HOW DOES ZENYATTA’S 17-IN-A-ROW COMPARE TO OTHER WINNING STREAKS?
By Ray Paulick
They all get beat, or so the saying goes. Eclipse never did though. In fact, the English colt retired in 1771 with a perfect record of 19-for-19 because there was no competition left to take him on. You know the saying: “Eclipse first, the rest nowhere.” Colin was undefeated, too, winning 15 straight races in the United States in 1907-08 before an injury ended his career after he’d gone to race in England.
In modern times, we’ve seen Personal Ensign make 13 a lucky number for trainer Shug McGaughey and the Phipps family. Her final victory under jockey Randy Romero, in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, is one of the greatest races of modern times. Peppers Pride, the New Mexico-bred filly went 19-for-19 from 2005-08, but she never left the Land of Enchantment and was hardly a marquee horse outside of her home state.
And now there’s Zenyatta, with Sunday’s victory in the Vanity Handicap extending her unbeaten streak to 17 races in a row—15 of them Graded stakes and 11 Grade 1. That is one remarkable record and this daughter of Street Cry–bred in Kentucky by Maverick Production Ltd., owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, trained by John Shirreffs, and ridden by Mike Smith—is one incredible racehorse. Her hard-fought half-length victory over St Trinians edged her past Triple Crown winner Citation and two-time Horse of the Year Cigar, who had each won 16 consecutive races during their careers (though they weren’t undefeated).
Everyone loves a winner (well, everyone except Chicago Cubs fans like me), and Zenyatta’s accomplishments now put her in the pantheon of some of the most famous winners in the world of sports.
Puerto Ricans went wild for a horse named Camarero, who was like money in the bank when he rolled to 56 victories in a row from 1953-55. Zenyatta may have a race named after her (the former Lady’s Secret Stakes at Oak Tree that she’s won twice), but Camarero has a racetrack in Puerto Rico named after him. That’s impressive.
One of the longest winning streaks in all of sports was the 122 consecutive victories rung up by 400-meter Olympic hurdler Edwin Moses from 1977-87. In women’s tennis, Martina Navratilova won 74 straight matches without a loss in 1984. Boxer Sugar Ray Robinson went 91 fights before losing, and heavyweight champ Rocky Marciano won 49 bouts from 1948-55 before retiring undefeated. That’s rare.
Byron Nelson won 11 consecutive PGA tournaments in 1945 and NASCAR legend Richard Petty won 10 straight races in 1967.
In team sports, we’ve had the Bud Wilkinson-coached Oklahoma Sooners rack up 47 straight college football wins from 1953-57. Two decades later in college basketball, John Wooden, the late Wizard of Westwood, coached his UCLA team to 88 wins in a row, from 1971-74. The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team could exceed that record next year. They’ve won 78 straight from 2008-10.
In pro sports, the Los Angeles Lakers hold the NBA record with 33 straight in 1971-72, and the New England Patriots won 21 in a row in 2003-04 to claim the longest winning streak in NFL history. The NHL’s longest winning streak is 17 games, set by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1993, and the old New York Giants hold the Major League Baseball record with 26 consecutive victories in 1916.
But the longest known winning streak in all of sports may belong to Jahangir Khan of Pakistan. From 1981-86, Khan, the world’s No. 1 squash player. went 555 consecutive matches without a loss. Whether it’s bean bag or baseball, winning anything 555 times in a row is amazing.
But so is Zenyatta and her 17 thrilling triumphs.
Tags: Bud Wilkinson, Byron Nelson, camarero, chicago cubs, cigar, Citation, eclipse, Edwin Moses, Jahangir Khan, John Wooden, Lady's Secret Stakes, Land of Enchantment, Los Angeles Lakers, major league baseball, Martina Navratilova, Maverick Production, mike smith, nascar, New England Patriots, New York Giants, oak tree, Oklahoma Sooners, Pakistan, Paulick Report, pepper's pride, personal ensign, PGA, Pittsburgh Penguins, Randy Romero, Ray Paulick, Richard Petty, Rocky Marciana, shug mcgaughey, St. Trinians, Street Cry, Sugar Ray Robinson, University of Connecticut, zenyatta
June 14th, 2010 at 6:23 am
Ray, may I also bring to your attention Dutch wheelchair tennis player Ester Vergeer, who has currently won I believe 389 consecutive wheelchair women’s single tennis matches dating to February 2003, and has only lost once since the middle of 2000.
June 14th, 2010 at 6:41 am
Ray, it’s Rocky Marciano not Rocky Marciana.
Good piece though. Very Interesting.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:29 am
Spelling error on my last comment. Seems like my “h” key needs to be pressed more firmly than I did. Esther Vergeer, not Ester.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:56 am
The streak is, of course, superficially very impressive. But in stark contrast to many of the best European-based fillies and mares, Zenyatta has, with only one exception, not been tested against males. In fact, she is obviously inferior to the likes of Goldikova, Zarkava and Miesque, etc., as those fillies repeatedly beat top-class males, even when faced with adverse circumstances (i.e. shipping many thousands of miles; wrong climate; wrong ground, etc.). Zenyatta is an outstanding mare, but in objective terms, clearly not as good as the very best fillies and mares to have raced in recent decades.
With the exception of the nine pounds (which, again by European standards, is really not a major impediment), she had no disadvantages to overcome yesterday, yet was very hard-pressed to beat a totally forgettable mare which bears no resemblance to the quality of the males that the best European females have comprehensively beaten.
I’m glad to see her do well, but some perspective is in order.
June 14th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Seriously Jeremy? Perspective? More like isn’t it a little early in the day for sour grapes? She beat the Euros sent over for the BCC. Denigrate, denigrate, yeah but, yeah but…Let-it-go. Enjoy one of the most amazing feats by a wonderful race mare we will see in our lifetime at a time when racing needs all the good news it can get. Hard pressed? Hardly. Timing off? Possibly. She’s amazing, just appreciate her and leave the sour grapes at the grocery store.
June 14th, 2010 at 9:50 am
Oh come on Jeremy, Goldikova is all that and a bag of chips at a mile and a great horse, but she, like Rachel has had to go to well to win. Zenyatte, even yesterday, has never had to show us all she has.
June 14th, 2010 at 10:15 am
Can we for once put aside the Rachel versus Zenyatta or Zenyatta versus Rachel sniping and just enjoy both of them for what they are, two of the best fillies to step on the race track in a long time?
June 14th, 2010 at 11:12 am
“…isn’t it a little early in the day for sour grapes?”
Perhaps you don’t read very carefully. This has nothing to do with sour grapes; It has to do with perspective.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:13 am
I agree w/#7 “California Breeder” above. What a wonderful weekend for the sport or racing! We saw Blame, Life at Ten, Rail Trip win awesome races….and of course, the top two fillies in the country, Rachel and Zenyatta, and they did not disappoint. Indeed, Rachel Alexandra the Great and Queen Zenyatta ruled this weekend. It’s really sad, however, that these races weren’t televised on the national networks….but thanks to HRTV and TVG, we are able to watch the best of the best in sports today. What a truly great weekend of racing!
June 14th, 2010 at 11:45 am
I read this morning that Rachel earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 108 in the Fleur de Lis. Does anyone know what Zenyatta’s Beyer was for the Vanity?
June 14th, 2010 at 11:53 am
Zenyatta’s Beyer is 103 for the Vanity.
June 14th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Jeremy Jet:
You bring that brilliant racemare Goldikova over the pond and put her on a “synthetic” racecourse and we’ll watch as “St. Trinians” buries her.
June 14th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Jeremy Jet,
It is better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
June 14th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
It sounds like Jeremy Jet is a little flustered.
Are you angry because the british horse “Eclipse” (Ch.c - Born: 1764) will be her next victim?
June 14th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
I agree with #5 and #7. Great weekend, many good races, Zenyatta doesn’t need to do anything more to prove her superiority to me. Seeing as how she’s a mare not a human, I’m not gonna compare her with human record holders but I enjoyed your story, Mr. Ray. I love reading about winners.
As for you Mr. Jeremy Jet, you make me laugh. HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR. If “some perspective is in order” it shore ain’t yours. How many winners you saddled so far in 2010, you? Not as high a percentage as us, of this I’m certain. AND WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO INSULT A FINE, GALLANT MARE LIKE ST. TRILIANS? If we had a 4YO what fought like a tiger to hold off Zenyatta and won $300K in just 13 starts — not to mention running sound despite moving like a roto-rooter — “forgettable” isn’t the adjective comes to mind. I’d be proud, me, to have such a mare in my barn.
Now Mr. Ray… Honestly and truly no offense intended, but Peppers Pride is NOT “hardly a marquee horse outside her home state.” Maybe y’all big-timers don’t understand, but Peppers Pride means a whole lot to many of us non-Dinnies, non-wine-sellers, non-IEAH types who work seven days a week, month after month, year after year with our less-than-world-class horses. We’re the ones who fill the handicaps and the allowance races and the claiming races which keep the racetracks open so the BBBBs can come in and get their TV face time. Maybe you didn’t watch Pepper’s last race? Greatness comes in many forms and fashions.
While Peppers Pride may not have the physical body of Zenyatta, she has just as much heart and maybe more. Watch Pepper’s last race again next time you feelin’ down; she’ll bring you up, double-d guarantee.
June 14th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Thanks for the comment, California breeder. I agree. Let’s enjoy this time. Great fillies all. Twice, the BC classic and yesterday, I was “uh-Oh-ing”, but Z is too much. Here’s to her great years. Here’s to Rachel’s 2009 season. Why can’t we celebrate both? Especially, with empty grandstands (including owners’ boxes), no press coverage and crashing t.v. ratings. Celebrate the excellence of this moment; it may be racing’s last hurrah.
June 14th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Zenyatta is the greatest racehorse in my lifetime. She has the heart and will to always win.
I have watched all her races. Yesterday during the post parade she did not look her usual self. Something seemed off and her works outs were slower than usual. However she still managed to will herself to the winners circle. This is a class horse that should be mentioned with the greastest horses of all time. I Love You Zenyatta
June 14th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Ray, the greatest streak in sports is, hands down, Joe Dimaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. Zenyatta has gone one consecutive win better than several horses, but nobody has come close to Joe Dimaggio’s record.
June 14th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
While all the above horses are truly great ones ( and you forgot Ouija Board ),…. when you are PERFECT, that is, NEVER been beaten, at the HIGHEST level of competition, and you have beaten all the horses that chose to compete against you ( which includes the most important race in the country, at the Classic distance) and you have been PERFECT for 17 wins in 3 seasons of racing…. who is there to compare to ?
Zenyatta is in a league of her own. There are no comparisons.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:27 pm
I kept thinking all day that someone would find fault with Zenyatta’s race. For some she could save people from a burning building and she still would NOT be good enough. What she did yesterday, may NEVER be seen again. Certainly not in my lifetime. We haven’t had a triple crown winner since Affirmed! This gal is 17-0, 17/5 hands, she dances, enjoys the fans as much as we enjoy her even when she did not seem to be herself yesterday before the race, she still gave us her Zenyatta”isms”. She was carrying 129 pounds which I haven’t noticed on any colt in the last two years in this country, spots fields between 9 -15 pounds which is a lot of weight, if you don’t believe me strap on an extra 10 and you will be surprised at what you can do and can’t do. She also won the Classic last year at the classic distance and yet…someone has to fault her? I don’t get it. I never saw Secretariat or the battle between Alydar and Affirmed. I have witnessed this mare in person and she is the goods. She took my breath away in November and she certainly took it away yesterday. Just enjoy this amazing mare and her efforts, Jeremy. Enjoy what she has accomplished for our country!
For the beyer question… you can’t judge the synthetic and dirt the same. Her 104 would put her higher on dirt from what any synthetic handicapper has mentioned in the past.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Wow, because someone points out that she’s only beaten males once, that’s denigrating?
The fact is that Moss should be publicly humiliated for wasting the career of what may be the best hors ever to run.
If she could talk she would say, “Could you please give me some real competition instead of running me against stiffs?”
June 14th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Mike:
It is better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
June 14th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
I sure like those stiffs that Quality Road has been running against.
Bring him on out here. We would like to have Zenyatta and Rail Trip dismantle him for you.
June 14th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Johnny,
Quality Road can’t even enter the starting gate properly.
ROTF LMFAO!
June 14th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
It’s remarkable how obtuse many of you are. What on earth gives you the idea that I don’t enjoy watching Zenyatta run, or that I don’t appreciate her? How absurd!
I’ve simply pointed out what is obvious to any serious observer of the game: she is an exceptional mare, but at the same time is overrated by the vast majority of her adoring fans. I’m glad to hear that people like Anne (20) and countless others were thrilled by her performance, and it was a thrilling performance. But the notion that putting her career into its proper perspective is somehow disrespectful is ridiculous to the extreme.
Outstanding horses are judged by the quality of the horses they beat, and the manner in which they beat them, and there is no comparison between the accomplishments of the fillies I referenced above and Zenyatta. The latter is undoubtedly exceptional, and remarkably so within the context of American fillies and mares. But she is demonstrably inferior to the greatest of her gender to have raced during the past quarter century, and those of you who don’t understand that are deluding yourselves.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Jeremy Jet,
Go pound sand, cowboy.
We all know who the overrated one was. I think she was voted 2009 “Hoax of the Year” if my memory serves me right.
These east coast writers (who voted for her) cringed when they saw Jess Jackson “do an exit, stage left” in the 2010 Apple Blossom.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Jeremy Jet:
The euro tomato cans (AKA: fillies) that you have mentioned (above) are inferior to “Eclipse”.
The euro “Eclipse” and his record is going down and I don’t know how to console you.
I know you don’t like to hear that but I don’t have a shoulder for you to cry on.
Cry me a river.
June 18th, 2010 at 8:41 am
THIS IS UNBELIVEABLE ,WHAT A PERFORMANCE,ONE WE WILL NEVER FORGET!