Six-year-old mare Zenyatta has conquered horse racing fans with her fine racing style and her entertaining ways. Now, besides adding one win after the other, she has added a pre-race performance, which is a real treat for fans: prancing in the saddling paddock and shaking a front leg in the post parade. According to jockey Mike Smith, she loves entertaining.

Lately, the New York Racing Association has been struggling with financial problems. Aqueduct, Saratoga and Belmont, the three racetracks managed by the NYRA, have had problems to balance their books and, despite efforts, profits have continued decreasing. The solution for the NYRA finally came with a $25 million state loan.

Rachel Alexandra, winner of the Horse of the Year title in 2009, arrived at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs to wait for her next start that is expected to take place during the horse racing season that will start on 23rd July. During spring, the four-year-old filly was stationed at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Trainer Todd Pletcher had a busy morning on father’s day as his two stars Quality Road and Super Saver run great half-mile breezes at Belmont Park. Quality Road managed to go the distance in 50.26 and Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver went four furlongs in a good 50.66 time. For Quality Road this meant the first move since the Memorial’s Day Metropolitan Handicap.

Rite of Passage, which was last seen finishing third in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, returned triumphantly to the Flat in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. The six-year-old certainly pulled a surprise by outdueling Age of Aquarius and winning the Group 1 race.

All the eyes in the horseracing world will be on Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra this weekend, as the two stars will hit the tracks. On one hand, Zenyatta will try to break her unbeaten streak to record heights while she tries to obtain her 17th consecutive victory in the $250,000 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California, on Sunday.

Owner Jess Jackson has informed in a press release that Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra could race again next 12th June. Although Jackson did not specify a race, he mentioned four possible races, including the Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park, The Stephen Foster, The Fleur de Lis and The Obeah.

The industry of thoroughbred horse breeding is in danger of disappearing and threatening to hit the horse racing industry in Puerto Rico, bringing to the Exchequer more than $35 million annually and generates 8,000 jobs, say members of that industry.

The horse racing industry in the US has been facing rough times with the total wagered dropping from $14.7 billion in 2007 to $12.3 billion in 2009. Although experts have given many possible reasons for this decline, fans of the horse racing world agree that the main problem is the luck of quality in the sports products.

This year the Belmont Stakes, the last leg of the Triple Crown, will take place on Saturday 5th June and the horse racing event always generates excitement in advance. Potential entries this year are already taking shape. The Triple Crown starts with the Kentucky Derby, follows with the Preakness and finally ends with Belmont Stakes that take place in Belmont Park in Elmont, Nueva York.