I’ll never forget this. All these years later still gives me chills. Miss watching Big Z run! RIP GG. What a ride on Blame!

This was the race that really made her. Having to fly in from the west coast, to run on an unfamiliar surface, an old mare at almost seven years old running against prime stallions half her age, losing to Blame who had won three of his last four on this very same track. To lose bad would have exposed her to all her critics. To come from twenty lengths back only to lose by a nose legitimized all her previous wins and her place in all-time lists.

Damn, what a ride by Garret Gomez he was the best jockey by far, throw blame between horses big balls.

Who taught Zenyatta to dance I could watch her all day. ❤beautiful just a big ol beaute

Thank you for good moments jockeys sport and good luck Mike Smith and horse Zenyatta, USA

Oh my, that was such a heartache. We were there, and I honestly thought she was hurt and was being eased for a minute she was SO far behind. Nonetheless, she was just a half step behind and they were both all out at the end. I have no doubt that if she hadn't been so extremely far back, she'd have won. What a horse!!

Great jockey! One of my favs, and will be missed!

What a great ride by Gomez. It was so great watching the sad faces and the chalk get burned.

this race still breaks my heart!

What a marvelous career Lady Z had. She gave it her all in every race. It was an honor to watch her.

Had the prevlidge of meeting Blame at Claiborne Stud. A real gentleman.

Gomez gave a masterful ride. RIP

The amount of times Zenyatta and Mike pulled this late surge off was incredible. One of the best horses to ever run and one of the greatest jockeys. Just because she got beat doesn’t diminish all of her victories, if you watch her racing style she is a very late closer and there was always a risk that she would one day not get there in time.. ❤️❤️

Congrats to Blame. He is also a good stud at the farm.

A beautiful ride by the late and great Garrett Gomez☝️R.I.P bro🙏 😎🤙

Zenyatta is a winner in this race. To make up so much ground and to lose by a whisker, it's a shame, but she tried her heart out. Go girl!

Much has been said over the years that this was Zenyatta's greatest race. I have to agree. Something happened on the break, whether she didn't like the track or got squeezed in the gate, and she came back from an unfathomable deficit to lose by a head. Even Andy Beyer had to admit she proved more in this race than going 19 for 19 in the races before it. Everyone knows, including the Zenyatta detractors, that she simply ran out of track as she was running down Blame who was running his eyeballs out trying to get to the line. Also, it has been noted that she was running as fast in the middle fractions of the race trying to catch up as she was in the stretch. That was supernatural. I seriously don't blame Mike Smith who loved her with everything he had and had a ton of experience on her. And I don't blame the horse who won. That race was hers to lose and she demonstrated her all-time greatness regardless and in spite of what the result turned out to be.

RIP Garrett

What an honor to be able to see this miracle.

Love that narration!!

I think that slight manoeuvre, where Smith looks for racing room in the stretch, is what probably cost her the race.. but with her style of racing, there's all sorts of fine fractions that have to go to script, especially in a race like the Classic.. At least we all know, really, that Zenyatta was the best horse in the race; if not by much.

Wish I witnessed this amazing horse 🐎 Zenyatta no one can compare ❤️ She’s a great great horse as what Ann Moss said

Blame has never lost a rae where leads at the 1/8th pole very game race by zenyatta mike knows he messed up running into the fading quality road probably cost her a couple jumps, zenyatta that season produced the most dramatic races i have ever seen!! Salute a great and my love for horse racing

I had and have never cheered so hard for any sport let alone a sport I am not a fan of. I will never forget this Race but more I will NEVER forget this horse Zenyatta. She was a once in a lifetime horse and I am proud to say I lived and cheered in the time of Zenyatta. The sad part was the jockey made the mistake of not starting her one step sooner (hindsight huh ;). The Jockey in defense took the blame and didn't shy away from the fault. I applaud him for this as I have seen many times the other. He did his best and she did hers and I think every single person who watched this knew Zenyatta was the real winner as one step further and she would have ran Blame down like she did to the hundreds of horses she had before...

If I watch the video enough times, Zenyatta will get up LOL she ran great, silenced those who said she couldn't run with older handicap males on dirt, and was almost seven, against Blame's career-best effort. No shame in this loss.

Most exciting horse I've ever watched run.

It was challenging race making it her best race. We should be so lucky to see a horse have such stellar career. For which went beyond training and was all heart.

Great ATHLETE ,Always shine on a BIG GAME,GG guided a PERFECT TRIP,, for BLAME, one of my FAV. Jockey,and will be missed..RIP.

I've never seen a race where the second home gets all the attention! Blame also ran a blinder.

Zenyatta always gave herself a boat load to do late in all of her races. Whether by design or by choice. Blame on the other hand was box-seated almost perfectly the entire race under a solid early pace, and a very patient ride by Garrett Gomez. But the heart she showed still coming so close to beating a multiple G1 winner in Blame on his home track (Churchill Downs) where he was never beaten, showed the tremendous heart and will to win that big mare possessed. Had this race been on a synthetic surface it might have been a very different outcome, because Zenyatta was decent on conventional dirt winning the Apple Blossom twice and very nearly this race too. But I don't think there's much doubt she spun her wheels much less racing on that pro-ride at Santa Anita or on Del-Mar's tapeta surface than she did on conventional dirt at Oaklawn Park or Churchill Downs. Which has often made me wonder how good Zenyatta might've been on turf if she'd ever been given the chance to race on it? I know quite often in Europe and for the first few seasons at Meydan, horses who run well on polytrack at Kempton or LIngfield or horses that ran well on the main track at Meydan when it was initially tapeta are generally equally as effective on turf. Case in point, after running 1st-(Gloria De Campeao) & 2nd-(Lizard's Desire) respectively in the 2010 Dubai World Cup, the first held at Meydan on tapeta, they did the same a couple of months later at Kranji on turf in the G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup, only this time with Lizard's Desire flipping the script beating Gloria De Campeao and squaring that ledger.

Mike "effed up again" Smith with a masterful losing ride

😢cuanta tristeza siento cada vez que veo este Clásico, Mi Campeonisima "ZENYATTA" Fuistes, Eres y Serás La Mejor del Mundo

A loss is a loss. But leave no doubt that Zenyatta was the best horse that day. She was coming for blame and ran out of track.

Apart from Winx, Zenyatta is my favourite racehorse of all-time. I felt a bit sad that she didn't retire on a winning note.

Gomez said he wouldn't want a rematch. He knew he got lucky. R.I.P. Garrett.

Lost in all this was a FIRST CLASS ride from Garrett Gomez on a remarkable colt. Blame came from almost last himself, muscled out Lookin at Lucky and kicked on for the win. Zenyatta did her best, but it wasn't enough on the day.

One of the best horse ever jockey faults

Love this horse, I thought I would never see another horse that can run like this. She rivals Secretariat. Know that would have been a great race.

Zenyatta was much the best. She wasnt in the mood that day and stayed well behind the pack. Best Female Horse ever IMO. Absolutely adore her. People seem to forget, she never controlled a pace in front of her. Always closed into the fractions. She ran when called to, never sat on an easy pace. Never had a race handed to her. ALL heart, grit and desire!

Wow that was her race! Pisses me off to see such an amazing mare not win. They held her back for to long sire she’s powerful enough to do stuff like that but to what extend.

It's like she's waving to all of her fans!

What a shame Zenyatta didn't get there, incredible try. Zenyatta's half sister Winx (by Street Cry) is having her last race this Saturday in Sydney Australia to win 33 races consecutively, 25 Group 1's. Go WINX

I watch this race all the time and gosh it hurts. In my eyes she won and she is still winning. Best filly ever with Ruffian and Rachel Alexandra. These three are in the Olympus of fillies.

Me too!!!! Greatest ever!

Zenyatta! The Best!

Way to spoil the party, Blame. This is one my favorite races ever.

ZENYATTA can eat up BLAME... it was so tight to find way for ZENYATTA she was THE BEST STILL alot more in the tank ... but since its a race well done BLAME..... i love ZENYATTA

amazing performace

My gf at the time always wondered why i loved sports so much. She was bewildered that i watched 4 hours of nothing. Then Zenyatta made her insane push down the final straight. I was inches from my TV yelling. After the race my gf was like omg. my heart is pounding so hard. I turned to her and said that is why I watch sports. Of everything I watch it was Horse racing that got her to understand.

the jockey mucked that one up - he got lucky in the Vanity with leaving it late - he was always getting too cute and it finally came home.

Yesterday, December 14, 2016, retired jockey Garrett Gomez died at age 44 according his daughter Shelby Gomez, who declined to give details about his father´s death. It´s a very sad news. I´m shocked! Greetings from Venezuela.

I. Really love all aspects that pertains to thoroughbred s that the heart a horse brings and gives could be something that we can never lose a horse is somrthing our great nation used to get us were we are save our horse

"And Zenyattaaaaa ...B-L-AAA-M-E!", the commentator seems like he's hanging on to call Zenyatta the winner

One of the best horses ever,Mike Smith should stay on the out side,he got stock an the inside the the other horses,but l8ke always,what a race,one of the best horses ever..!

Zenyatta and ruffian are the queens

Zenyatta is the best horse.

zenyatta the greatest

Everyone blames mike. But the thing is zenyatta broke slow and was slow in to stride that’s not mike fault that she lost 6 lengths at the gate against the bets colts in the world. Ideally mike would want to be 12-15 lengths from the lead at the clip they we’re running he was about 20. He tried to pick it up down the backside but when the pace setters weakened the horses came back to him fast blame was able to save ground zenyatta had to go through traffic and tip out.best race of her career undoubtedly

right after losing a heartbreaker the announcer asks"Can you decribe your emotions right now"... WTF you think his emotions are? Dummy. John Sherrifs answered w/ such class... I would've replied, What do u think my emotions are right now, HAPPY, DELIGHTED WE LOST?

i am in love with zenyata, but i think i love mike smith too, he has honest eyes,

It's gone very quiet , listen can you hear that? the sound of silence and Simon and Garfunkel are nowhere in sight lol 😂

imagine these two breeding there offspring let's not forget zenyatta was going for 20 straight wins

Waited to long to get back in it...

She just tried pulling it off, a length or even a nose from Blame would have made her 20 for 20. What a ride on Blame. It was his favourite track and he was set up for the race. Poor Z, She is still a very good mare. Maybe a few other foals will carry on her career when they are older:)!.

WHAT A GREAT HOUSE

Uno de los mejores caballos del mundo

la dejo muy atras cuando busco la punta , blame crecido dio un suspiro final aguanto y gano , pone fin al invicto de una leyenda.

Zenyatta should have won but still she had her dignity and the love of everyone in the world and i think she was horse of the year every year love you zenyatta

Defalarca bindiğin atın nerede yürüyeceğini bilemezsen sonuç bu olur.Son 200’de Karataş veya Selim’i düşünemiyorum şu atmosferde ☺️

RIP GG....u won me a lot of money....ur a legend

What a call!

Blame was a Superior Horse to any other Horse Zenyatta had ever faced...Her losing this race was no coincidence or major upset

DAMN it, I thought she'd win this time. What a great race.

Zenyatta is still the best she is stll beautiful she is not a looser

It’s meant to be that Blame won this race🐎 But Zenyatta for me is the greatest mare ever.

when garret Gomez was in the race you have to bet couple dollars. because he was a champion men. Like a Chris McCARRON

You can hear the crowd silence when the commentator said Blame

What more can I say zenyatta was a mayor Blaine was a cult wow what a great performance by amir it will go down in history as a great horse..

i don,t think the well was dry,probably the best race she ran,as mike smith said just needed blame to fold a bit but he never,a great race though.

Who's here after yesterday's Amazing BCC ? She was so far back early. She did her best on a surface she didn't seem to like, underneath and hitting her as she closed. Mike missjudged.

She's gonna win again.

Zenyatta the best horse of the history and garret gomez the best jockey of world of this momento

Zenyatta was so much the better horse. Smith got her going a bit too late. Still, she’s a great great champion. A legend.

1200lbs! that is one big girl!

G.Gomez top 5 jockey 🏇🏻 of all time

Blame was absolutely SUPERIOR to any Horse Zenyatta ever faced in her Career...Zenyatta ran a MONSTER race lagging nearly 20 lengths off the Lead...She was the type of Horse who did what she had to do and Knew where the Wire was...Heartbreaking Loss

I don't care what anyone says Mike Smith must have thought Zenyatta had wings to win from that far back, a terrible ride and all credit to the horse for running her heart out to get so close

I don't care that she lost. Yes it was sad at the time. But the fact that she came from some 20 lengths back, on a track she was obviously NOT comfortable running on(keep in mind she'd never raced on an east coast track, they're different from west coast ones). To only lose by a NOSE. A. nose. This was one of, if not THE best races of her whole freaking career

I think it is her second best, Blame never let her by even in the gallop out. She was great though. She got further back, but man she was 10 lengths faster when she Gio Pointi. That was a slower pace as well I believe. This one is more heroic, but I think if she stalled a bit in the 2009 Classic She would still beat Gio Poni with ease.

I was at this race in Millionaires Row ( Im broke now). 1. I almost broke my hand whipping on the metal rail. 2. The grandstand damn near fell over it was so loud. 3. YES, she did pass after the wire

Such a painful loss but it’s absolutely her greatest race. She had no business being that close at the finish. She struggled for half the race, unable to handle the track. Traffic troubles. Great field of competition. But she still put everything into the stretch run and only missed by a nose. Any other horse would have finished in the middle of the pack.

Hey guys has anyone seen black caviar from Australia omg God 25 from 25 and never let loose

RIP GG

What happened with Mike Smith?

Jokey hatasından malesef yarışı kaybetti Prenses şampiyon zenyetta:))

Did they still give the Colts 126 .lbs & the Fillies or Mares 121 .lbs ? That extra 5 .lbs makes a big difference. And Zenyatta looked quite a bit bigger than Blame.....

Smith got her going to late, she should have won this race for sure

The irony in all of this is that her one loss comes to a colt named Blame; and blame was placed on Mike for getting her beat. I bet you he has never lived it down, poor guy.

A shame Zenyatta couldn't end her career unbeaten, but you can only make those amazing powerful comeback just a few times. The well was dry on this night. #bummer

You have to blame the jockey - it’s his job to recognize the situation and the mood of the horse. To ask the horse to stay that far back and run down the leaders with such a lead is entirely the fault of the jockey.