Zenyatta warming up.....
 

http://drf.com/news/article/96633.html

Is she the real deal?

Yes she is.

Also for Zenyatta fans, if you go on the trainer's profile on YouTube, you can see exciting footage such as Zenyatta grazing and Tiago taking a nap.

http://www.youtube.com/user/jonshfs05

You can also watch some of her workouts,, which J Shirreffs videoed. Love this filly.

She wins - but her performances aren't exactly spectacular.

She was very unimpressive in victory last out over a troubled Tough Tiz's Sis - who is moderate.

A horse like Hystericalady has run several outstanding races - though she doesn't always show up - and is much less effective on synthetic tracks.

Ginger Punch has built up a tremendous resume - and I think she is very moderate.

I think there is more talent in the 3yo filly division than the older female division right now - but many of those talented types are questionable at best at 9fs or further.

John Sherrifs trained a huge filly named Manistique for 505 in the late 90's - she was pretty accomplished winning 11 of 15 starts, 9 of which were grade 1 or grade 2 stake races. I think without question Manistique was more talented than Zenyatta.

That's not to say Zenyatta can't still improve.

I respect your opinion, you know that by now. I think Zenyatta has more natural ability then Azeri, others I know feel the same (hint hint, wink wink-dont respond to that please). She absolutely goofs around in races, so in that aspect she has a ways to go as a race horse, but when she runs like she did in the Apple Blossom she is not beatable. I think she is better on dirt though and these continous slow pace might catch up to her but she will take some serious beating at Santa Anita. Hysterical Lady, again as you know I really think is super, and has been mismanaged, has lost races when the circumstances have been against her, that cannot be said about Zenyatta as of yet.

than Azeri?
Jeez.
I'm gonna go watch those replays again.
I really like the horse too, but Azeri...

He just said natural ability because it's useless information. What matters is the results on the track...and Zenyatta will never match Azeri because she has a trainer that doesn't run his horses on a regular basis.

I agree. 2008 is Zenyatta's first year of racing and while she is physically a monster, her maturity level hasn't caught up yet. I think her last race was a learning experience for her and her connections. She ran a 1/16th further for the first time and I think once she cleared the other horses, she felt her job was done and it wasn't. I also believe she was unfocused, which could be attributed to several things, not the least that she is still figuring things out. Impressive as her others? No. But, I give her the benefit because she is like a 4 yr. old 2 yr. old as to becoming a race horse. Her Apple Blossom, which I saw, was a stunning display of power.

agree, but at this point she has about the same exact schedule/record as azeri, and at the end of their four year old year they will have run in almost the same exact series of races.

I did say natural ability because azeri had a great mind to accompany the physical ability, and she was a very sound horse. Zenyatta has a ways to go, but the talent is there.

It will be interesting to see how she performs in a race that
lacks speed up front. If I were Zenyatta's connections I would like to see Ginger Punch with a 40 to 1 runoff horse in every race.

Zenyatta has a very long stride late. It is impressive.

looking at the pace figures in her races that has already been happening, I want to see it when the pace is quick and contested up front.

Whatever the pace figures are she has be lounging at the rear
quite lazily, when she decides to leave the gate.
And then deals the move on the turn. By the stretch she
is just striding away, big long strides. Then again she is a big
animal.

Very different style than Azeri anyway.

Zenyatta is definitely for real. She beat Ginger Punch but she was not herself that day.
I may be wrong, but didn't Zenyatta flip in the paddock last out? I know she was stressed because of the crowd and that probably took enough out of her to make her really work for the win.

Before the last race I thought she was unbeatable, but at the BC she will have a lot more crowd to deal with, and that could cost her. The problem is that Ginger Punch is not a synthetic horse, so it might not take Zenyatta's best race to win it. Hystericalady will make her work for it though - she's tough on any surface.

The way Ginger Punch ran in the Oaklawn race - I think there are high priced claimers out there who could have beaten her on that day.

People who followed the sport closely in the 90's have to feel spoiled with all the outstanding fillies and mares that were running. A horse like Sharp Cat never won an eclipse - and she would have just obliterated horses like Zenyatta and Ginger Punch.

Hystericalady is not tough on any surface! Let's see her win on synthetic. She's had several chances to do so.

Sharp Cat was pretty good, but didnt she get beat by Ajina?

Tiago has workout cut short
By Steve Andersen / DRF

Excerpt from the above article:

Shortly before Tiago was on the track, Zenyatta, the nation's leading older female, breezed five furlongs in 1:01, preparing for a start in the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Handicap on Saturday.

Zenyatta worked in company with a stablemate, starting three lengths behind. She drew alongside the workmate at the eighth pole and finished a length in front. Of the 158 horses with recorded workouts on Saturday, she was one of two who received a breezing designation, indicating that she was far from full speed.

Owned by the Mosses, Zenyatta is unbeaten in six starts with earnings of $734,500.

"I don't think she could be doing any better," Shirreffs said.