Zenyatta is coming to Del Mar.

The 5-year-old amazon, who's owned by Jerry Moss and is a perfect 11-for-11 in her career after a win in last weekend's Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park, is scheduled to run in the Aug. 9 Clement Hirsch, trainer John Shirreffs told the Daily Racing Form earlier this week.

Those words were music to Tom Robbins' ears.

Like any good track vice president of racing, Robbins has been doing his due diligence by talking to Moss at various California Horse Racing Board meetings where Moss is one of the commissioners, but it might have been two other reasons that Zenyatta will defend her 2008 Hirsch victory.

First, the country's graded stakes committee moved the Hirsch up in the hierarchy by granting it Grade I status for the first time this year.

Second, Robbins changed the Hirsch from a handicap -- a race where the racing secretary gives entrants weight according to their records -- to a stakes race with allowance conditions.

The latter certainly had to be a key for Team Zenyatta to come back to Del Mar.

Zenyatta, who is ranked No. 2 behind the 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra in the latest NTRA poll of top horses, carried 129 pounds in winning the Vanity.

She will carry 123 pounds in the Hirsch under the allowance conditions of the 1 1/8-mile race.

"For her to carry 129 (pounds) the other day and win, that stands out over anything else we've had in recent memory," said Robbins this week.

"In winning the Vanity at 129, what would we have had to put on her if this was a handicap? Given that would they could have gone on to race other horses in another part of the country under weight-for-age conditions, we're thrilled to have her running (at Del Mar)."

Others might not be so happy since Zenyatta will be facing other fillies and mares with only a four-pound weight difference (123-119), but Robbins said nationally the trend is to go for smaller weight imposts in the bigger races, unlike decades ago.

"Horsemen were irritated they didn't know what their horse would carry until we released the weights five or six days before the race," said Robbins. "Now it's right there in the conditions.

"I have very mixed feelings. I have defended handicaps as long as I've been doing this. Our Grade IIs will remain handicaps.

"It just depends on who you are talking to. If you are talking to an owner who has the best horse, they don't want to hear a word about handicaps. They feel the best horses should be out there performing on the racetrack at level weights and that's what the public is looking for. The other side of that coin is that the game operates off the wagering dollar and Zenyatta running at level weights against other horses is not a very good betting proposition.

"There are others who believe you have eight, nine or 10 other races that day and let's keep the champions on the racetrack. Let's allow them to run under fair conditions."

But losing to Zenyatta is no disgrace and even might prove to be good for a broodmare prospect after their racing days. Horses that finish in the top four spots in a graded stakes receive "black type" in their resume, which is something breeders and potential owners look for down the line.

"Are we going to get competition to face her?" Robbins said. "That's the problem. That's the other side of this thing. We're hoping that this being a Grade I we will get other horses to run. If you're conceding victory to her, and going for second or third, (black type is) a significant thing."

Right now, there are several other factors working in Del Mar's favor.

Moss seems to want Zenyatta to reach the great Personal Ensign's record of 13-for-13 and horse-of-the-year honors seem to be a goal, especially after she was denied the vote last year by Curlin.

"Well, we can certainly shoot for that (Personal Ensign)," said Moss after the race. "She was a fantastic filly, Personal Ensign. The greatest horse race I think I've ever seen was that race against Winning Colors (in the Breeders' Cup Distaff). It actually brought me to tears, we were at Churchill Downs."

But what scared Robbins was the statement after that by Moss when he was asked about Zenyatta's schedule and a possible meeting with Rachel Alexandra, something many in the industry are clamoring for.

"I think we want to do something a little bit more challenging," said Moss. "We think she is capable. She's stronger this year, she's a 5-year-old. She's just amazing.

"â€- And hopefully we will meet (Rachel Alexandra) somewhere. If not the Breeders' Cup (at Santa Anita, where owner Jess Jackson said he won't run his prized filly due to the synthetic track), maybe it will be somewhere else."

One bug Robbins has put in Moss' ear is to think "outside the box" and run against the boys this year in hopes of garnering that horse-of-the-year trophy.

Del Mar has two races that could interest Zenyatta's connections: the San Diego Handicap and the Pacific Classic. Zenyatta would receive weight breaks in both races as a female running against the boys.

"Now maybe she runs in the San Diego and fools us all," said Robbins. "Wouldn't that be something? Or maybe she romps in the Hirsch and four weeks later, it's level weights in the Pacific Classic.

"There are different possibilities we hope the connections will consider."

As long as those possibilities are at Del Mar, Robbins will do anything he can to make it work.

Contact staff writer Jeff Nahill at 760-740-3550.