Zenyatta 'Baby Shower' Set at Santa Anita

Santa Anita Park will be celebrating the recent birth of Zenyatta's newly arrived foal March 17. The track will give away "It's a Boy" posters to those in attendance and will also hold an autograph session with "Team Zenyatta" prior to the races.

“The entire racing world is buzzing about Zenyatta’s new colt, who was born in Kentucky (March 8),” said Chris Quinn, Santa Anita’s vice president of sales and marketing.  “Zenyatta is easily the most popular horse of the past 25 to 30 years and people are clamoring to see and learn more about her new baby."

The superstar mare won 19 of her 20 career races, mostly in Southern California, and was voted the 2010 Horse of the Year. She gave birth for the first time in Kentucky, where she lives at Lane's End Farm.

The foal has not been named. Per standard practice in the breeding industry, he is referred to as ``12 Zenyatta,'' which indicates the year he was born and his mare's name.

“The Queen’s Dance,” a life-size painting of Zenyatta in post parade posturing, will also be on display at Santa Anita. The work, first unveiled during Breeders’ Cup week this past November at Churchill Downs, was created by Jaime Corum.

Corum, along with Zenyatta's owners Jerry and Ann Moss, trainer John Shirreffs, his wife Dottie Ingordo Shirreffs (who is the Moss' racing manager), and jockey Mike Smith will all be on hand to sign autographs from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Santa Anita’s East Paddock Gardens area.

Several charities, including CANTER of California, Old Friends, Race for Education, and EAGALA, which have been involved with Zenyatta throughout her career, will be represented at the event.

For more information on Zenyatta’s new foal and this Saturday’s equine baby shower at Santa Anita, fans are encouraged to visit http://www.zenyatta.com/diary/diary-post-456.

First post time is 12:30 p.m., with the grade I Santa Margarita Stakes, won by Zenyatta in 2010, and the Irish O’Brien Stakes headlining a festive St. Patrick’s Day card.