Zenyatta statue to be unveiled Saturday

The legendary Zenyatta, winner of the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa

Anita and Horse of the Year in 2010, will be honored for all-time by Santa Anita

Park as a life-sized statue of the great mare will be unveiled in Santa Anita's

Paddock Gardens area at noon (PDT) this Saturday.

Additionally, the Grade 1, $250,000 Zenyatta Stakes (formerly the Lady's

Secret), a race won by Zenyatta over three consecutive years from 2008 through

2010, will be one of five Grade 1 Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" stakes to be

run on Saturday.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Moss and his wife Ann will do the actual

unveiling in a ceremony just to the south of Santa Anita's Kingsbury Fountain

and directly across from a life-sized statue of the great John Henry.

Along with John Henry, Zenyatta, who at the age of eight is currently

enjoying her role as a broodmare at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky, will be also be

joining the legendary winner of the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap, Seabiscuit, as

her statuary likeness will now team with these legends of the American Turf

adjacent to the track's grandstand.

Named after The Police's blockbuster album "Zenyatta Mondatta," Zenyatta is

owned by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Moss and his wife, Ann.

"Like the song written by Sting and performed by The Police, everything

Zenyatta did here will always be magic for the entire Thoroughbred industry,"

Santa Anita President George Haines said. "Her win against the boys in the 2009

Breeders' Cup Classic is considered by many to be the greatest moment in Santa

Anita history."

The incomparable Zenyatta retired with a remarkable 19 wins from 20 career

starts and $7,304,580 in earnings. Although she was defeated by a head in her

final start, the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic, her stature as one of the sport's

all-time greats remained undiminished as she was voted the Eclipse Award as

Horse of the Year for 2010.

"The breadth of her accomplishments at Santa Anita alone is astonishing,"

Haines said. "She won a total of six races here, all stakes and five of them

were in Grade 1 competition. Her story will forever resonate with our fans and

we know we'll have many thousands of people coming here over the years to admire

her statue, which will be situated on south side of the Kingsbury Fountain,

directly across from John Henry."

Trained by John Shirreffs and ridden in her final 17 starts by Hall of Fame

jockey Mike Smith, Zenyatta made her first appearance at Santa Anita in her

third career start, winning the Grade 2 El Encino Stakes on January 13, 2008,

and ended her career with a six-for-six mark at the Arcadia, California, track.

As was the case in her 2009 Classic victory, all 19 of Zenyatta's wins came

in last-to-first fashion.

"We'd again like to thank the Mosses for running Zenyatta here and we look

forward to welcoming them back as we again honor 'the big mare' on September

29," Haines said.

Sculpted by Nina Kaiser, who also created the statue of John Henry,

Zenyatta's likeness stands at her height of 17.2 hands, and weighs 1,200 pounds,

which is approximately what Zenyatta weighed throughout her racing career.

Commissioned by Santa Anita, the world-renowned Kaiser worked on the project for

more than two years.

Santa Anita's 2012 autumn meet gets underway on Friday. For more information

or to make dining and seating reservations, fans are encouraged to visit

www.santaanita.com or

call (626) 574-RACE.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com