Long Live: The Legacy of Zenyatta

On December 6, 2010, I left work early. I didn’t want to get stuck in rush hour traffic on my way to see her in person. It was early pre-winter dark as I slotted myself in three-deep outside the back walking ring at Keeneland, sapphire-cased Lumix in hand, determined not to miss a moment. One among a crowd of fans (fanatics?), I waited more than an hour in the frigid cold for my chance to see her with my own eyes. The freezing air drained my camera batteries and I had to remind myself repeatedly that even if I didn’t get a single frame of footage, I was there to experience her. Remember this moment.

At last, she arrived. Her dapples shone under the walking ring lights. She danced for us, her signature moves a delight. Her graceful legs cut through the fog of her breath as she bowed her head and showed us what we all came to see: the magic of Zenyatta.

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