Arcadia, CA – Santa Anita – Zenyatta with Mike Smith aboard wins the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic for trainer John Shirreffs and owner Mr & Mrs Jerome S Moss here today, Friday October 24, 2008 during the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Photo by © Breeders’ Cup/Todd Buchanan 2008
ARCADIA, Calif., (October 10, 2019) – The Breeders’ Cup, one of Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious international events, today announces a unique slate of programming in commemoration of Zenyatta, one of the greatest racehorses of all time, and the 10th anniversary of her historic victory in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park, when she became the first-ever female to win the world-renowned race. To honor Zenyatta’s achievements, Breeders’ Cup will provide fans with the opportunity to relive her history-defining moments and learn about her illustrious career during the 2019 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, taking place at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California on November 1 and 2. Designed to facilitate engagement with fans both near and far, the one-of-a-kind activities will include both digital and onsite offerings.
“Zenyatta’s accomplishments are among the most legendary in the history of horse racing. Her fortitude and tenacity are truly inspiring, and she will forever be remembered as one of the most impressive Thoroughbreds of all time,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President, Racing & Nominations at Breeders’ Cup. “Upon our return to Santa Anita, the site of her historic Classic win all those years ago, we’re proud to celebrate Zenyatta and look forward to doing so her alongside her dedicated fanbase worldwide.”
As part of the 10th anniversary activation, all attendees of the 2019 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be able to enter the Zenyatta Peacock Paddock, a specially curated space adorned with exclusive images, memorabilia and life-sized cutouts of Zenyatta. Within the Peacock Paddock, a number Zenyatta’s iconic photos will be on display, offering an opportune moment for fans to memorialize their experiences and share them with fellow fans on social media using the horse’s official hashtag, #QueenZenyatta. In tandem, video set-ups and live screenings will allow them to relive her most memorable wins and get an exclusive look at Zenyatta at Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, where she currently resides. To bring the excitement of the 10th anniversary home, limited-edition Zenyatta merchandise will be available to purchase onsite at Santa Anita Park during the championship weekend, as well as online at www.BreedersCupShop.com.
To further commend Zenyatta’s historic achievements, Breeders’ Cup will be honoring her with the Breeders’ Cup Sports and Racing Excellence Award. The Breeders’ Cup Sports and Racing Excellence Award has been previously awarded to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, renowned golfer Gary Player and legendary broadcaster, Dick Enberg.
During the championship weekend, horseracing network TVG will also honor Zenyatta’s lasting legacy with an ultimate supercut of Zenyatta’s most memorable career highlights, which will air on the network alongside additional replays of Zenyatta’s winning races, including the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Distaff and 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic. NBC Sports Group, the official broadcast media partner of the Breeders’ Cup, will additionally air a tribute segment to Zenyatta during its broadcast of the World Championships that will revisit Zenyatta’s trailblazing history and showcase the legendary mare’s current whereabouts.
One of the most beloved champions in Breeders’ Cup history, Zenyatta has been recognized with the most significant awards and accolades in the industry, including being named as one of the top 10 female athletes of 2009 by Sports Illustrated as well as Horse of the Year in 2010. In addition to her Breeders’ Cup Classic win in 2009, Zenyatta was also the first horse to win two different Breeders’ Cup races, beginning with her victory at the Distaff, formerly the Ladies’ Classic, in 2008. To learn more about Zenyatta and the 10th anniversary celebrations taking place at the upcoming Breeders’ Cup World Championships, please visit www.BreedersCup.com/Zenyatta.
The Breeders’ Cup World Championships returns to Santa Anita Park this year for a record-breaking tenth time on November 1-2. For further details and other ticket options, please visit www.BreedersCup.com/tickets.
About Breeders’ Cup
The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The 2019 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 14 championship races (13 Grade 1 events and one Grade 2 race) with purses and awards totaling more than $30 million, will be held on November 1-2 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and will be televised live by the NBC Sports Group. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, www.breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Breeders Cup Press Release
