There is much talk about whether Curlin should retain his title as Horse of the Year, or whether Zenyatta can stake a claim despite not taking on the boys this year.

So here is the bottom line — Zenyatta should be Horse of the Year!

Zenyatta was perfect — and sensational — all year long, and won her division’s Classic over a stellar field. Did she have the advantage of racing over her home turf, and a synthetic surface she obviously loves? Yes. But she also beat a solid field in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn earlier in the year over traditional dirt.

The fact that the majority of Zenyatta’s wins came on synthetic can not be held against her if on the other hand you are going to excuse Curlin’s defeats on turf and Pro-Ride. And in the Filly & Mare Sprint Division, Ventura is the front-runner for champion here after soundly defeating Indian Blessing. To award Ventura a crown for her victory over the Pro-Ride over a much more accomplished Indian Blessing would be criminal if Curlin were then to be excused from his losses on other-than-dirt surfaces.

Synthetic surfaces are a part of the game right now, and we can’t pick and choose which horses are rewarded for their performance over them, which horses get excused from a lack of performance, and which horses are held accountable for not being as effective.

If you vote for Ventura, than you hold the loss by Indian Blessing in the BC over Pro-Ride against her… and thus have no right to vote for Curlin.

Regardless, Zenyatta deserves this title. Curlin lacked the invincibility after the Stephen Foster, and narrow victories over Past the point and Wandering Boy paired with a pair of losses doesn’t get it done.

The impact that the synthetic Pro-Ride surface in place at Santa Anita plays in the Breeders’ Cup is no more evident than in the Classic, where reigning Horse of the Year Curlin is a major question mark to repeat against a field that includes several of Europe’s best turf runners.

Curlin is the type of favorite you are supposed to try to beat. His last race – the Jockey Club Gold Cup – was a major target as he set the earnings record, and he has historically preferred to have a race over the track, hence why he chose the Haskell last summer in advance of the Breeders’ Cup last fall, and why he went to Dubai six weeks early to get a race in prior to the Dubai World Cup.

This afternoon, not only is Curlin visiting Santa Anita for the first time, but also trying a new surface for the first time, a situation similar to his loss when trying turf at Belmont earlier this season.

The major question now looms, if Curlin comes back to the rest of this group, who is capable of taking advantage? The answer may very well be (more…)

While Curlin will be the headliner for the nine Breeders’ Cup races contested on Saturday, the five Cup races today are not without their own star power.

Zenyatta, with a flawless 8-for-8 career record, will lead the way in the Ladies Classic, a race formerly known as the Distaff.

Trained by John Shirreffs, Zenyatta, a 4-year-old daughter of Street Cry, has been nothing short of sensational every time she steps onto the track, and holds the home field advantage here having already won the Lady’s Secret over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface in her latest start.

That Zenyatta is the odds-on favorite in the morning line is a testament to how brilliantly she has won her races considering her competition includes the defending champion – Ginger Punch – and four other Grade 1 winners.

Ginger Punch fought out gutsy victories in both the Go For Wand and Personal Ensign at Saratoga this summer, and will offer odds of greater than 3/5 for the first time since she returned $11 in winning this race last year at Monmouth Park. Yet her campaign has been taxing, and perhaps began to show when she was caught late by Cocoa Beach in the Beldame.

Behind Zenyatta, the remainder of the Ladies Classic field appears wide-open, and a case can even be made for 50-1 bomber Santa Teresita, who finished second to Zenyatta in the Milady.

Ladies Classic Picks: 1st Zenyatta; 2nd Santa Teresita; 3rd Hystericalady; 4th Cocoa Beach.

In the Filly and Mare Sprint, champion Indian Blessing (more…)

With 14 races to get through, it can’t be too soon to start analyzing the Breeders’ Cup races.

Pre-entries were released on Tuesday, and a few initial thoughts on some of the races on Friday (with certainly much more to come):

* The Filly and Mare Sprint will lead things off, with the champ Indian Blessing seemingly the logical favorite. But synthetic surfaces are what drove her to the east coast to start her career, and 7 furlongs may be a bit beyond her best. She will be helped by an outside draw, but is worth taking a shot against with some combination of Tizzy’s Tune, Ventura and Zaftig.

* Next up is the Juvenile Fillies Turf, and presents a nearly impossible affair. Consequence was razor sharp in her career debut at Saratoga, and was outmoved at the head of the lane of the Miss Grillo. She may appreciate the firmer turf and two turns.

Emmy Darling was very sharp in a pair of starts to begin her career, but didn’t show the same explosiveness at Del Mar. Being a daughter of Graeme Hall, the added ground should be to her liking.

Laragh was visually impressive winning the Jessamine last out at Keeneland, a race that will likely earn her favortism.

* The Ladies Classic will offer the shortest priced favorite from the entire two-day program — and for good reason. Zenyatta has been brilliant, and over her home turf, have a hard time envisioning her perfect record gets challenged here. Any number of girls could complete the exotics, although I will take a stand against Carriage Trail, who drifted out very badly in the Spinster last out over a surface she loves.

Decent 10-race card with a pair of interesting graded stakes.

Race 1 - Royal Sneak / Ashima / Thousandkissesdeep
Race 2 - Tizzy / Allegre / Schopenhauer
Race 3 - Forest Blue / Lord Robyn / Mountain Stag
Race 4- Queenofalldiamonds / Splash of Colour / Grand Finesse
Race 5 - Barastraight / Desert Wheat / Rahystrada
Race 6 - Frame of Reference / Stage Deli / Rocamadour
Race 7 - I’m So Lucky / Hatta Fort / Amazing Results
Race 8 - Honest Pursuit / A to the Croft / Sarahlane’sdestiny
Race 9 - Backseat Rhythm / Rosa Grace / Closeout
Race 10 - Peruvian Hero / Tend / Understatement

September 27 had all the markings of a significant day on the racing calendar as major Breeders’ Cup preps took place coast-to-coast.

And boy did it live up to the hype.

Curlin was the headliner not only for his credentials, but for what was at stake — becoming America’s all-time leading money earner.

Mission accomplished.

After spending the past few Mondays at the Oklahoma Training Track with the champ, it was no surprise to another typical Curlin effort.

Scott Blasi had said many times that Curlin is an easier horse to train with a month between races than with 6-7 weeks, and Todd Pletcher had said that Curlin’s best attribute is his consistency. And both were accurate.

Yet as impressive as Curlin was, the jaw-dropping performance of the day was turned in by the undefeated Zenyatta in the Lady’s Secret.

Now 8-for-8, Zenyatta may have locked up a championship with her dominating victory — considering it came at the expense of Hystericalady, and coupled with the loss of Ginger Punch in the Beldame.

What else… (more…)