Zenyatta zooms home in El Encino

Zenyatta is beginning to fill the hoofsteps left by her older half-sister Balance (Benoit Photo) Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss' ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) found her best stride in the final furlong and exploded past her more seasoned rivals in a supreme effort in the $150,000 El Encino S. (G2) over the Cushion Track at Santa Anita on Sunday. The unbeaten four-year-old filly trailed the field early and had just two animals behind her turning for home with much work to do, but once she got in gear it was over, as the dark bay clocked the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40 3/5 under a geared down David Flores. The John Shirreffs trainee, who was making her much anticipated stakes debut, was sent off as the 6-5 favorite and paid $4.40, $3 and $2.40 while 1 3/4 lengths clear at the wire. "I really don't remember riding any other horse that covers so much ground," Flores said. "At the middle of the (far) turn, I asked her and she took off." Tough Tiz's Sis (Tiznow) led through the opening quarter-mile in a tepid :24 2/5, before being overtaken by a headstrong Dawn After Dawn (Successful Appeal), who then dictated through splits of :47 3/5 and 1:10 2/5. In the stretch, Tough Tiz's Sis and Romance is Diane (In Excess [Ire]) moved in virtual tandem to the front and battled gamely to the wire, but neither had a chance with the flying Zenyatta.

Tough Tiz's Sis retained the place by a nose at 3-1, paying $3.40 and $2.20

and completing the $8.90 exacta ($1) in the process. Romance is Diane paid $2.20

at nearly 3-1 and capped the chalky $16.50 trifecta ($1) (2-6-5). Dawn After Dawn was next and

followed by Indescribable (Pleasant Tap) and Fleet Caroline (Tejano Run). Hucking

Hot (GB) (Desert Prince [Ire]) scratched in favor of running in Monday's

rescheduled San Gorgonio H. (G2).

The impressive Zenyatta is perfect from three starts and boasts $144,000 in

earnings. The long-striding Kentucky-bred was purchased for $60,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling sale.

"She hasn't uncorked her big stride yet," Shirreffs stated, "so we're still

waiting for that."

Zenyatta is out of the winning Kris S. mare Vertigineux and was preceded in

stakes glory by multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Balance (Thunder Gulch) as

well as Remington Park Oaks victress Where's Bailey (Aljabr). Vertigineux is

also responsible for an unnamed two-year-old filly by Pulpit and an unnamed

yearling colt by Giant's Causeway.

Shirreffs indicated that the $200,000 La Canada S. (G2) on February 10 is a possible target

for Zenyatta's next venture. If so, she would try to follow in the hoofsteps of

Balance, who romped by 4 1/4 lengths in last year's La Canada.