Fans of Zenyatta turned out to bid the mare farewell on Sunday, their affection undimmed by her defeat the previous day in the Breeders' Cup Classic.Trainer John Shirreffs took down the barricades that had lined Barn 41 at Churchill Downs all week and allowed media and fans a close view of the superstar mare, confirming she would retire from racing with an almost-perfect 19-1 record.Fans without access to the fabled track lined a fence and watched as Zenyatta grazed and posed for photographs.Shi

Fans of Zenyatta turned out to bid the mare farewell on Sunday, their affection undimmed by her defeat the previous day in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Trainer John Shirreffs took down the barricades that had lined Barn 41 at Churchill Downs all week and allowed media and fans a close view of the superstar mare, confirming she would retire from racing with an almost-perfect 19-1 record.

Fans without access to the fabled track lined a fence and watched as Zenyatta grazed and posed for photographs.

Shirreffs was still disappointed on Sunday but proud of Zenyatta who he said came out of her race "very well".

Asked if he had watched a replay of the race, in which Zenyatta made a gutsy late run only to lose to Blame by a head, he said: "Well, maybe later.

"It was her last race," Shirreffs said.

"It's all over. Why watch it again?"

Shirreffs said Zenyatta would return to California for about a month before heading to her new life.

Shirreffs said that as yet no breeding plans had been made for Zenyatta.

"That's the thing about horse racing. As a trainer you have to learn to let go," he said.

"Heck, she's been a champion for three years and she's going to a great place."

Shirreffs was asked what he said to jockey Mike Smith after the Classic, in which Zenyatta fell some 20 lengths off the lead at the start.

An emotional Smith blamed himself in the immediate aftermath of the race.

"What could I say? I just patted him on the shoulder," Shirreffs said.

"He was devastated. It's unfortunate that she drops so far back. There were two groups in that race - the lead group and another group about three lengths behind that group. It left her too much to do.

"You always have that hope that she'll get there when you see her lower her head and start stretching out."