Oak Tree renames the Lady's Secret the Zenyatta

[NTamm1215]

OAK TREE HONORS ZENYATTA WITH GRADE I RACE, SUPERSTAR MARE INHERITS LADY’S SECRET MANTEL

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 24, 2009)—In the wake of what many consider to be the most dramatic performance in Breeders’ Cup history, the Oak Tree Racing Association has announced that the undefeated superstar mare Zenyatta, a devastating last-to-first winner of the Grade I, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Oak Tree on Nov. 7, will be honored by having the name of the race she won in both 2008 and 2009, the Grade I Lady’s Secret, renamed The Zenyatta, effective next year.
“When the history books are written, we feel that what Zenyatta accomplished here on Nov. 7 will go down as one of the all-time great achievements in American racing” said Oak Tree Director and Executive Vice President Sherwood Chillingworth.

“Lady’s Secret was a great mare herself. She won the (Breeders’ Cup) Distaff here in 1986 and went on to be named Horse of the Year, but what Zenyatta did here against the best horses in the world is something none of us who witnessed it will ever forget.

“It is particularly appropriate, in that she won the Lady’s Secret two years in-a-row and like Lady’s Secret, we feel strongly that Zenyatta should be Horse of the Year. Her brilliance is undeniable and we are proud to rename this prestigious race in her honor.” (WOW)

Lady’s Secret was owned by the late Eugene Klein and his wife Joyce, and she was trained by D. Wayne Lukas. Zenyatta, who has been retired, is owned by Jerry and Ann Moss and was trained by John Shirreffs.

“At first, Jerry was reluctant to accept our offer of renaming the race, because he was a personal friend of Gene Klein,” said Chillingworth. “But after he and Ann thought about it for a couple of days, he called back and said they thought Zenyatta would be flattered by the comparison and to know that she was held in such high esteem.”

After winning the 2008 Lady’s Secret, Zenyatta went on to win the Grade I, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic, and was subsequently named 2008 Eclipse Champion Older Filly or Mare.

Zenyatta’s win in the Classic on Nov. 7 climaxed a perfect 14 for 14 career and, in the opinion of many, stamped her as not only one of the greatest fillies or mares of all-time, but as one of the greatest horses of all-time as well.

The Lady’s Secret, which was inaugurated in 1993, is for fillies and mares aged 3-and-up, at 1 1/16 miles.

Oak Tree’s 42nd fall race meeting begins in September, 2010.


http://www.oaktreeracing.com/press/p...lady%E2%80%99s

[PatCummings]

Perhaps they will now change their version of the Clement Hirsch to the Lady's Secret because there are two races on the circuit of the same name. Oh wait, I have one better...how about naming every race she won twice after her...the Vanity is now known as the Zenyatta, as is the Milady. Why not?

[randallscott35]

Anything to help her get HOY.

[CSC]

Incase no one has read or listened to Mike Smith's comments in the Bloodhorse interview/chat, it was very interesting and worth the listen. 2 things caught my eye.

1. Of note he mentioned Zenyatta may have been even better on dirt.

2. That everyone horse that lost to her in the Apple Blossom came out to win their next starts, all stakes wins(2 gr.1's) with the last place finisher winning an allowance race.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by CSC

Incase no one has read or listened to Mike Smith's comments in the Bloodhorse interview/chat, very interesting. 2 things caught my eye.

1. Of note he mentioned Zenyatta may have been even better on dirt.

2. That everyone horse that lost to her in the Apple Blossom came out to win their next starts, all stakes wins(2 gr.1's) with the last place finisher winning an allowance race.

LOL, so Mike Smith says she may have been better on dirt. She may have been better on Turf.

[RolloTomasi]

Ridiculous. They have 2 major stakes in CA named for Clement Hirsch, one of which Zenyatta won. Rename that race.

Of course they had no problem eliminating the John Henry, yet kept the Inglewood and American, at HP, so this is nothing shocking.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

LOL, so Mike Smith says she may have been better on dirt. She may have been better on Turf.

Why is this funny? let me guess you don't like her much do you?

[kgar311]

"One of the greatest horses of all time"?????????
Pleeeeaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeeeeee

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by CSC

Incase no one has read or listened to Mike Smith's comments in the Bloodhorse interview/chat, it was very interesting and worth the listen. 2 things caught my eye.

1. Of note he mentioned Zenyatta may have been even better on dirt.

2. That everyone horse that lost to her in the Apple Blossom came out to win their next starts, all stakes wins(2 gr.1's) with the last place finisher winning an allowance race.

Really? Who won Grade I's in their very next start after the Apple Blossom?

The answer: none of the above.

NT

[CSC]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Really? Who won Grade I's in their very next start after the Apple Blossom?

The answer: none of the above.

NT

I'm just quoting Mike, don't kill the messenger. I would guess Ginger Punch would be one.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by CSC

I'm just quoting Mike, don't kill the messenger. I would guess Ginger Punch would be one.

No fact checking?

The answer is none of them won Grade Is in their next start and the last-place finisher, Kettleoneup, came back to run last again in the Louisville Handicap at CD.

This was the Apple Blossom field (in order of finish):

Zenyatta
Brownie Points
Ginger Punch
Lemon Drop Mom
Clever Strike
Kettleoneup

Zenyatta subsequently won the Milady (G2), Brownie Points the Ouija Board (G3-T), Ginger Punch the Louisville Handicap (G2), Lemon Drop Mom the Winter Melody at Delaware. Clever Strike won an allowance race on the turf at Arlington restricted to horses who had never won a race on turf.

NT

[CSC]

Well I don't have past p's at my finger tips but Ginger Punch won the Go For Wand, The Personal Ensign and the Ogden Phipps Handicap in 08 after losing to Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom. Not sure it was her next start but if not it was must have been damn close.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

No fact checking?

The answer is none of them won Grade Is in their next start and the last-place finisher, Kettleoneup, came back to run last again in the Louisville Handicap at CD.

This was the Apple Blossom field (in order of finish):

Zenyatta
Brownie Points
Ginger Punch
Lemon Drop Mom
Clever Strike
Kettleoneup

Zenyatta subsequently won the Milady (G2), Brownie Points the Ouija Board (G3-T), Ginger Punch the Louisville Handicap (G2), Lemon Drop Mom the Winter Melody at Delaware. Clever Strike won an allowance race on the turf at Arlington restricted to horses who had never won a race on turf.

NT

Mike needs to brush up on his grade one's then, still not unimpressive that all horses won in their next starts.

[kgar311]

Why is it that day after day, week after week, we have to listen to these fools out west make their pitch for HOY honors for Zenyatta while RA's camp sits back, says nothing and lets her record do the talking? This is actually getting pretty sickening, the drooling over this horse. It took a couple weeks for me to go from actually liking and rooting for the horse to absolutely despising her because of the nonsense that comes out of the connections mouths and the track and fans alike.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by CSC

Mike needs to brush up on his grade one's then, still not unimpressive that all horses won in their next starts.

Not quite

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The answer is none of them won Grade Is in their next start and the last-place finisher, Kettleoneup, came back to run last again in the Louisville Handicap at CD.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

No fact checking?

NT

I'm at work and have restrictions to certain sites, I rely alot on my memory when I'm quoting stats here, that is why I cited it was said in the Mike Smith Interview, no deception was intended.

[Travis Stone]

If she was better on dirt, it's a shame we only were able to see her run on it.... once.

[Merlinsky]

I got miffed when the Sir Barton was renamed to the Barbaro, I guess I should've expected something like this. I don't oppose renaming races after a horse that moved a lot of people, it just feels like you were trying to honor the other horse, and now that's done. I guess they figured renaming a G2 wasn't going far enough given how amazing she is, still it's frustrating. I'll be honest, the name Lady's Secret has always reminded me of both the horse and deodorant.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

If she was better on dirt, it's a shame we only were able to see her run on it.... once.

That race was one of her easier races when you see it, and it was done running into a moderate pace. Being by Street Cry it isn't a stretch that she may have been better on dirt. It's too bad history will record it as her only race on dirt.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

I got miffed when the Sir Barton was renamed to the Barbaro, I guess I should've expected something like this. I don't oppose renaming races after a horse that moved a lot of people, it just feels like you were trying to honor the other horse, and now that's done. I guess they figured renaming a G2 wasn't going far enough given how amazing she is, still it's frustrating. I'll be honest, the name Lady's Secret has always reminded me of both the horse and deodorant.

The annoying thing with that is that Delaware also named a race for Barbaro.

Not to mention he broke down at Pimlico, as opposed to achieving glory there.