- Wow, Zenyatta is a three-year old filly from the Moss/Sherriffs team who was an eyeful both before and throughout the 5th at Hollywood on Saturday. This half-sister, by Street Cry, to Balance was stretching out to two turns in her second start after storming from last to first in a 12 horse field last month (defeating Friday winner Carmel Coffee). 2-1 in the morning line, she went off at even money.
Zenyatta looked jaw-droppingly gorgeous in the post parade with her glistening brown coat, massive chest, and a long, majestically-bowed neck. Things didn't go well at the start, as she was off slowly and away last. After trailing down the backstretch, David Flores took his filly four wide around the turn - "If she wins, she's a half an hour the best," Vic Stauffer noted. That might be conservative. Zenyatta circled the field with ease, had only one horse to run down, and did so easily, in hand after Flores just nudged her to the lead ("There's more there," Flores told Frank Lyons, on interview duty on TVG, after the race).
Her final time of 1:40 4/5 tied the (Cushion) track record. "Here a future superstar!" exclaimed Stauffer. Frank Lyons remarked: "I've seen a lot of horses in my life, and even though it's only a maiden win and and an allowance win, this filly I think is one of the more special racehorses I've seen in many years." Ken Rudolph said that he just saw the Kentucky Oaks winner for 2008. Todd Schrmmppff reminded him that she's already three-years old. Note to TVG: Find a replacement for Gary Stevens pronto.
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Saturday, December 15, 2007
Zenyatta
Posted by Alan Mann at 5:50 PM
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18 Comments:
Real nice filly. In both of her starts, it appears she's just getting warmed up as she crosses the wire in front. She can run all day; no doubt about that.
Ken actually saw the Kentucky Oaks winner later in the day in the Hollywood Starlet. Very good argument can be made for Country Star as the best two year old filly in the land.
Life at Ten looked pretty damn good last week.
I saw that lovely effort by Zenyatta and it just smacked of a horse who has the mix of muscle and smarts to master the game.
Regarding the start, I don't she think was to blame for the poor break from the gate. It looked more like the crew was screwing around when she was loaded and just a slight bit of hesitation from the distraction.
David Flores could've easily won by a couple dozen had he wanted to ask, but he know that's a waste. She is clearly G1 bound and ready for a big test.
I presume she is named again by Jerry Moss in honor of The Police: as their 3rd album was 'Zenyatta Mondatta'.
Before I induct her to the Hall Of Fame she will need to win a race on dirt.
Took a long time getting to the races so suspect with regard to soundness.
Talented yes. Superstar not yet.
Note to TVG: a merger with HRTV that is almost inevitable would bring G.Stevens into the fold. And the extra bonus is that you could fire Rudolph and Schrmmppff and not miss a beat with Pincay Jr.
All pie in the sky, alas.
I'd love to see HRTV and TVG merge. It just bites to have this sport cut up with two different channels dividing up the racing action. It is made worse with no chance (for fans stuck with cable) to get both channels.
In Chicago - the 3rd largest market - you can only get TVG no HRTV as an option.
Maybe with TVG's parent having just been sold - presumably the new owners could care less about racing or want to deal with a wagering outlet - then a merger could happen.
The on-air talent at TVG for the most part just bites. "Mr B" tends to be the more skilled in his knowledge and lowkey. The blowhard on-air crew mostly at Hollywood Park (Carothers, Shrupp & Rudolph) are often inaccurate and always annoying.
At least keep Simon Bray and Jill Byrne who know their stuff and have less bravado.
Garry Stevens wasn't that great on TVG maybe he's better now that he switched to HRTV. His analysis and presentation is not in the league of Jerry Bailey with ESPN/ABC.
Matt pretty boy,no it all,hand clapper,99cents ties carothers must be shown the door if ever there should be a merger. He is the most self centered annoying ANAList I have ever viewed before. He acts like a child that just got out of their diapers. I don't know how tvg lets him perform the way he does. oh, btw his GUARANTEED pik 4's and 6's are for the birds or shall I say for the suckers who follow him. If he bets his picks then he belongs on welfare. He is only a too bit tout. Vic Staufer just loves to hear his own voice. Another one who its all about himself thats why he lost a super job at the Gulfstream meet.They had enough of his crap. Do I have any that feel the same as myself...........let us hear from you........
Seems like there's a decent chance TVG won't be around much longer.
If they lose the New York tracks at the end of the year, what's left? Six weeks of Keeneland and half of the Southern California meets isn't going to cut it. Most of what I want to see is on HRTV. Unfortunately, I can't get HRTV on Directv.
I agree about the on-air talent at TVG. I can't count the number of times I've bet on, and not seen, a race that was to be televised by TVG, because they'd rather show it thirty minutes later on tape delay than show it live, so they can let these clowns practice their standup routines.
I want to see races. If I wanted to see a bunch of unfunny wannabe comedians, I'd turn on Sports Center.
In truth they need to move to a Pay Package, a la real major league sports.
For an extra fee you get all the extra track feeds so you do not miss any races on any track. Pick your poison.
If there is a merger there will be too much product to sustain on one channel.
Can also be set up regionally like Fox Sports.
HRTV East, HRTV West, HRTV Trots, HRTV Quarters, HRTV International etc.
Even the casual horse players would pay the extra fee to eliminate the clutter.
Todd Shrupp is actually a very astute handicapper. Ken has gotten a lot better but his job is to play the "straight" man. I think the important thing is to do your own legwork and rely on those guys only for things that you could not know without being on track.
>>Todd Shrupp is actually a very astute handicapper. Ken has gotten a lot better but his job is to play the "straight" man.
Agreed that Schrupp is astute, and I think he does his job well even though I make fun of his name. And I agree that Ken is the straight man. But recently, it seems to me that Schrupp and Lyons have had to spend a lot of time setting him straight.
Zenyatta is a derby horse. Forget the oaks
Ken Rudolph, Mr. B, Gary Siebel, 3 of a few reasons I now am a HRTV person
I would pay DOUBLE the fee if REAL pros like Jill Byrne were on TVG. Think about it..the rest of the crew is awful. Christina is good to. Seibel, Shruup, Rudolph (and the REAL reason you're on is...?)It's a bad team...
todd schrupp an astute handicapper,are you joking?the loser went bankrupt in Florida playing horses,Ken Rudolh is a disgrace,and Simon Bray lost all his clients because he couldn't train
Such a beautiful filly. Too bad she was to old to run in the Kentucky Oaks. Go Zenyatta!!
I am glad to see that I am not the only one who thinks that Matt Caruthers is the most obnoxious and arrogant or TVG. He talks about where he went to college yet he doesn't know a subjective pronoun from an objective one, i.e., he will say something such as "I like horse A whom has run well in the past." He tries to exhibit a large vocabalery but he mixes up words such as veracity and voracity(he said he was handicapping with veracity. No one on the show challenges him!
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