A DAY WITH BY TRACY GANTZ / PHOTOS BY WALLY SKALIJ he Zenyatta Live Experience has Tcreated fans across the country. Watching her win every race, play to the crowd by danc- ing in the paddock, and bow en route to the winner’s circle leaves people choked up with tears in their eyes. But what is Zenyatta like around the barn with the lucky individuals whose jobs entail taking care of her? We spent time with Zenyatta and her team at Barn 55 South, trainer John Shirreffs’ Hollywood Park headquarters, to discover what the world’s most popular Thorough- bred does in between her spectacular races. Life with the big mare as she goes through her daily routine 2690 BloodHorse.com O SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 BloodHorse.com O SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 2691 Zenyatta.indd 2690 9/13/10 4:16:06 PM Zenyatta.indd 2691 9/13/10 4:16:28 PM BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN BH38-2690.pgs 09.13.2010 16:25 TheBloodHorse BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN BH38-2691.pgs 09.13.2010 16:24 TheBloodHorse On another pass, hotwalker Salvador by the barn one day, saw her, and about Lopez, known as Cheva, stands in the snapped my neck off. I asked John, ‘Who shedrow with a carrot dangling from his is that?’ He said, ‘She’s a 2-year-old.’ ” mouth. Zenyatta walks up and gently takes Steve Willard, Zenyatta’s exercise rider, it. Lopez kisses her on the nose, a ritual arrives, the magic signal for the barn cats. that is undoubtedly played out regularly. He pulls a can of cat food out of his pocket “Cheva likes to get his picture taken with and feeds the cats as they wind their bod- Zenyatta while he stands right under her ies around his legs. He steps up to Zenyatta head,” said Shirreffs as he scrolls through and says good morning before readying his iPhone to show off the photo. The train- Australian import Scenic Blast for his er takes notes off of the board, updates the morning gallop. schedule, and proceeds to walk the shed- Just after 6, Wilson climbs aboard Hoo- row to examine each of his 32 charges. tie, ready to take out the first set. They Dr. Dawn Hunkin, Shirreffs’ veterinar- head for the training track, while Zenyatta ian, shows up with a tray of equipment. keeps up her steady walking. She walks through the barn, too, stopping By 6:45, Zenyatta has returned to her by any horse that requires medication stall. She munches hay and relaxes. Oc- or consulting with Shirreffs if needs her casionally, she plays in her straw bedding opinion on an issue. in a futile search for treasure. 5:30 a.m.—The Day Begins Trainer John Shirreffs, above, oversees Zenyatta, as hotwalker Just before 6 a.m., the exercise riders Leal checks her again. As he scratches Before daylight makes its appearance, Carmen Zamora, bottom, gives start arriving. They pick up their saddles her elbow, shoulder, or barrel, she swings work begins at the Shirreffs barn. Grooms the big mare a kiss and a walk and bridles as Freddie Wilson leads out the her head around to look at him affection- and hotwalkers arrive, and foreman Frank stable pony, 20-year-old Hootie. Wilson ately, flicking her ears back and forth as Leal takes over from nightwatchman Bob teases a groom with fly spray, then sprays she listens to his low whistle. Hodges in overseeing barn activity. Hootie in anticipation of the hot, sweaty When she looks across the shedrow, Shirreffs starts his day in the barn of- day to come. Zenyatta can watch the comings and go- fice, which is emblazoned with a photo of Zenyatta continues her easy-going walk, ings of Harmonious and Ain’t She Sweet. Zenyatta on the door and several others stopping to look around every second or Before retirement, Life Is Sweet lived in the Zenyatta checks out some barn action, temporarily ignoring her hay above his desk. But it’s hardly a one-horse third pass in case something might have stall that her full sister now occupies. show, as other photos on the office walls changed. Zamora has moved on to walk Harmo- the bridle has no shadow roll. Willard a leg up...a long way up. include Life Is Sweet, Giacomo, After Mar- “Big Mama—she just gets better-looking nious. She brings the 3-year-old filly back Willard noted that Zenyatta has a cus- “We’re going to walk once around the ket, Hollywood Story, Tarlow, Manistique, every day,” the 70-something Wilson said. to her stall at about 7:20, while Zenyatta tomized saddle, something Shirreffs also shedrow and then several times around and Tiago. “She brought me out of retirement. I came oversees the procedure, making sure all discussed. the tow ring before heading to the main Groom Mario Espinoza and hotwalker is well. “It’s a full-tree saddle made in England track,” Willard said. Carmen Zamora begin Zenyatta’s daily Willard walks by, and Zenyatta turns to especially for her,” Shirreffs said. “(Former Espinoza leads Zenyatta around the routine. Married to each other, the two him, knowing he will offer a friendly pat. steeplechase jockey) Jimmy Duggan had shedrow with Willard up. Zenyatta stops are the most closely associated with Zen- Harmonious pokes her head out, mildly it made. She needs a big saddle to fit her and sticks out her tongue. While they take yatta. Espinoza, like all of Shirreffs’ other interested in their interplay, but her hay withers.” their turns around the tow ring between grooms, cares for four horses. His other net quickly grabs her attention. Willard uses the saddle during her the barn and the training track, Wilson three are 2010 American Oaks (gr. IT) After Espinoza finishes mucking out the gallops. He says the full tree is better for and Hootie wait patiently. winner Harmonious, Violet Rose (a 2-year- stalls of his four charges, he tidies up the Zenyatta’s back. Willard and jockey Mike By 9:25, Zenyatta and Willard are head- old filly by Street Cry—Tarlow), and Ain’t shedrow. He walks up to Harmonious to Smith use a normal half-tree exercise sad- ing to the main track. She Sweet (a full sister to Life Is Sweet). play a game with the filly. He sweeps up dle when Zenyatta works. “See all this sand?” said Willard, indicat- Though Zenyatta won’t go out for her of- a little bit of straw. Harmonious pins her Willard puts on Zenyatta’s tongue tie. ing the comfortable footing Zenyatta and ficial morning exercise until about 9:30, ears and pretends to lunge at him, but it Espinoza checks her feet, and Leal gives Hootie are traversing. “Dennis (Moore) Espinoza and Zamora lead her out of her is obvious that Espinoza gets along with stall and hose off her legs. Zamora walks Harmonious just as well as he does with Zenyatta around the shedrow, while Espi- Zenyatta. noza sets to work mucking out her stall. As people stop by the office, checking 9:00 a.m.—Ready for exercise the board to see which horses will go out Willard strides up with Zenyatta’s tack to the track in which set, Zenyatta enjoys at the stroke of 9. her leisurely walk with Zamora. The hot- “Hi, Mamacita,” he says. She greets him, walker at one point stops the big mare— ready to get to work, but not before putting she’s 17.1 hands—so that Leal can exam- her muzzle on her hay net, pricking her ine her front legs, as he does with all of the ears, and striking a pose. horses. Willard ties her up and opens the stall Zenyatta looks at everything, her head webbing. He ducks under the rubber-cov- bobbing left and right as she checks out ered chain and pulls out a tape measure, who’s in and who’s out of their stalls. With which he wraps around her massive girth the Bee Gees’ “Night Fever” playing on to measure her weight. a radio, horses, hotwalkers, and grooms “It says 1,217 (pounds),” he noted. “I call work around Zenyatta. The morning rou- it 1,210-1,220 to allow for her breathing. tine settles in, a routine that keeps the That’s her ideal weight.” horses calm—no snorting or wild eyes in While Espinoza expertly does up her the Shirreffs shedrow. bandages, Zenyatta nearly goes to sleep, During one pass by the office, Zenyatta content with her people surrounding her. stops to look at the training track. Zamora Soon Espinoza bridles her, and she quickly lets her take her time. takes the bit. She’s only galloping today, so Groom Mario Espinoza leads Zenyatta and exercise rider Steve Willard 2692 BloodHorse.com O SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 BloodHorse.com O SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 2693 Zenyatta.indd 2692 9/13/10 4:17:04 PM Zenyatta.indd 2693 9/13/10 4:17:30 PM BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN BH38-2692.pgs 09.13.2010 16:24 TheBloodHorse BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN BH38-2693.pgs 09.13.2010 16:25 TheBloodHorse to do. She’s very loud non-verbally. She wants to communicate. When I’m in the right spot, she drops her head and is totally into it. When I’m not, she pins her ears.” Ruben Loza is another assistant trainer who often handles duties at the Holly- wood barn when he isn’t across town with Shirreffs’ Santa Anita string. Shirreffs himself will now spend the quiet hours catching up on paperwork and commu- nication with owners.