Picture perfect: Zenyatta ties record with 13th straight victory

Zenyatta stays perfect, wins 13th straight race

ARCADIA, Calif. — Zenyatta did it again, running her record to 13-0 with a victory in the $300,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

The stellar mare tied Personal Ensign’s record streak of 13 consecutive wins set 20 years ago.

Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Zenyatta covered 1 1-16 miles on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface in 1:42.89. Sent off as the 2-5 wagering favorite, she won by 1 1-4 lengths and paid $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10.

A smiling Smith pointed down at Zenyatta as he guided her into the winner’s circle, greeted by loud cheers from fans who lined the rail from mid-stretch to the finish line to watch the nation’s other star female horse.

“She only seemed to run about four jumps and then she shut it down,” Smith said. “The big dance is coming up next and that’s all she needed to do today.”

Zenyatta won a day after the owner of Rachel Alexandra said the star filly who beat the boys in the Preakness was done racing for the year, ensuring they won’t meet in a Breeders’ Cup showdown.

Zenyatta pawed the ground with her right hoof in the winner’s circle before Smith jumped off and planted a kiss on her flank. Actress Bo Derek, a member of the California Horse Racing Board, presented the trophy.

“Queen Zenyatta” was one of the signs that greeted her in the winner’s circle.

Lethal Heat returned $7.40 and $4.20, while Cocoa Beach returned $3 to show. Zenyatta’s stablemate, Life Is Sweet, was fourth in the seven-horse field.

Zenyatta won the Lady’s Secret a year ago before going on to win the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.

Winning Saturday guarantees Zenyatta a berth in the Ladies’ Classic on Nov. 6 at Santa Anita, but it’s possible owners Jerry and Ann Moss will decide to run her against the boys in the $5 million BC Classic a day later.

“The horse is going to make the decision,” Jerry Moss said.

It wasn’t such a good day for Mine That Bird, who missed the winner’s circle again with a sixth-place finish behind upset winner Gitano Hernando in the $350,000 Goodwood Stakes.

The Kentucky Derby champion is winless in four starts since his stunning 50-1 upset on the first Saturday in May.

Britain-bred Gitano Hernando won the 1 1-8-mile race by a neck, earning an automatic berth in the BC Classic.

Ridden by Kieren Fallon, Gitano Hernando covered the distance in 1:48.39 and paid $38, $14.40 and $9.40. The winner arrived from Europe with a 2-for-2 record on synthetic surfaces.

Wagering favorite Colonel John, the 2008 Santa Anita Derby winner, returned $4.40 and $3.20, while Richard’s Kid, the Pacific Classic winner, was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $4.40 to show.

Mine That Bird again failed to fire on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride surface in his second start on it. The 3-year-old gelding was last among 12 horses in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile nearly a year ago, giving no hint of what was to come at Churchill Downs in May.

The Derby is Mine That Bird’s only win in seven starts this year. He had regular rider Calvin Borel back in the saddle Saturday. A good showing was expected to move Mine That Bird on to the BC Classic.