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Zenyatta remains unbeaten with Santa Margarita win

Sat 13th, March 2010

Arcadia, CA (Sports Network) - Two-time champion mare Zenyatta made a successful 2010 debut Saturday in the $250,000 Santa Margarita Invitational at Santa Anita Park. The six-year-old mare is now perfect in 15 career starts.

Zenyatta, trained by John Shirreffs, started from post eight with Mike Smith again with the mount. Owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, Zenyatta broke cleanly and immediately settled into last in the eight horse field.

Setting the pace in the 1 1/8-mile race was Dance to My Tune with Made for Magic pressing the pace in second. Zenyatta was running about a dozen lengths off the lead and was racing off the rail.

Zenyatta began her move from the rear as the field entered the far turn. Still off the rail, Zenyatta drew within a few lengths of the leaders as the field entered the stretch.

With a furlong to run the 3-10 favorite angled to the inside and found room to take the lead. Zenyatta posted a one-length victory over Dance to My Tune with Floating Heart finishing third.

Completing the order of finish was Striking Dancer, Pretty Unusual, Made for Magic, Pretty Katherine and Gripsholm Castle. Powerofvoodoo was a scratch.

The time for the Santa Margarita was 1:48.20 on Santa Anita's synthetic track.

"Obviously, he (Mike Smith) went to the inside, and then had to come back out," Shirreffs said. "So, I just have a lot of faith in Mike. I know once he gets her in the clear, he has a good chance. She's cut in between horses and everything, but when you have a big X on your back, a lot of places don't open up that normally would."

The last two years Zenyatta has been voted champion older female and for 2009 finished second for Horse of the Year to Rachel Alexandra. She won the 2008 Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic and last year became the first female to capture the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Both Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra are expected to start in the $5 million Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn Park on Friday, April 9. Earlier Saturday, Rachel Alexandra was upset in the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies at the Fair Grounds. The reigning Horse of the Year was a close second to Zardana who is also trained by Shirreffs.

"We're just excited she's back," said Jerry Moss. "She looks amazing. Everybody's happy. We watched Rachel's race in the paddock. I'm sorry she lost, but she lost to a better horse today. We'll see what happens the next race. Zardana might try to get to that same race (Apple Blossom) and that would be fine."

Zenyatta has won all 15 career starts for more than $5.6 million.

Earlier on the day, Shirreffs announced that Life is Sweet has been retired. The winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic had muscle cramps after a workout Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Zenyatta returned $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10. Dance To My Tune paid $19.00 and $9.40, and Floating Heart paid $4.20 to show.