While she was running her heart out as if to say, Wtf? Mike knew it in the post race interviews, any one factor she wins, the overview was useful this 1 time, ( I hate it) on the 1st turn, sooo far back! Still the best race she ever ran, always overcame adversity, just not this time, but that's horse racing.. now I finally put my thoughts down after all these years... Woulda bet 2 fisted the year before at 5-2, but I was broke & on the street. Was a no bet at 4-5 but I was undicipline, now I'm done.. cheers!
What was the track variant? You're talking about what most see as the greatest racehorse of all time and the track record at Churchill! This day the track was about 2.5 seconds off, lot of times and horses in between there. Alysheba was the one horse I think might beat Zenyatta on the square at 1 1/4 mi. And his "Derby" time is like 2:03...
One of the best horse's, male or female, to ever step foot on a race track. Three years in a row, the BC ladies classic ( Distaff), the BC Classic, and a damn close 2'nd in the BC classic the third year. Wow. What a lady!
Zenyatta was clearly the better horse, Mike Smith did a Pat Day, No way can you spot these horses 20 lengths, if they run this race 10 times, Zenyatta wins 9 times, The last 30 Years this Mare ranks up their with Easy Goer, Cigar and Ghostzapper, amazing horse!!!!
I can't put Easy Goer in that class, he lost his most important races with the exception of the Belmont.
Take a look at all of Easy Goer's races on TH-cam and look at his charts, Jockey errors cost him most of his losses, If they run the Classic 10 times, Easy Goer wins 8 times, Easy Goer was a machine..
All Easy Goer fans want to blame Pat Day because he disappointed. I deal with facts, he lost 3 out of 4 to Sunday silence and only beat him in ny at belmont. Not to mention getting beaten by is it true in the juvenile in 88. He rarely won the big one.
If we go by stats he was a much better horse than Sunday Silence, Easy Goer had 6+120beyers,more than any horse in the past 40 years, all his races were near broken track races. He Broke Secretariats mile record and no horse other than Secretariat ran a faster Belmont, those are facts!!If Easy Goer and Sunday Silence ran today in any track, Easy Goer would be favorite.
And how many races did Easy Goer lose as the favorite? All those big races he ran wasnt against Sunday silence? He was supposed to run like that he was bred to be a superstar, he was expected to win the triple crown. The facts are aside from the belmont where he ran on his home track, he couldn't win the big one. He failed to win the big race at 2. He failed to win the big race at 3. At 4, he finished behind criminal type and housebuster in the met mile. He might be the greatest horse to never win horse of the year. That's what you call underachieving.
I’m a big sports fan, however, not so much a horse racing fan. But, Zenyatta captured my heart in 2009, and remember watching this race. I was so emotionally invested and it broke my heart when she lost at the end. Had the race been 5-10 m longer....
When Blame's jockey says he wouldn't want to rematch Zenyatta because he knows he had a perfect trip in this race and if Blame met Zenyatta again, he would lose....and when Mike Smith knows with another step or moving a little sooner, he would've caught Blame, that should pretty much cement the fact that Zenyatta would have won this. I don't know how everyone is making these calls otherwise from their armchairs at home or far off in the grandstand - these jockeys were IN THE THICK OF IT and they BOTH said Zenyatta would've had this if one tiny detail of the race had been changed. Going to trust the people on the horses before I believe someone watching from afar.
Just to clarify, I'm not saying Blame isn't great. He is. He just is not better than Zenyatta and got very lucky in this race. The better horse lost this race.
Blame got the trip , She saw him at the last minute. 6 wide charging like the Attack of the 50ft women. (old movie) He's not in her league. Did you see the after Burners , she passed Looking at Lucky , Pricked her and once she saw Blame she got back in gear..
+A Sincerejnn yes,but in the pantheon of bc classic winners,Blame isnt in the top 20
. no way was he better than alysheba,unbridled,sunday silence,skip away,tiznow,or ghodtzapper. all were better than blame or zenyatta...
I doubt you could name 20 horses who were legitimately better than Zenyatta from any time anywhere. Only a few horses had her late kick, the fabulous closer and nemesis of Dr. Fager, Damascus, Buckpasser, Kelso and Secretariat. Kelso and Secretariat, what a duo! Not personal, JMO
+fireworm678 i could name 100.....secretariat,seattle slew,affirmed,spectacular bid,forego,alysheba,eady goer,sunday silence,unbridled,holy bull etc..
Many people underrate Blame, a horse who ran down Quality Road at Saratoga at 9f which is Quality Road's optimum distance. At that Distance Quality Road could have run with anyone even up. In her last race Zenyatta was so nervous because of the crowd they had to have six handlers to get her through the tunnel to the track. The energy expenditure of that struggle should depleted her early and she should have not even hit the board. Also the track was 2 1/5 seconds off that night due to the bad weather which makes the run of both horses astonishing. "alysheba,eady goer,sunday silence,unbridled,holy bul" no! Easy Goer had bad ankles that had to be treated constantly. In the world of If, ands, or butts Easer Goer with good ankles would have been a monster among the others, along with others career with very short careers due to injury such as Raise a Native, Hoist The Flag, Graustark, Kaui King, and lastly a horse very much like Easy Goer, Buckpasser who threw up 15 in a row. I don't doubt you could put up hundreds, but that would be incorrect. Just everones opinion. Zipse at HRN has the great mare at 23 all time. I have her at 19.
A Sea the Stars foal out of Zenyatta. I'd say it would be so special it would cook the trainer eggs in the morning
The better horse won. Blame was better than Zenyatta on this day. You can't blame Mike Smith for running the same gameplan that had worked every time before. Zenyatta just found a horse she couldn't quite catch. Blame ran a great race. Give him some credit.
I agree, and to add to that, the pace was rapid and contested by 6 horses. This was a dream set up for closers. Not only did Blame beat her this day, he also beat the top males of 2010 throughout the year when those males were on their preferred surfaces and distances and while they were in top form. Everyone points out one second-place finish to Haynesfield when he won loose on the lead, but since Blame defeated him in 2 out of 3 meetings, it's safe to say Blame was the better animal. He got no credit, and if owned him I would be very upset being denied HOY honors. He won 5 open male races against the best AND beat Zenyatta. Since we all know open-division male races are the toughest GI's, how does Zenyatta's zero wins in open male company in 2010 outweigh that? Zero wins against GI males vs Blames 5 wins against open males and a defeat of Zenyatta? The math is off, and so was the voting.
Agreed!
Greta Stall Unfortunately when a hero or heroine loses, the blame stats going around. In fact that winning jockey becomes the villain. How is Blame doing?
Abbott Pinkerton not so sure the 'better' horse won.
Zenyatta broke badly out of the gate which put her far behind the field. But she still ran down the rest of the field very quickly and almost caught Blame. If she would have broke well she would have had enough track to easily run Blame down.
His public workout is on youtube "Frankel racecourse gallop" ,and if memory serves, it was a few weeks before his clash with Excelebration at Newbury !
TIZNOW's record stays intact. :)
Tiznow lost to Skimming in the Pacific Classic, but Skimming was injured in the JCGC and didn't make the Breeders Cup. The following year Tiznow was again beaten by Skimming, but Skimming was injured again in the stretch in the Goodwood and, again, didn't make the Breeders Cup.
They say Secretariat had the biggest heart of any race horse, almost twice the size of a normal heart. He could run all day at any speed he wants and beat any horse in his path. That horse will never run out of gas. But looking at how Zenyatta runs her races, I ask, who really had the bigger heart?
I still can't get over it.
lol me neither.
Such heart zenyatta, crying
I don't care that she lost. She was at one point 20 lengths back. Was not comfortable on the track at all. Kick back she wasn't to. Despite all this, she overcame ALL OF IT. To just miss by a NOSE. A. NOSE. Beating all but one of the best colts in the country at the time.
If that doesn't make for an incredible race, I don't know what does. Hands down the best race OF HER CAREER.
This loss proves that zenyatta would of never beaten Rachel Alexandra. Rachel was a sprinter all the way from start to finish
When a loss is a win, you know you’ve witnessed something incredible. Even Blame’s jockey had mixed emotions about beating her. Now that’s a true sign of absolute respect for the impact that Zenyata had on horse racing. He was happy to make her 19-1, but would’ve been just as happy to see her at 20-0 at the expense of another horse. That was absolutely fantastic!!!
That's on Mike Smith.
Zenyatta will go down in history as one of the greatest race horses that has ever lived. Period.
Zenyatta is still one of the greatest racehorses and one of the greatest racehorse mares ever even with this upsetting loss! 19 wins out of 20 starts! what an incredible mare and an incredible career
Z never lost. Had she not been bottled up for so long she would have gotten there. Part of the perils of being a closer. Blame was never better than her not on this day or any day!
great race, GREAT call by Trevor Denman!!
Wow! Garret Gómez a tremendos rider, he rode with an injuried shoulder and a great pain.
I've been a UK-based mega-fan of the sport for 3/4 of my life and this race has resonated more powerfully with me than any other. One thing: I heard this race online in Krakow, Poland (pictures weren't available) and, even today, I prefer to close my eyes and relive the thrill, conveyed brilliantly by Trevor Denman, as that freak of a mare so nearly pulls off the impossible. Btw is anyone else enjoying the current Racing Post series "Queens of the Turf" and wondering how high she'll finish?
She should be considered one of the best ever. Just amazing horse!
18 lengths behind and lost by a kneck. Greatest ever filly in the world on my life time and thats not easy to say against horses like enable. zarakava. But zenyatta was cut from a completely different cloth.
I watched this race live and I think I shed a tear when I saw Zenyatta come from behind and fight his way to the top, to just lose by a few inches.
Her..lol
@Kostly, Totally agree. Switch is a damn fine filly. And just finishing her 3yr.old season, too. She's franked that great run against Zenyatta in the Lady's Secret by running 2nd to the female sprinter eclipse award winner, Dubai Majesty, in the Breeders Cup F&M Sprint. Then Switch just recently won the G1 Le Brea Stakes at Santa Anita. Mike Smith once commented that he thought Switch was a tougher filly for Zenyatta to run down in the Lady's Secret than St Trinians was in the Vanity Handicap.
One of the greatest race calls of all time
Happy Birthday to Blame, who WON IT, with a winning ride from the late Hall of Fame jockey Garrett "Go Go" Gomez. RIP Go Go.
Etched, one of my all-time favorites!
@BeetleSales The ratings for that BCC tripled over last year's BCC, so you can't say that they would have increased anyway. And no, the world doesn't stop just because one person leaves the sport, but that doesn't mean it's the same. Without Zenyatta, I don't have a horse to root for in every race. I don't have a horse with as much personality- no other horse dances before their race.