Zellda

Though the grandstand remains quiet during the off-season at Keeneland, the racetrack does not, as trainers' barns grow and flourish with the continuous arrival of 2-year-olds ready to take the next step towards debuting as fully-fledged racehorses. It's a time of year filled with a sense of excitement for what's to come as trainers, owners and fans alike brim with the anticipation of watching who might develop into future stars. This feeling is one that seems to reverberate most throughout Cherie DeVaux's barn following the recent arrival of one very...

There is one moment that still sticks out to April Mayberry from Zenyatta's time at her family's farm in Ocala. From the day the daughter of Street Cry (Ire) arrived at Mayberry Farm, she was straightforward but not necessarily a standout. That is, until the future superstar had her first breeze. Mayberry's mother Jeanne instructed rider Ronaldo Rodas to take it easy, let the filly follow behind four or five other 2-year-olds and see how she handled it. As the story goes, in a move that would later become her...

Beloved Hall of Famer Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) produced her last foal, a filly by War Front, on June 9 at Lane's End Farm. According to Zenyatta.com, the champion's co-owner Ann Holbrook (Moss), as well as Lane's End managers Todd Claunch and Jenn Laidlaw, were present for the successful foaling of the newborn, who sports a prominent blaze quite reminiscent of her dam's recognizable markings. The post also stated that this will be Zenyatta's last foal as the 19-year-old mare enters into retirement. The winner of 19 of 20 starts...

   The youngest progeny from Hall of Fame superstar Zenyatta recently arrived at John Shirreffs's barn at Santa Anita. The 2-year-old chestnut filly by Candy Ride (Arg) named Zilkha is already well on her way to making her debut this year. Zilkha's big personality became abundantly clear during my interview with Shirreffs. The juvenile was front and center, peering over Shirreffs's shoulder as she was hamming for the camera, and at one point put her nose right in it. Perhaps she is more like Zenyatta than we know? When I...

Whether you choose to believe them or not, people always said that she knew where the finish line was. And there was never any denying the intelligence of four-time Eclipse champion and Horse of the Year Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}). She was quirky and a bit high-strung, and she made a hobby out of throwing exercise riders in the mornings. Her dance when she hit the track during warmup, whether it was to toy with her fans or to release adrenaline, and her ability to switch gears as she weaved...

Trainer John Shirreffs joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss his recent GI Santa Anita Derby winner and Triple Crown hopeful Honor A.P., as well as a special three-year-old filly named Zellda, the daughter of champion and Hall of Famer Zenyatta.

Zenyatta is still looking for her first win as a broodmare but that may soon change. Trainer John Shirreffs reports that her third foal to make it to the racetrack, Zellda (Medaglia d'Oro), has impressed him so far and appears to have a bright future. "We're really excited about Zellda," Shirreffs said. "She looks really good. She is on the smaller side but she has a really big stride and she's really into it. Some horses just gallop around and they just aren't into it. She is really into it....