Horse of the Year Zenyatta in foal
March 10, 2011LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Zenyatta is racing toward motherhood.
The Horse of the Year is pregnant according to Zenyatta.com, which is run by Zenyatta's racing manager Dottie Ingordo Shirreffs, wife of trainer John Shirreffs.
The news comes just over two weeks after Zenyatta was mated with 2006 Preakness winner Bernardini. The gestational period for horses is around a year, meaning Zenyatta would be due sometime next February.
Zenyatta was retired in November after a career in which she won 19 times in 20 starts. Her only defeat was to Blame in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The pregnancy marked the second high-profile baby announcement this week. Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Horse of the Year, is in foal after breeding to two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.