Zenyatta was a 19-time winner, yet she remained a maiden until Wednesday.
In the breeding sense, not the racing sense.
The reigning horse of the year was bred Wednesday to former champion Bernardini. The covering took place about 8 a.m. ET at the Darley farm in Lexington, Ky. Zenyatta vanned over in the early morning from her retirement home at nearby Lane's End Farm.
"It went very well . . . a very good cover," said an announcement of the breeding, on Zenyatta.com.
Zenyatta, a 7-year-old mare, became the rare equine star who had appeal beyond the core horse racing fan base. She won the first 19 races of her career, including the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic, with a thrilling, come-from-last style. Her perfect streak ended in her final race when she lost by a neck to Blame in the 2010 Classic.
Bernardini was 6 for 8 in his racing career, all in his 3-year-old season of 2006. He was the champion 3-year-old that year, with his victories including the Preakness Stakes, the Travers Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup (against older horses). Like Zenyatta, Bernardini ended his career with a second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic. He lost to Invasor.
Bernardini, known for excellent conformation and pedigree, earned the nod from Zenyatta's owners, Jerry and Ann Moss, on the strength of a bumper first crop of offspring.
