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'Sensational' first winner for Zensational Multiple Grade 1 hero Zensational (Unbridled's Song) was represented by his first winning progeny on Sunday when his juvenile daughter Sensational Nikki captured the 2ND race at Hollywood Park. The chestnut miss, trained by Peter Miller and ridden by Edwin Maldonado, was sent off the 6-5 favorite and scored in her racing debut by three parts of a length over 32-1 longshot Wired for Fun (Birdonthewire). The Rockingham Ranch colorbearer ran five furlongs on the Cushion Track in 1:00. Zensational wasn't able to find success in his debut for trainer Bill Mott at Saratoga as a juvenile, but after being transferred to Bob Baffert and shipped to the West Coast the front-running gray posted a 3 3/4-length victory at Santa Anita in February 2009. He was just caught while stretching out in a one-mile optional claimer after holding a wide margin early in his next try, and was given a slight break. The Kentucky-bred returned two months later at Hollywood Park to take a 6 1/2-furlong optional claimer and was thrown to the wolves in his next race, the Triple Bend H. (G1), while making his stakes bow. Zensational didn't falter, conquering that seven-furlong event before adding the Bing Crosby H. (G1) and Pat O'Brien (G1) in succession to his resume. The Zayat Stables runner tried to go out with a bang when contesting the 2009 Breeders' Cup Sprint, but was unable to gain his favored spot on the lead and found himself boxed in on the turn. He wound up fifth, beaten just 1 3/4 lengths, on the wire as the 9-5 favorite, and retired with an 8-5-1-0 mark having accumulated $669,300 in career earnings. Bred by Claiborne Farm, Zensational is out of the multiple stakes-winning Joke (Phone Trick), who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 3 heroine Trip (Lord at War) as well as the dam of Illinois Derby (G3) victor Departing (War Front), and passed through the sales ring twice. He brought $20,000 as a Keeneland September yearling before attracting $700,000 from Zayat at the Fasig-Tipton February Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Zensational currently stands for a $15,000 fee, stands and nurses, at Hill 'n' Dale Farms near Lexington, Kentucky.
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