Zenyatta's Breeding Plans Announced

Since her retirement race fans have waited to hear who reigning Horse of the Year will be bred to and that has been decided.

The speculation hit a fever pitch. Would it be the regal A.P. Indy? Some suggested Curlin, while others viewed the other top Breeders Cup Classic winner Tiznow as a proven producer candidate.

Owners Jerry and Ann Moss have decided on a different angle. The daughter of Street Cry (IRE) out of Vertigineux by Kris S will be bred to 2006 Preakness winner and champion 3 year old male Bernardini.

Bernardini has risen above the winner of the tragedy marred Preakness that saw favored Barbaro pulled up after breaking down. He was the leading freshman sire by number of graded/group winners. Among those is grade 1 winner A.Z. Warrior.

Bernardini stands at Sheikh Mohammed's Darley stables and is a son of A.P. Indy out of a Quiet American mare, Cara Rafaela. With top runners in Italy, England and the USA, he's a young and promising sire, including Italian stakes winner Biondetti.

After his Preakness Stakes win, Bernardini won the Travers Stakes, Jockey Gold Cup, Jim Dandy Stakes and Withers Stakes. He was second to Invasor in the Breeders Cup Classic.

His dam is a granddaughter of Spectacular Bid, called "the best horse to ever look through a bridle." Darley is home to an outstanding roster of stallions, including Street Cry (IRE), Quiet American and Derby winner Street Sense. Bernardini's weanling sale average so far is $124, 333 with a yearling average of $201,207. His two year olds - only three have sold at this age, averaged $548,333.

A beautiful colt in a "plain bay wrapper", Bernardini is a regally bred young stallion with a great deal of promise, and adding Zenyatta to his court is certainly a big accomplishment for a young stallion.

Street Cry (IRE) has become one of the top sires in the business not only because of Zenyatta and Street Sense. Shocking (AUS) and Whobegotyou (AUS) have both been in the multi-million earnings in Australia, with five more in the US and Australia over a half million. As a broodmare sire, he is the sire of 51 daughters of 30 foals to race and is heavy in breeding to the outstanding horse *Nasrullah. Bernardini is heavy in Bold Ruler breeding.

All of the statistics and racing information mean little to the thousands of fans who have followed Zenyatta's career. She has a near impossible task of producing offspring that come close to her, as exceeding her accomplishments may be an order even she cannot fill. So often, mares that were brilliant on the track don't become the same in the breeding shed. Champion Miesque, recently deceased, broke that mold with some outstanding contributions to the breed.

This first foal will gather attention no matter what he or she does simply because of the pedigree. A dark colored foal - based on parents - with a world of promise.