LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -If Zenyatta was disappointed, she sure didn't show it.

Barely a dozen hours after her 19-race winning streak was snapped when Blame held her off by a head in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic, racing's reigning queen stood near the fence outside her barn at Churchill Downs and held court - the way she always does.

There were pictures and poses. Signs and smiles.

A young girl in a pink jacket giggled nervously when the massive 6-year-old mare gently nuzzled her as fans pulled out cameras and cell phones to capture the moment.

Not a bad way to start retirement, right?

And though owners Jerry and Ann Moss haven't made any official announcements, there was a sense of finality as trainer John Shirreffs tried to put Zenyatta's unparalleled career in perspective.

``It was a fairy tale and it didn't end the way everybody wanted it to end,'' Shirreffs said Sunday. ``That's what I feel badly about. However, Zenyatta is pretty happy out there and she will be happy.''

Zenyatta's quest to win the Classic for a second straight year and finish a perfect 20-0 by beating the boys once again provided the kind of buzz the sport has long coveted.

More than 70,000 shivered in the fall chill at Churchill Downs hoping to see history. Millions more watched on television, wondering if the horse who's been profiled everywhere from ``60 Minutes'' to ``O Magazine'' could put together one more dazzling stretch drive.

Zenyatta delivered, only this time it wasn't enough to get to the winner's circle. Shirreffs maintains she wasn't bothered by the dirt, the pace or the pressure.

She ran a great race, Shirreffs said. There's no reason to apologize, even though jockey Mike Smith did so profusely afterward, saying it was his fault for giving her too much work to do after she lagged behind the pace early.

``I was worried he wasn't going to be able to carry his saddle back to the jockey's room,'' Shirreffs said.

While Smith brooded, Shirreffs went out to dinner at a small Italian restaurant. By Sunday morning, he was ready to move on.

``As a trainer, you have to let go,'' he said. ``It's just a feeling of disappointment, but you get over that and then you remember all the fun times.''

And there were plenty of them. The challenge for the sport now is finding a way to build on it.

Zenyatta's crossover appeal created new fans. Keeping them could be difficult. Zenyatta was on a plane back to California on Sunday night, her career likely over.

Blame, who went from a relative unknown to giant slayer and possible Horse of the Year in the 2:02.60 it took him to win the Classic, will be at Claiborne Farm in central Kentucky by the end of the week to prepare for a stallion career.

Shirreffs understands the struggle of keeping casual fans interested when the careers of the top horses can last only a year or two before they're shipped off to the more lucrative breeding shed.

It's part of what made Zenyatta's appeal so unique. A late bloomer, she raced over the course of four years, building her legend one mad dash to the finish at a time.

And she did it with style and grace. The scene outside the barn on Sunday morning isn't unusual for her. She loves the attention, and people seem to love her.

It's a lesson Shirreffs believes the sport could learn from as it tries to replenish its roster of stars.

``I think the big thing the sport needs to do is let the fans get a little bit closer to the horses,'' Shirreffs said. ``As a trainer, I'd like people to come up and see them, see them up close and get a feel for them instead of just seeing it in a picture.''

There are other stars on the horizon. Uncle Mo was spectacular while dominating the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Saturday, and trainer Todd Pletcher is putting together a battle plan that he hopes will bring his 2-year-old back to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby next May.

Uncle Mo is unbeaten and unchallenged in three starts. Impressive, but still very modest when compared to Zenyatta's remarkable run of 19 straight wins.

Trainer Nick Zito said even in defeat Zenyatta showed ``she could be the greatest filly of all-time.''

Blame's trainer Albert Stall Jr. called her ``the best racemare there's ever been in the game.''

Whether she's been the best racehorse in the world this year, however, is another matter.

Shirreffs maintains Zenyatta should be named Horse of the Year despite her loss in the Classic, an award she has yet to win despite her unbeaten run.

While Shirreffs allows her contributions to the sport off the track should be taken into consideration, not everyone agrees.

Blame won four of his five starts this season, his only loss a second-place finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. It's a resume that stacks up well with Zenyatta, whose five victories came against fillies and mares.

``While I think Zenyatta ran an unbelievable race, had not only a tremendous year but a tremendous career, but ultimately it should be decided on the racetrack,'' Pletcher said.

And only one horse knows what it's like to beat Zenyatta: Blame.

It's a feat Blame's co-owner Seth Hancock thinks is good enough to take home the sport's top prize.

``She had her shot to get by, and she didn't do it,'' he said. ``So I don't think you can vote for her.''

Maybe, but there's little doubt where public sentiment lies.

While Zenyatta basked in the flashbulbs, Blame spent the morning after the final win of his career hanging out all alone in his stall, the purple blanket given to the Classic winner draped over a retaining wall in front of the barn.

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AP Racing Writer Beth Harris contributed to this report.