This has been a big week for Thoroughbred girls! Personal Ensign, the mare who retired with a 13-0 record and who earned an Eclipse Horse of the Year Award, Champion Older Female, and then a Kentucky Broodmare of the Year for her fine babies and who also delivered a defeat to Winning Colors in the Breeder's Cup Distaff before retiring passed away at Claiborne Farms this past Thursday. I want to remind you that Winning Colors was only one of 3 mares who ever won the Kentucky Derby, so Personal Ensign's achievement is amazing.
Then the next day, just yesterday, Zenyatta showboated and bowed and danced to the Oaklawn track in Arkansas and snapped up her 16th win in history without even breaking a sweat or taking even a little instruction from her loving jockey, Mike Smith. She just smoked it with her usual "don't get me dirty, run along ahead, I'll catch up later" strategy. She is one big bold girl!
She ties Citation and Cigar's 16-0 records, but they earned theirs over longer durations and with more races, so she really is a stand-alone in the 20th century and is matching records by a few amazing horses in the 19th century. Let's just put it this way -- I was right to place my vote on her for Horse of the Year -- just wish I could have a little vote for her for horse of the 21st century! Much love, you beautiful beautiful girls -- Zenyatta, Personal Ensign, Winning Colors, Violet, Hailee, Better than Honour, Rachel Alexandra and Rags to Riches!