Zenyatta is Horse of the Year
It is said that Zenyatta will more than likely go down in the annals of horse racing history as one of the greatest female horses to have ever graced the industry. Retiring from racing uninjured is testament to her spectacular racing ability and care given to her by her owners and trainer. To top it off, she has only been defeated once in twenty career starts. But just when you thought it could not get any better for this filly, she goes on to win the 2010 Eclipse Horse of the Year Award, and is the first horse to receive the new Secretariat Vox Populi (Voice of the People) Award.
Last year Zenyatta was passed over when Rachel Alexandra walked away with the Horse of the Year Award, but this year it was all about her. Owners, Jerry and Ann Moss, were elated over the award, with Jerry Moss stating: “We always think positive, and we believe in her. She is one in a million. We are just so thrilled for her.” Ann Moss joyfully revealed that they could not wait to break the news to Zenyatta and tell her about her extraordinary achievement.
The Secretariat Vox Populi Award was created by Secretariat’s owner, Penny Chenery, and it will be presented to Zenyatta’s owners on 5 February 2011 at a ceremony at Santa Anita Park. This award will be presented each year to the horse that is most popular amongst the fans. Chenery explained, “Horse racing already has established avenues to award outstanding accomplishments, and we certainly should honor superior performance. But achievement can be measured in many ways, and fans occasionally feel a disconnect when the horses who most impacted the public are not recognized through the traditional equine awards. The industry is long overdue in annually acknowledging the star horse who brings the most excitement and attention to the sport. It is my hope that the Secretariat Vox Populi Award will achieve that purpose.”
Other winners at the Eclipse Awards included Uncle Mo (Two Year Old Male), Awesome Feather (Two Year Old Filly), Lookin at Lucky (Three Year Old Male), Blind Luck (Three Year Old Filly), Blame (Older Male), Zenyatta (Older Female), Dubai Majesty (Female Sprinter), Big Drama (Male Sprinter), Gio Ponti (Male Turf Horse), Goldikova (Female Turf Horse), Slip Away (Steeplechase Horse), Winstar Farm and Jerry & Ann Moss (Outstanding Owner), Todd Pletcher and John Shirreffs (Outstanding Trainer), Adena Springs, Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider (Outstanding Breeder), Ramon Dominguez and Garrett Gomez (Outstanding Jockey) and Omar Moreno (Outstanding Apprentice Jockey).
