Breeders' Cup Championships 2009
Zenyatta, first female winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic in its
26-year history, with her jockey Mike Smith and groom Mario
Espinoza. Racingfotos Limited
Out of hard economic times and wars, some of the America's greatest thoroughbred race horses on record have emerged like Man o' War (20 wins out of 21), his grandson Seabiscuit (Depression) and Secretariat.
To this day, these horses have made Dirt records unmatched by others.
This year was no exception. Racegoers sought their equine heroes and heroines to escape; they got them in spades in the 26th annual Breeders' Cup Championships from five races on Friday and eight on Saturday.
Despite outstanding victories in all 13 exciting races, no winner at the BC could compare to 5yo Zenyatta USA (Street Cry IRE) who won her 14th race of 14 career outings.
The world adored her and the crowd, carrying "Zenyatta" and pink "Girl Power" signs to encourage her, cheered her on from the moment she pranced out to the paddock on her fabulous Sylvie Guillaume legs.
Zenyatta was the first filly or mare to win the Breeders' Cup Classic in its 26 years and only the third female to run in the 1m 2f race.
She won her race with the kind of Sea The Stars authority from dead last to first leaving the best colts of Europe and the U.S. shocked and in the dust.
Only STS could have matched her and that is the match that should have been.
STS' trainer John Oxx watched Zenyatta win the BC Classic and compared her triumph to STS in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. No higher compliment from a better authority could be made.
Sadly, like STS, her final ratings will not assess her true talent as she will be rated only on the horses she has beaten.
The 17.2-hand beauty Zenyatta will retire to stud in KY and STS to the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in Ireland.
We are minus two of our greatest racing heroes. Fortunately, we still have Rachel Alexandra and Goldikova.
And America is left with the dreadful decision of choosing only one of the two great U.S. females for Eclipse Horse of the Year.
Many of us would like to see Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra share the award, but the rules preclude such an outcome unless there is a voting dead heat.
Proof that star horses draw is that attendance was up both days by 20% and the betting pools produced staggering numbers.
The first two races were good for the bookies as neither favourite won.
Dancing In Silks (USA) (Black Minnaloushe USA) was a 25.1 winner of the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (Grade 1) for 2yo+, 6f, on Pro-Ride.
His relentless jockey Joel Rosario helped him take out the favourites: Bob Baffert's Zensational USA (Unbridled's Song USA), sixth, and Godolphin's Gayego USA (Gilded Time USA) fourth.
Dancing In Silks appears to be a horse on the rise and his trainer Carla Gaines is taking him to Dubai for the $2 Million Golden Shaheen in March and is planning for him to defend his BC Sprint title on Dirt at Churchill Downs next November.
British filly Fleeting Spirit IRE (Invincible Spirit IRE) could only manage seventh amongst the speedball males in her first race on Pro-Ride.
Zensational has been retired to stud.
Shocker of the night was Godolphin's 35.1 winner of the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Grade 1) for 2yo males, 1-1/16m, on Pro-Ride.
In a driving finish, Vale Of York IRE (Invincible Spirit IRE out of a Halling mare) defeated unlucky Lookin At Lucky USA (Smart Strike CAN) by a head giving trainer Bob Baffert his second serious disappointment out of two races.
Lookin At Lucky, considered the best 2yo colt in the USA, was lumbered with an outside stall and ran at least 12 more lengths than the others to challenge leader Piscitelli USA and Noble Promise USA when several-times impeded Vale Of York crashed through the threesome to win.
Experts disputed whether Lookin At Lucky should have won given the extra distance he travelled. He had every chance, but just could not close down VOY.
The second LAL is still favourite for the 2010 Kentucky Derby. Racing Manager Simon Crisford of Godolphin has confirmed Vale Of York is also likely to compete.
Ahmed Ajtebi's stunning jockeyship on VOY was rated as one of the two finest performances of the weekend. The other was Tom Queally's on Henry Cecil's filly Midday (below).
Lookin At Lucky with Garrett Gomez on board just could not make up the head to beat
surprise winner for Godolphin's Vale Of York given a brilliant ride by Ahmed Aitebi.
Racingfotos Limited
The familiar team of jockey Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori and trainer John Gosden united again for the handsome 2yo colt Pounced USA (Rahy USA) to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade 2), 1m, for Europe and Lady Rothschild.
Pounced defeated Canada's Bridgetown USA (Speightstown USA) by 3/4 lengths and Interactif USA (Broken Vow USA) by a head.
England also has a quandry in the Cartier Awards for 2yos in that the final vote closed November 9 and Pounced was not on the list. He deserves to be considered.
California Flag USA (Avenue Of Flags USA) was one of the most-deserved winners in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, 3yo+, 6-1/2 furlongs.
The grey-roan showed his typical California Quarter-Horse style of racing in his sixth win of eight starts. He took off and never looked back at Gotta Have Her USA (Royal Academy USA) and Cannonball USA (Catienus USA) of Ascot fame. Winning margins were 1-1/2 and 3/4 lengths.
French-born jockey Julian Leparoux sealed his status as leading rider at the Breeders' Cup with his third victory in the Grade 1 BC Dirt Mile which was run on Pro-Ride with 3yo+.
His mount Furtherest Land USA (Smart Strike USA), a 20.1 shot, stunned punters by winning and defeating another longshot Ready's Echo USA (More Than Ready USA) and Godolphin's Midshipman USA (Unbridled's Song USA).
Ballydoyle's Mastercraftsman IRE (Danehill Dancer IRE), who was 7.5 favourite, came in fourth and was retired to Coolmore's Stud in Ireland.
Goldikova and Conduit were quick to the rescue of Europe's awesome reputation in the Breeders' Cup by winning their races for the second year running.
The magnificent 4yo French miler Goldikova IRE (Anabaa USA) seemed much calmer than she was in Deauville perhaps helped by her new friendship with Gladiatorus USA (Silic FR) who walked with her to the gates and gallantly set the pace for the pack which she stalked from the rear.
Getting to the front from second last seemed impossible, but Goldikova showed her versatility and speed by shooting through the ranks to pass Courageous Cat USA (Storm Cat USA) and Justenuffhumor USA (Distorted Humor USA) in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Turf in 1.32.26, 2/5th of a second off record time.
Her trainer Freddie Head never doubted her and thinks it likely that she will stay in training at five.
Conduit IRE (Dalakani IRE) won his second successive Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (Grade 1), 1m 4f, for 3yo+ by a 1/2 length in 2.23.08 on firm ground.
This race of 1-1/2 miles is the English Derby and Arc de Triomphe distance.
The striking-looking chestnut ran his last race for trainer Sir Michael Stoute who prepared him to perfection as he did for the King George VI at Ascot.
The 4yo Conduit has been sold by Ballymacoll Stud to stand at Shigeyuki Stud in Japan.
Second was was impressive Precious Passion USA (Royal Anthem USA) and British filly Dar Re Mi (Singspiel IRE) third.
Conduit winning Ascot's 2009 King George VI.
Then came the piece de resistance won by Zenyatta--the Breeders' Cup Classic (Grade 1), 1m 2f or 1-1/4 miles (the distance of the Kentucky Derby), on Pro-Ride.
Modest trainer John Shirreffs of his "Queen" and his Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic "Princess" Life is Sweet USA (Storm Cat USA) is likely to be named Eclipse Trainer of the Year thanks to his Ladies.
Even winning the Kentucky Derby with Giacomo could not equal Zenyatta's feat for Shirreffs.
"That was the biggest moment for me. The (winning) streak was on the line, the fans were there to see her run. A chance for Horse of the Year was on the line. She was running against one of the best Breeders' Cup Classic fields ever assembled. As they say in poker, we were all in."
Take it from John Oxx, Shirreffs always had the cards.
Racing International http://www.racingint.com
Posted by susan trevelyan-syke at 11/11/2009 12:45 PM 
Categories: Breeders' Cup 2009
Tags: Breeders' Cup 2009
Categories: Breeders' Cup 2009
Tags: Breeders' Cup 2009
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