HORSE RACING

• Zenyatta remains perfect with Lady's Secret victory

  
  

  Arcadia, CA (Sports Network) - Defending Breeders' Cup champion Zenyatta captured her 13th straight race Saturday with a repeat win in the $300,000 Lady's Secret Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Undefeated in her 13 career starts, she equals Personal Ensign's lifetime record of 13 wins in as many starts.

  "That's something we never imagined when she started racing," trainer John Shirreffs said about equaling Personal Ensign's record. "And then as she has continued to win, it became something that was maybe possible." By winning the Lady's Secret Stakes, Zenyatta gains automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic next month at Santa Anita. She won last year's Ladies' Classic on her way to being voted the Eclipse Award as 2008 champion older female.

  Zenyatta, ridden by Mike Smith, settled into sixth in the seven horse field during the running of the Lady's Secret. Setting the pace in the 1 1/16 mile event was Briecat with Made for Magic in second and Anabaa's Creation running in third during the early going.

  Up the backstretch the 2-5 favorite had only one horse beat as the field entered the far turn. Zenyatta began her move to the front with a half-mile to go and was five wide around the final turn. She had the lead as the field entered the stretch and easily maintained her advantage.

  Zenyatta, owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, won her 13th straight start by 1 1/4- lengths over Lethal Heat.

  Completing the order of finish was Cocoa Beach, Life Is Sweet, Anabaa's Creation, Made for Magic and Briecat. Sweet and Flawless was scratched.

  The time for the Lady's Secret was 1:42.89 on Santa Anita's synthetic track.

  Zenyatta picks up $180,000 with the victory.

  Her career earnings now total $2.75 million.

  "Zenyatta, she just finds more stride," Shirreffs said earlier in the week. "She just gets two inches more, an inch more. Her stride keeps lengthening and lengthening, and she keeps powering her way to the wire. So a lot of times a horse that is coming from where she does, they make a big run and they get to be second or something like that." Zenyatta returned $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10.

  Lethal Heat paid $7.40 and $4.20, and Cocoa Beach paid $3.00 to show.

  In the $350,000 Goodwood Stakes, English import Gitano Hernando came from just off the pace to win the 1 1/8 mile race and put him into the Breeders' Cup Classic next month.

  Ridden by Kieren Fallon, the British-bred three-year-old stalked the pace that was set by Tres Borrachos on Santa Anita's synthetic surface. Running three wide around the final turn Gitano Hernando split horses down the stretch and was able to hold off 5-2 favorite Colonel John to win by a neck.

  Finishing third was Richard's Kid with Parading holding on for fourth. Chocolate Candy finished fifth in the 10 horse field while Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was sixth.

  Mine That Bird was reunited with jockey Calvin Borel for the race, but was never in contention.

  The three-year-old gelding was the 3-1 second choice in the 10 horse field.

  Rounding out the order of finish was Monzante, Informed, Tres Borrachos and 2007 Goodwood champ Tiago.

  The time for the 28th Goodwood Stakes was 1:48.39.

  Gitano Hernando is owned by Team Valor International and Gary Babver, and trained by Marco Botti. This was the colt's first race outside of England and just his seventh career start.

  The victory was worth $165,000 to bring the three-year-old's lifetime total to $219,669. He has won four of his seven races.

  Gitano Hernando, an 18-1 longshot, paid $38.00, $14.40 and $9.40. Colonel John returned $4.40 and $3.20, Richard's Kid paid $4.40 to show.

  10/10 20:22:31 ET