Have a Question for Zenyatta's Jockey? Ask Tuesday
by: The Blood-Horse Staff
November 12 2009,
Article # 15263
Jockey Mike Smith, who rode Zenyatta to a dramatic and historic victory in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Classic, will be the next guest on BloodHorse.com's "Talkin' Horses" podcast scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17. Racing enthusiasts are invited to submit their questions now through Monday, Nov. 16, at 5 p.m., by visiting cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/Talkin-Horses. With Smith aboard, Zenyatta ended her illustrious career undefeated in 14 starts while beating an international cast of male horses in the Classic. It was an emotional win for the pair as Zenyatta became the first of her sex to win the Classic and is now in a tight race with Rachel Alexandra for Horse of the Year honors.
Smith, 44, a native of Roswell, N.M., was elected into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 2003. He won Eclipse Awards as leading rider in 1993 and 1994, the year in which he won 20 grade I stakes and a record 68 stakes, eclipsing the previous record of 62 stakes he had set in 2003. He was the leading rider in New York in 1991, 1992, and 1993. Additional honors include the Mike Venezia Award - 1991, 1992, 1993 - and the George Woolf Award in 2000.
Smith won the 2005 Kentucky Derby with 50-1 long shot Giacomo, who, like Zenyatta, was trained by John Shirreffs, with whom Smith has had a long working relationship since he relocated to Southern California in 2000. Other top horses ridden regularly by Smith include Azeri, Skip Away, Lure, Cherokee Run, Unbridled's Song, Stardom Bound, Tiago, Prairie Bayou, Holy Bull, Thunder Gulch, Sky Beauty, Ajina, and Coronado's Quest. In 1991, he became the first U.S.-based jockey to win a European Classic when Fourstars Alltar won the Irish Two Thousand Guineas.
In addition to his riding career, Smith has become one of the stars of the Animal Planet's reality television series "Jockeys," as the successes and travails of him and his girlfriend, jockey Chantal Sutherland, have been chronicled for the program's fans.
To submit a question for Mike Smith and participate in the podcast, visit BloodHorse.com. Racing enthusiasts can download "Talkin' Horses" podcasts to their iPhone, iPod, or any standard MP3 player and enjoy it at their leisure. A written transcript will also be available.
