It was a three-division sweep for the super speedy Zensational in the annual media poll to crown the season's champions conducted by Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Zensational, trained by new Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, was a unanimous choice as top sprinter of the meet and runaway choice as Horse of the Meet and top 3-year-old.
Zensational captured the Bing Crosby and Pat O'Brien sprint stakes, both Grade I events. Those dominating victories made the 3-year-old son of Unbridled's Song a runaway winner in all three categories.
The Z-factor triumphed on another front, also, as the undefeated Zenyatta repeated as top older filly or mare. Her 2009 reprise of her 2008 victory in the Grade I Clement L. Hirsch Stakes was the key to her unanimous choice.
Top older horse honors went to the upset winner of the Pacific Classic, Richard's Kid, owned by Arnold Zetcher and trained by Baffert. It was Richard's Kid's third start of the meet. He was beaten a nose in his previous start at the seashore, the Cougar II Handicap.
In one of the closest votes in the media poll, Spring House, the repeat winner of the Grade II Del Mar Handicap, ruled as the winner in the top grass horse category. Close to Spring House were Global Hunter, who won the Grade I Eddie Read Stakes, and Magical Fantasy, winner of the Grade I John C. Mabee Stakes.
In another tight vote, Internallyflawless, winner of the Grade I Del Mar Oaks, edged out Carlsbad, winner of the Grade III Rancho Bernardo Handicap, for top 3-year-old filly honors.
Rating unanimous support, also, were the winners of Del Mar's major races for 2-year-olds, the filly Mi Sueno, who won the Sorrento Stakes prior to the Grade I Darley Debutante and Lookin At Lucky, winner of both the Best Pal Stakes and the Grade I Del Mar Futurity.
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