The company of horses such as Secretariat, Citation, and War Admiral now can include the tale of Zenyatta, arguably the most famous mare in American racing history. At the conclusion of the last race Friday the majority of the crowd at Churchill Downs filed out to hurry up and wait in traffic, but a few lovers of Zenyatta took the best exit-the entrance to the Derby Museum. The Derby Museum hosted a luncheon where owners, Jerry and Ann Moss signed memorabilia related to the winner of 19 consecutive races out of 20, notably a special edition print of Zenyatta. This small detail made a record holder out of a horse; the American record holder for consecutive victories without defeat. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith and trainer John Shirreffs were on hand as well to sign prints and other items for fans of the great lady who charged to victory in the Breeders’ Cup in 2009. A life size painting of Zenyatta was as close as guests could come to the real thing as Zenyatta was unable to attend the soiree in her honor.
The after party began with cocktails as Grey Goose, a 7 year sponsor of the 2011 Breeders’ Cup introduced the Grey Goose Zenyatta, a special cocktail comprised of Grey Goose Le Citron, pink lemonade and of course a sprig of mint. As the cocktails flowed, artists from Kentucky exhibited hand crafted gifts, painstakingly carving and painting replicas with great detail. Guests enjoyed a special dining experience at the party complete with Kentucky Burgoo and locally grown vegetables. Zenyatta cakes topped off the beautifully prepared cuisine as guests filled the museum. The after party capped off a great day of racing at Churchill and provided fans of Zenyatta the opportunity to pay homage to the first lady of horse racing while helping support the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
