SoCal racing fans could see Zenyatta again
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John Shirreffs, the trainer of Zenyatta, said this morning that he’d love to have his unbeaten 5-year-old mare make an appearance during the Hollywood Park meeting that begins Friday, and even show up for the first day of the Santa Anita meeting on Dec. 26 to give racing fans one final opportunity to salute his Breeders’ Cup Classic championship mare before she leaves for Kentucky and retirement.
‘I think it would be great,’ Shirreffs said.
It would be Zenyatta’s encore, allowing Southern California fans to show their appreciation for winning all 14 of her races.
Shirreffs said he has received no official notification from the tracks about setting up such an appearance, but discussions are taking place because Zenyatta has attracted a fan following like few others in recent years, especially after her performance Saturday in which more than 58,000 screaming fans rooted her home to a one-length victory against 11 male competitors in the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
-- Eric Sondheimer