So, late Saturday afternoon, with $5 million on the line in the BC Classic, the last race of a 2-day, 14-race, $25.5 million extravaganza, played out at one of America's greatest sporting stages, Santa Anita Park, with the San Gabriels towering over the proceedings, Zenyatta will get her chance.
She will face the winners of this year's Kentucky Derby (Mine That Bird), Belmont Stakes, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup (all Summer Bird), Santa Anita Handicap (Einstein), Florida Derby (Quality Road), Pacific Classic (Richard's Kid), Super Derby (Regal Ransom), as well as the winner of last year's Travers and Santa Anita Derby (Colonel John), America's best grass horse (Gio Ponti) and one of the best horses in Europe (Rip Van Winkle).
Zenyatta's amazing rally has brought her from last or near last to first in each of her starts. But those were just races against mostly ordinary horses. This is the race against an extraordinary group of horses.
The shadow of the amazing filly Rachel Alexandra looms over this Classic. Owner Jess Jackson kept her out of the BC because he objects to the synthetic surface at Santa Anita.
Regardless of how the Horse of the Year voting ends up, a Zenyatta win against males in the Classic would be a result for the ages.
"I've been blessed to be on some great horses," Smith said. "I've just never been on something that can turn it on like she does. She has a tremendous stride. It just seems to reach forever. It's almost an out-of-body feeling. I've almost got to where I'm a spectator myself on top of her with the best seat in the house. I'm just in awe of her."
