Zenyatta makes it a perfect 17 in Vanity

Hollywood Park was the perfect setting on Sunday as ZENYATTA (Street

Cry [Ire]) sought to move her unbeaten mark to 17 straight in an

unprecedented third straight win in the

Vanity H. (G1). The Entertainment Capital of the World offered up

the ideal script, chock full of romance, action, drama, suspense and the

perfect Hollywood ending.

A crowd of 12,232 was on hand to watch the dual champion attempt to

break the modern-day record for consecutive wins in unrestricted races.

Cigar and Citation had set the mark at 16, a number which Zenyatta tied

when making just her second start on a conventional dirt track in the

April 9 Apple Blossom H. (G1). Zenyatta's fans had plenty of love to

offer their star mare as she promenaded her way around the paddock and

onto the track.

The field was finally loaded and a roar erupted when the gates opened

in the $234,000 event. Zenyatta allowed her rivals to get the jump on

her, settling just off the rail in last as Miss Silver Brook (Cozzene)

scooted up along the inside to take command from her rail post. The gray

filly posted splits of :24, :47 2/5 and 1:11 4/5 while closely tracked

by Cherryblossommiss (Langfuhr) just to her outside. Zenyatta was still

biding her time under regular rider Mike Smith and only started gaining

on the field as the leaders reached the turn.

Suddenly, Zenyatta switched gears and was on even terms with St Trinians. The

classy mare drew off to be a half-length clear as the pair flashed under the

wire to the scream of the masses, stopping the clock in 1:49 over the Cushion

Track.

"It's just incredible," Smith said. "It was a great, great race. It

was a gallant effort on St Trinians part. She really ran huge.

"When we headed for home, I hit a real big gear and she hit another

one right back at me and I said, 'Whoa, she's serious, she's going to

make me run.' I was working at it until the last hundred yards and then

I knew I would out grind her."

Zenyatta was sent off the favorite for the 13th straight time, paying $3 and

$2.10 at 1-2 after show wagering was canceled. St Trinians completed the $2.80

exacta ($1) as the 2-1 second pick, returning $2.20. Zardana (Brz)

(Crimson Tide) ended the $4.80 trifecta ($1) as the 6-1 third favorite six

lengths back. Another 6 1/4 lengths farther behind came 63-1 longshot Will O Way

(Broken Vow), who capped the $27.10 superfecta (5-2-3-4) ($1). Miss Silver Brook

and Cherryblossommiss finished the order under the wire.

Zenyatta has now captured seven straight Grade 1 events. She began her Hall

of Fame career on November 22, 2007, at Hollywood Park, winning by three lengths

with David Flores in the saddle. Flores would guide the then sophomore lass

through her first allowance condition, which she won by 3 1/2 lengths, and in

her stakes and four-year-old bow, the El Encino S. (G2).

Smith took over on Zenyatta when she made her first start on dirt, and

outside of California, next up in the Apple Blossom. She posted a dominating 4

1/2-length decision that day over then reigning champion older mare Ginger

Punch, and has been unstoppable since. Returning to Shirreffs' shedrow at

Hollywood Park, the mare reeled off wins in the Milady H. (G2), Vanity, Clement

L. Hirsch H. (G2) and Lady's Secret S. (G1) before running away with the

Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) under a hand ride.

Zenyatta returned in 2009 to win the same four-race sequence in Southern

California prior to taking on the boys for the first time in the Breeders' Cup

Classic (G1). Going 10 furlongs for the first time in her career, the massive

mare pulled off the one-length victory and earned the Eclipse Award as champion

older female for the second straight year. Initially retired following the

Breeders' Cup, the dark bay continued to work in California, fueling speculation

that her retirement was going to be very short. Owners Jerry and Ann Moss made

the official announcement that their star mare would return to the races in

January, and the Santa Margarita Invitational H. (G1) was marked as her first

target. It almost proved to be her first loss, as the dark bay suffered a

troubled trip when splitting horses in late stretch. Zenyatta overcame that

obstacle, and would go on to add a second Apple Blossom title to her already

stellar record. This Vanity win pushed her career earnings past the $6 million

mark, as she's now banked $6,074,580.