Zenyatta



Zenyatta (foaled April 1, 2004 in Kentucky) is a retired American champion Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of 19 consecutive races in a 20-race career. During her racing career, she stood 17.2 hands tall (70 inches, or 5 feet 9.5 inches) at the shoulder and weighed 1,200 pounds.

Owned by Jerry Moss and his wife Ann and trained by John Shirreffs, Zenyatta was ridden by jockey Mike Smith for 17 of 20 starts. Jockey David Flores rode Zenyatta in her first three starts.

According to a 2010 60 Minutes report, Zenyatta was purchased as a yearling at the low price of $60,000 because she suffered from a form of ringworm.[1] During her career she won purses totaling over $7 million[1] making her the all-time North American female money-earner. She has been featured in W magazine,[1] and the New York Times called her "hard to beat, and harder to ignore" in the 2010 racing season.[2] Zenyatta won the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in 2010.

Zenyatta was sired by Street Cry, who also sired in the same season as 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, multiple Group 1 Australian Weight for Age (WFA) champion Whobegotyou, and 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking. Out of Vertigineux, the mare is half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Balance. Her damsire is the outstanding stallion [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_S. Kris S].

Zenyatta was named after the album Zenyattà Mondatta, by The Police, who were signed to A&M Records by her owner, Jerry Moss