Though it was her first start in seven months, undefeated Zenyatta's 10th consecutive win proved to be no more difficult than any of her earlier victories. In disposing of her top-notch stablemate, Life Is Sweet, the seemingly invincible 5-year-old daughter of Street Cry rolled to an easy 1 3/4-length win in the $150,000 Milady Handicap (gr. II) (VIDEO) at Hollywood Park May 23.
Zenyatta was in tight briefly on the final turn after beginning her customary charge from behind, but jockey Mike Smith simply angled to the outside of the others and guided her four wide down the homestretch. Like a locomotive she chugged past her rivals, sweeping by the leading Allicansayis Wow just past the eighth pole and inching away from Life Is Sweet and Garrett Gomez under a hand ride from Smith.
Like Zenyatta, the grade I winner Life Is Sweet is also from trainer John Shirreffs' barn. Both employ similar running styles and appeared to be a good match on paper at the 1 1/16-mile distance.
Trailing into the final turn, both Life Is Sweet and Zenyatta picked it up as the six-horse field rounded the sweeping bend. After a brief encounter between the two, Zenyatta went wide to avoid traffic, as Life Is Sweet angled in. Life Is Sweet angled to the outside of pacesetter Gambler's Justice mid-stretch and found room along the inside after clearing her. Zenyatta and Life Is Sweet were still close at that point, but it was no match from there as Zenyatta drew away on her own. The winning time was a smart 1:42.30 on Hollywood's Cushion Track.
"Garrett and I were playing some serious jockey games out there," Smith said. "It was all clean and fair. She's so handy that when I eased up on the pedal she backed up for me, came around and it was over."
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