Zenyatta honored with inaugural Secretariat Vox Populi Award

Zenyatta honored with inaugural Secretariat Vox Populi

Award

From the covers of national magazines to more recently the silver screen,

"America's Horse" Secretariat captured the heart of a nation. On Wednesday, his

celebrated owner, Penny Chenery, announced the creation of an award that will

annually recognize a horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded

with the American public and gained recognition for the sport during the past

year. The award is the first of its kind in horse racing.

The inaugural Secretariat Vox Populi Award, or "Voice of the People," will be

awarded to ZENYATTA, the brilliant mare whose only loss in her 20-race career

was a nail-biting defeat in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) last October. She is

considered one of the most popular horses ever to have raced.

Owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, Zenyatta was honored Monday night with an

Eclipse Awad as the 2010 Horse of the Year Award

Chenery is scheduled to present the custom-made Vox Populi trophy to the

Mosses in a public ceremony at Santa Anita Park on February 5.

"Horse racing already has established avenues to award outstanding

accomplishments, and we certainly should honor superior performance," Chenery

said. "But achievement can be measured in many ways, and fans occasionally feel

a disconnect when the horses who most impacted the public are not recognized

through the traditional equine awards.

"The industry is long overdue in annually acknowledging the star horse who

brings the most excitement and attention to the sport. It is my hope that the

Secretariat Vox Populi Award will achieve that purpose."

Although Chenery selected this year's recipient, plans are in place for a

committee of both distinguished racing personalities and industry

representatives to choose the winner each year going forward in conjunction with

a national online vote.

"I think racing fans will be just as excited about this award as I am, and we

welcome everyone to come and share in the presentation festivities on February

5," Chenery said. "The award is sure to be an honor that reflects the heart and

soul of this sport and will help build upon the devotion the public has for a

horse they love."

For more information about the Secretariat Vox Populi Award, visit

www.secretariat.com,

the official website for the legendary Thoroughbred champion. Celebrating

racing's past to enrich its future, Secretariat.com is a comprehensive online

source for historical information, photography, merchandise, and memorabilia

chronicling the enduring legacy of America's Horse.