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Home / Santa Anita Park / Santa Margarita / 2010 Santa Margarita (G1)

2010 Santa Margarita (G1)

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Date/Track:
3/13/2010, Santa Anita Park
Post Time:
3:42 PM PT
Distance:
1 1/8 m (Synthetic)
Age/Sex:
4+ F
Time:
1:48.20

What the Nation is saying about the 2010 Santa Margarita (G1)...

I'm really tired of seeing all the negativity in regards to the 2009 Horse of the Year. I thought the Horse of the Year award was given to the Horse who had the BEST year, not the most talented - that is based on opinion. If you stack up their performances up last year, it's pretty clear that Rachel had more accomplishments than Zenyatta did. Last year, Zenyatta was placed in certain races to avoid racing against the boys, which in the end limited her overall success. However, with the BIG win in the Classic, I did think she made up a lot of ground. A co-Horse of the Year MIGHT have been warranted, but by no means did Zenyatta DO enough to displace Rachel Alexandra from winning it.
To stand in the box seats at Santa Anita and hear a crowd of approximately 20,000 roar when Zenyatta rolled past Dance to My Tune in the last furlong of Saturday's Grade 1 Santa Margarita Handicap was an affirmation of the grip the 6-year-old mare has on the Southern California racing scene...Read More
Universal good thing Zenyatta ($2.60) had a few anxious moments waiting for room in the lane, but she is scary talented and cruised home once clear in the Santa Margarita. Don’t think Rachel wants any part of this mare at Oaklawn. Mike Smith had his usual seat aboard the Shirreffs trainee...Read More
Unbeaten champion Zenyatta will spot eight rivals from 12 to 19 pounds as she begins her quest for Horse of the Year honors in 2010 in the $250,000 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (gr. I) at Santa Anita March 13.Read More
  • Show All 7 Comments
  • amfuller · Ok I feel a little better about the weight, I looked back at the Vanity and with the exception of Life is Sweet, which was carring 122, the other entries were btw 13-18 lbs lighter. Things can be different on any given day but this makes me feel somewhat better about the wieghts for today. · 1194 days ago ·
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  • grey32 · First I'm glad Zen's lousy connections finally realize what a terrific horse she is and now are going to let her prove it. Instead of trying to cheat their way in. Second there's way to much made of the weight, remember Zen is a very big girl and she most likely out weighs her rivals by 100-200 pounds or more. She's up to the task. Maybe this year she will run as she should have last year(no fault of hers) and HOY will be hers. RA was hands down HOY 2009, doesn't mean she was the better horse but; she sure had a better campaign. · 1194 days ago ·
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Between 5:30 PM EST and 6:45 PM EST this afternoon there will be six meaningful stakes races across the country.  Of course, the highlights are Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra returning in the New Orleans Ladies at Fair Grounds and Zenyatta’s 2010 debut in the Santa Margarita at Santa Anita....Read More
Saturday’s pick six from Santa Anita Park includes a pair of graded events. First up is the Grade 1 Santa Margarita, and Zenyatta packs on the pounds (127) in her seasonal bow and Apple Blossom tune-up. Two races later, 3yo’s take center stage in the Grade 2 San Felipe. Five logical contenders ...Read More
The days are being crossed off the calendar with careful precision. Hopeful fingers turn the page to peek at the month of April and more specifically at the circled date. Circled many times as to highlight the magnitude of what will happen on April 9, 2010. We are only four weeks from an affair...Read More
The undefeated mare will carry top weight of 127 pounds March 13 when she makes her 2010 debut in the $250,000 Santa Margarita Handicap (gr. I), spotting eight who entered from 12 to 19 pounds in the nine-furlong race.“I sure hope it won’t make a difference,” said regular rider Mike Smith, who has r...Read More
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Thursday that the organization's website, NTRA.com, will offer free, live video streaming this Saturday of the seasonal debuts of both 2009 Horse of the Year RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) and the undefeated two-time champion ZENYATTA ...Read More
  • horses · So what exactly is the point here? So, now, due to the NTRA's great efforts, anyone that is a racing fan that is not at a racetrack, OTB, watching on TVG/HRTV, or watching on any one of the numerous ADW's all of which offer free video... that those remaining 5 racing fans can watch it on NTRA.com??? · 1195 days ago ·
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  • Arrrgy · My friend in GB, WI is thrilled that she can now watch these races. Apt. won't let them have a dich. No OTB... · 1195 days ago ·
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The undefeated champion Zenyatta arrived at Santa Anita on Thursday morning for Saturday's $250,000 Santa Margarita Handicap where she will be searching for her 15th consecutive win. Zenyatta was schooled in the paddock between the second and third races on Thursday...Read More
In a must-read for those following the story, the New York Times provides the latest from both camps, including some between-the-lines hesitation from the Rachel Alexandra camp, just one week before her intended debut at the Fair Grounds. The same afternoon will also feature the return of Zenyatta.Read More
  • Show All 13 Comments
  • mid0827 · zen - That's great. Yes, Jess is chicken. Rachel is outstanding, but don't anyone kid yourselves that the Woodward wasn't 100% hand-picked for a crappy field on speed favoring track. She can't win using her style at 1 1/4 miles, that's completely out of the question. Are you dutching both races because they will be 1-5? · 1198 days ago ·
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  • Arrrgy · More red flags: “She came out at 6:20, turned and went the right way, then galloped about three-quarters of a mile,” said Fair Grounds clocker Billy Pettingill, who has observed Rachel Alexandra’s progression on a near-daily basis since the filly arrived at Fair Grounds in late November. “It was pretty easy. Then they picked her up with the pony and she was off the track at 6:28. They didn’t even gallop her a whole round, they just let her stretch her legs a little bit. They turned her loose about the three-eighths pole and she went from there, through the stretch, and back to about the five-eighths pole." This just doesn't sound as good as they say. There's a reason she didn't have a routine gallop. Clear Sailing looks to step up a few more. 8-1? · 1197 days ago ·
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Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra returned to the track Wednesday morning for an easy gallop three days prior to her 4-year-old debut in Saturday’s $200,000 New Orleans Ladies. On Tuesday, the Medaglia d’Oro filly walked the shed row in trainer Steve Asmussen’s barn, the normal routine on the morni...Read More
Zenyatta, who will make her first start of the year March 13 in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (gr. I) at Santa Anita, will carry top weight of 127 pounds in the race. The weight assignment is eight to 19 pounds more than her possible competitors.Multiple champion Zenyatta, who is unbeate...Read More
  • Show All 5 Comments
  • medlocke · Ideally, 127 lbs. probably isn't what you want your mare toting in her first race back after a more than 4 month layoff. But fortunately for John Shirreffs, given her physical structure and nature, if there's any horse in racing that 127 lbs. after such a layoff will not be a big factor for, it will be Zenyatta. She's toted as high as 129 lbs. in her career and still managed to find the winners circle. Plus, I'm sure that Shirreffs and the Moss's both expected this kind of weight assignment going into the Santa Margarita on Saturday. This kind of weight, or there about, is likely what Zenyatta will be saddled with for any Handicap race that she may run in for 2010. Bottom line, even spotting the field so much weight, I don't see this race being the one, especially over the Santa Anita surface, that puts the first blemish on "The Queen's" racing record. JMO. · 1197 days ago ·
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  • amfuller · The second highest weight is 115lbs, if any horse can overcome a 12-16 weight difference I think Z can, she's a big girl. · 1197 days ago ·
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Because of the length of each diary, the number of parts have been increased. Tentatively, Part 3 will cover March 10 thru March 22; Part 4 will encompass my trip to Dubai (March 23 to 29) and comments from people over there; and the final part will be covering the race live.Read More
A story came out through the N.Y. Times stating that Jess Jackson is looking for some "wiggle room" to get out of showing up at Oaklawn for the much anticipated 2010 Apple Blossom Invitational, saying he would prefer to race Zenyatta a little later in the racing season. Normally, I wouldn't have thought much about hearing of such a story, but having the e-mail address of the sports editor of the N.Y. Times, Nalia-Jean Meyers, I e-mailed and asked about the validity of the story, and it was confirmed that Jackson may be looking for an out. Personally, and this is just me talking, if Jess Jackson is going to play "dodge ball" with Rachel Alexandra trying to avoid having to race Zenyatta all racing season, then it's my belief that they should take the trophy for "2009 Horse of The Year," and put a new inscription on it that bears the words "2009 Joke of The Year." You can't have it both ways Jess. You can't tout your filly as being the greatest thing since "sliced bread" and not be willing to put her on the track to prove it against the mare that many feel, including myself, was robbed of HOY honors for 2009. Maybe Jerry Moss should scratch Zenyatta out of the Santa Magarita and put her on a plane to Louisiana Downs and enter her in the New Orleans Ladies Handicap. I wonder if Rachel Alexandra would be pulled out of that race as well if Jerry Moss did just that? AMO.
  • Show All 3 Comments
  • luvzenyatta · I had to cancel room, travel arrangements and keep non refundable tickets to the Apple Blossom on 4/3 so everything could be rearranged to JJ's wishes! RA BETTER show up. BTW I am unable to go on FRIDAY 4/9 · 1200 days ago ·
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  • qwiksilver · Why am I getting the feeling this is a replay of Seabiscuit and War Admiral? Riddle ran from running against the little upstart from the west. He felt his horse was far too superior to run against a "cowpony." Got his horse's tail handed to him in the end. Jess Jackson should go back, read history and just get it over with. The BIG upstart from the west is waiting. · 1199 days ago ·
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Zenyatta had just completed a six-furlong workout at Hollywood Park on Friday morning when trainer John Shirreffs looked at his stopwatch and grinned. "I had her in 11 and change," he said. "I don't think I had it right. The poles are kind of tough." As he said that, Shirreffs reached for a telephon...Read More
Exactly six weeks from today the "Race for the Ages" is supposed to take place at Oaklawn Park. Whether or not Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta meet in the Apple Blossom remains to be seen, but we have reasons to be hopeful. If you are wondering why there has been little promotion for th...Read More
Much is being made and said about the mare St Trinians since her victory over Life is Sweet in the San Maria Handicap at Santa Anita on Saturday. She's won all four of her starts in the U.S. this season, and raced in Great Britain from June through October of 2008 compiling a record overseas of 7 starts, with 3 wins and 3 shows. One of those starts was on turf. The other six on all-weather surface tracks. She look's like a very talented mare, but taking down Life is Sweet is one thing, but taking down the queen on what is arguably her most successful track, quite another. It won't at all surprise me if St Trinians run's a strong race and finishes in the money. But not in Great Britain, nor in the U.S. has she faced any fillies or mares with anywhere near the talent that Zenyatta possess. JMO.
Zenyatta turned in her third workout of the month on Thursday at Hollywood Park as she prepares for her six-year-old debut in the $250,000 Santa Margarita Handicap (G1) on March 13 at Santa Anita Park.Read More
Santa Anita officials on Friday said they are "discussing the possibility" of changing the conditions of the Grade 1, $250,000 Santa Margarita Invitational on March 13 from a handicap to a stakes race, a development that could result in Zenyatta carrying a much more favorable weight assignment.Read More

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