Who doesn’t want Zenyatta to win the Breeders Cup Classic on Saturday? Her fans include so many from the ranks of the rich and famous, I expect to hear that the Pope, Queen Elizabeth and the Dalai Lama claim to be Zenyatta fans by racetime on Saturday. One thing’s for certain: horse racing hasn’t had this much fun in a long, long time!
By the way, the fellow in the dark sports jacket and glasses who sounds like he knows what he’s talking about is Joe Drape, horse racing reporter and blogger for the New York Times. Nice to hear that he’s a fan of Personal Ensign and Ruffian, two great fillies who came before Zenyatta.
Personal Ensign retired undefeated in 1988 after winning the Breeders Cup Distaff. She had won 13 out of 13 lifetime starts and was the first champion racehorse of either sex to retire undefeated in 80 years.
And Ruffian? We all know about Ruffian. If you don’t: Ruffian was three years old in 1975 and 10 for 10 when she ran her match race at Belmont Park against Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure. Secretariat’s trainer, Lucien Lauren, said she might even be better than Secretariat had been. She was in the lead, beating Foolish Pleasure, when she broke down. She was euthanized after surgery complications from anesthesia recovery.
Everyone who ever wept for Ruffian feels something stirring for Zenyatta. Don’t try to analyze it, just enjoy the thrill of the races for the next two days. And when Zenyatta struts onto the track on Saturday, it’s going to be a moment in history you won’t forget.
Go ahead and cheer.
by Fran Jurga | The Jurga Report at Equisearch.comBe friends withFran Jurga on Facebook.com
