Last year's champion older female Zenyatta has been scratched from the $350,000 Louisville Distaff (gr. II) May 1, it was confirmed by the Churchill Downs racing office.
The 4-5 morning-line favorite, Zenyatta was scheduled to make her 5-year-old debut at Churchill Downs, but due to heavy rain in Louisville, Ky., that caused the track to become sloppy, trainer John Shirreffs decided to postpone her first race of the year. Undefeated in nine lifetime starts, the daughter of Street Cry last raced when taking the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (gr. I) Oct. 24 at Santa Anita Park.
“She is just starting off this year, and this is a grade II, it’s not the Breeders’ Cup,” Shirreffs told The Blood-Horse April 30 when hinting that the scratch would be likley if the weather did not cooperate. “It’s a long year."
Zenyatta, who is owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, has made only one career start on natural dirt, that coming in her Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) victory last April at Oaklawn Park. The track was labeled fast that day. Her other starts have come on synthetic surfaces in California.
With Zenyatta out of the Louisville Distaff, G. Watts Humphrey's One Caroline is likley to become the post time favorite. The 4-year-old Unbridled's Song filly is undefeated in five starts.
