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Zenyatta crowned in Milady Mr. & Mrs. Jerry S. Moss' ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) was squeezed back at the start of Saturday's $183,300 Milady H. (G2) and came three wide around the final turn, but neither of those events fazed the ultra-talented four-year-old as she drew off to keep her record perfect from five career starts. Zenyatta found herself pinched back when rivals on both sides came over on her at the break. Neither she nor jockey Mike Smith panicked, merely taking up their customary position at the back of the pack while fellow Grade 1 winner Romance is Diane (In Excess [Ire]) proceeded to set splits of :24 3/5, :48 and 1:11 3/5 while clear on the front end. Nearing the final turn, the rest of the field began overtaking the long-time leader, but none had the momentum of Zenyatta. Smith merely shook the reins at his mount and she pulled even with the first flight while running three wide on the turn. For a brief moment, Santa Teresita (Lemon Drop Kid) challenged the eventual winner in the stretch, but couldn't keep up in the shadow of the wire and finished 2 1/2 lengths back in second. Zenyatta was the prohibitive 1-5 favorite in the five-horse field, returning $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10 while keying the $5.80 exacta ($1), $30.90 trifecta ($1) and $58.10 superfecta ($1) (6-8-1-4). Santa Teresita was best of the rest to pay $5.20 and $4 at 11-1, while another 5 3/4 lengths back came Kris' Sis (Forestry), who gave back $5.20 as the 20-1 longshot. Romance is Diane followed by another 5 1/2 lengths, then came Double Trouble (Brz) (Wild Event). Foxysox (GB) (Foxhound), La Tee (Broken Vow) and Model (Giant's Causeway) were all withdrawn. Zenyatta began her career over Hollywood's Cushion Track, taking her debut by three lengths and an allowance by 3 1/2 lengths toward the end of 2007. She made her four-year-old bow at Santa Anita, capturing the El Encino S. (G2), then jumped up to face reigning champion older mare Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) in the Apple Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park. On that day, she once again settled near the rear of the field before coming with her rapid rally to score by 4 1/2 lengths. With the winner's share from this one, Zenyatta has now accumulated $554,580 in lifetime earnings. Bred by Maverick Production Limited in Kentucky, Zenyatta is out of the winning Vertigineux (Kris S.), making her a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 queen Balance (Thunder Gulch), an unraced juvenile filly named Treasure Trail (Pulpit) and an unnamed yearling colt by Giant's Causeway. The four-year-old miss was a bargain at only $60,000 for her owners at the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
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