Champion mare Zenyatta will maintain a course for the G1 Apple Blossom Hcp on April 9 despite the defection of Rachel Alexandra and a $5 million purse.

Zenyatta (6m Street Cry – Vertigineux by Machiavellian) improved her record to 15 from 15 in the G1 Santa Margarita Invitational at Santa Anita on Saturday a few minutes after her stablemate Zardana scored a shock win over 2009 US Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in New Orleans.

“Zenyatta will run in the Apple Blossom regardless,” trainer John Shirreffs stated after watching his mare win first-up at Santa Anita.  “The showdown with Rachel Alexandra was never really the thing.  It really wasn’t.  We brought Zenyatta back for the fans and so that we could have some fun with her.”

The undefeated Street Cry mare gave those fans a scare, as she often does, en route to a one length win.  She was last of eight at the top of the straight before jockey Mike Smith steered an inside course to collar $51 outsider Dance to My Tune.

“I cut some corners but was confident at all times,” Smith said.  “It was a great, great race for her and it wasn’t taxing at all.  We got enough out of this race to move forward.”

Zenyatta is now just one victory away from equalling the record of legendary champions Citation and Cigar with 16 consecutive wins.  She has now earned US$5.62 million for owners Jerry and Ann Moss who briefly retired the mare following her win in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic last November.

Jerry Moss was extremely happy to see Zenyatta return in such fine fashion.  “Everybody’s so pleased to have her back.  When she wins, she makes everybody happy.  It’s like something is going on inside each and every one of us.  She’s perfect.”

Bred by Maverick Productions in Kentucky, Zenyatta was a bargain at only $60,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale.  She is a half-sister to G1 winning mare Balance (Thunder Gulch) and their dam has 2yo colt named Souper Spectacular (Giant’s Causeway) and a filly foal by Bernardini.

Shirreffs was too busy saddling up Zenyatta to watch his second-stringer Zardana overpower Rachel Alexandra.  The Brazilian bred mare got home by three-quarters of a length in a finish that stunned the large Louisiana crowd.

“I didn’t get a chance to see it but I heard it, and it sounded great,” Shirreffs said.  “Zardana is tough.  California’s tough.  We’re tough.  Don’t take us short.”

Rachel Alexandra’s trainer Steve Asmussen shouldered the blame for the loss.  “It’s very disappointing.  We tried to accelerate her training in order meet the Apple Blossom schedule.  That was a mistake.  She simply wasn’t fit enough.”

Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) pulled up well and cleaned out her feed bin but connections wouldn’t be drawn on the time or place for her next start.  Without her participation, the Apple Blossom will revert to its original purse of $500,000.

Meanwhile, Shirreffs didn’t elaborate when asked whether Zenyatta would take any improvement from her first-up win.  “That’s hard to say,” he explained.  “How can you be better than perfect?”