Zenyatta Wins The Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita Park March 13
Jerry and Ann Moss’s undefeated Zenyatta, ridden by jockey Mike Smith, won Saturday’s $250,000 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park March 13 and extended her winning streak to 15.
Trained by John Shirreffs, Zenyatta covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.20 and paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10. Dance to My Tune, under jockey Martin Garcia, placed second and returned $19 and $9.40. Floating Heart with jockey Joe Talamo aboard came in third and paid $4.20 to show.
The 6-year-old mare Zenyatta faced the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap field by unleashing her trademark late run to win under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in her 2010 horse racing season debut.
“Everybody really loves her,” co-owner Jerry Moss said. “Everybody’s so pleased to have her back and to root for her, and when she wins, she makes everybody happy.”
In the New Orleans Ladies Stakes at the Fair Grounds, 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra was upset in her season debut, possibly jeopardizing the highly anticipated first meeting with Zenyatta in Oaklawn Park‘s Apple Blossom next month in Arkansas.
“I’m sorry she lost, but she lost to a better horse,” race horse owner Jerry Moss said. “We’ll see what happens in the next race. Hopefully, she’ll come back a stronger racehorse in a month, and we’ll see the real Rachel, so to speak.”
The two leading ladies of American horse racing were using Saturday’s races as tuneups for their scheduled April 9 showdown. Moss said he intends to run her there as planned, while Rachel Alexandra’s race horse trainer Steve Asmussen was non-committal.
Other horses that raced in Santa Anita‘s Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap in order of finish: Striking Dancer, Pretty Unusual, Made for Magic, Pretty Katherine and Gripsholm Castle. Powerofvoodoo was scratched.
Tags: Dance to My Tune, Floating Heart, Gripsholm Castle, Made for Magic, Powerofvoodoo, Pretty Katherine, Pretty Unusual, Striking Dancer, Zenyatta
"Zenyatta Wins The Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita Park March 13" was posted on 13 March 2010 10:51 PM under Horse Racing News, Horse Racing Results & Payouts, Horses, Race Tracks, Stakes Races
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