Zenyatta - Queen For Only One Day

In the midst of the building anticipation of the Kentucky Derby, one of the greatest Equine athletes we've seen in years returns to the stage on Friday.

Zenyatta, (left) the equine version of the UConn Women's basketball team, will put her 15-for-15 record on the line in Oaklawn Park's Apple Blossom.

Seeing her run is always a treat and those in Hot Springs, Ark. will be a witness to what should be another victory.

The sad part though is that this race was supposed to the "Race of the Century" between Zenyatta and 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.

It is debatable why Rachel and her connections elected to skip the Apple Blossom but after suffering her first defeat last month to Zardana (Zenyatta's stablemate), there was little doubt she wasn't ready to face Zenyatta and pursue the $5,000,000 purse that Oaklawn Park owner Charles Cella was offering.

One can only hope that the two will meet this year because it is a near certainty that their racing careers will be over at the end of the year. (This debate will be left for another article.)

Rachel's defection from the Apple Blossom left only four other competitors who are nowhere close to the ability of Zenayatta.

Zenyatta is an imposing figure and her presence in just about any race will scare off most of the competition. But with $500,000 on the line, it is surprising that only four others volunteered to step in the ring with racing's heavyweight.

Plus, her seemingly inevitable victory will be quickly overshadowed Saturday by the $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby, one of the last major Kentucky Derby preps on the calendar.

Racing needs a star like Zenyatta and the only way she will ever get the attention she deserves is if she faces Rachel. An added bonus would be for Zenyatta to run at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week. That's the only place all year where over 1,600 members of the media and over 100,000 people will attend the races.

Zenyatta was supposed to run there last year but trainer John Shirreffs decided that the morning rains on Derby Day made the track unsuitable for his star pupil. Let's hope they make a return trip to the Twin Spires in a couple of weeks.

And, a little horse named Rachel Alexandra happens to be stabled there so might the "Race of the Century" be on again? That might be a longshot but at the very worst, the largest crowd in person and on TV for a racing during the year might get a chance to gaze upon an incredible athlete.

Photos courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire - http://www.eclipsesportswire.com