Win Place Show at The Breeders Cup Championships
Girls Zenyatta and Goldikova Dominate at BCC -- US Eight Euros Six
Nov 12, 2009
Improving on last season's Thoroughbred Breeders' Cup Championships results, the United States grabbed eight 2009 wins on November 6 and 7, with top billed Zenyatta scoring a huge triumph in the Classic, while the Europeans countered with repeat victors Goldikova in the Mile and Conduit in the Turf, getting six wins overall.
Zenyatta Breeders' Cup Headliner
Stalwart Zenyatta, muscially named, prancingly entertaining, and big as a building at 17-1/2 hands, blitzed to victory in the Classic with her customary and amazing last to first gallop. Jockey Mike Smith, her regular Hall of Fame rider, had a minor moment of concern when Zenyatta left the gate off stride.
But when the career unbeaten five-year-old mare was cued, she took up the challenge like the champion she is, blowing past the field through traffic and then at the outside to get to the wire a length in front. She was crowned the first female to win the traditionally boys' race.
Goldikova Gives Freddy Head Historic Mile Repeats
Trainer Freddy Head set an all-time record at the BCC which will be hard to challenge. In 1987 and 1988, he rode the great Miesque to BC Mile championships. This year, he trained the magnificent Goldikova to triumph in the BC Mile, getting the four-year-old filly to that winner's circle for the second straight time.
Head described Goldikova as "much easier; she settles" (The Blood-Horse magazine; "The Footsteps of Giants" by Fanny Salmon; October 31, 2009/No.44; page 3902) in comparing his two champions. Either way, back-to-back wins on the same female as a jockey in the Mile, and back-to-back wins with the same female as a trainer in the Mile may be a feat never repeated.
Win Place Show on Breeders' Cup 2009 Cards
Breeders' Cup Marathon:
- Win - Man of Iron (by Giant's Causeway) -- Johnny Murtagh up -- in 2:54.11
- Place - Cloudy's Knight (Lord Avie) -- Rosemary Homeister
- Show - Mastery (GB) (Sulamani (IRE)) -- Frankie Dettori
Juvenile Fillies Turf (USA-Based Winner):
- Tapitsfly (Tapit) -- Robby Albarado -- in 1:34.25
- Rose Catherine (Speightstown) -- Javier Castellano
- House of Grace (Limehouse) -- Mike Luzzi
Filly and Mare Sprint (USA):
- Informed Decision (Manarchos) -- Julien Leparoux -- in 1:21.66
- Ventura (Chester House) -- Garrett Gomez
- Free Flying Soul (Quiet American) -- Mike Smith
Juveniles Fillies (USA):
- She Be Wild (Offlee Wild) -- Julien Leparoux -- in 1:43.80
- Beautician (Dehere) -- Robby Albarado
- Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision) -- Tyler Baze
Filly and Mare Turf:
- Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream (GB)) -- Tom Queally -- in 1:59.14
- Pure Clan (Pure Prize) -- Garrett Gomez
- Forever Together (Belong to Me) -- Julien Leparoux
Ladies Classic (USA):
- Life Is Sweet (Storm Cat) -- Garrett Gomez -- in 1:48.58
- Mushka (Empire Maker) -- Kent Desormeaux
- Music Note (A.P. Indy) -- Rajiv Maragh
Juvenile Turf:
- Pounced (Rahy) -- Frankie Dettori -- in 1:35.47
- Bridgetown (Speightstown) -- Robert Landry
- Interactif (Broken Vow) -- Kent Desormeaux
Turf Sprint (USA):
- California Flag (Avenue of Flags) -- Joe Talamo -- in 1:11.28
- Gotta Have Her (Royal Academy) -- Tyler Baze
- Cannonball (Catienus) -- Ramon Dominguez
Dirt Mile (USA):
- Furthest Land (Smart Strike) -- Julien Leparoux -- in 1:35.50
- Ready's Echo (More Than Ready) -- Calvin Borel
- Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) -- Garrett Gomez
Juvenile:
- Vale of York (Invincible Spirit (IRE)) -- Ahmed Ajtebi -- in 1:43.48
- Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike) -- Garrett Gomez
- Noble's Promise (Cuvee) -- Willie Martinez
Mile:
- Goldikova (IRE) (Anabaa) -- Olivier Peslier -- in 1:32.26 (repeat winner)
- Courageous Cat (Storm Cat) -- Garrett Gomez
- Justenuffhumor (Distorted Humor) -- Alan Garcia
Sprint (USA):
- Dancing In Silks (Black Minnaloushe) -- Joel Rosario -- in 1:08.14
- Crown Of Thorns (Repent) -- Rafael Bejarano
- Cost Of Freedom (Cee's Tizzy) -- Tyler Baze
Turf:
- Conduit (IRE) (Dalakhani (IRE)) -- Ryan Moore -- in 2:23.75 (repeat winner)
- Presious Passion (Royal Anthem) -- Elvis Trujillo
- Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel (IRE)) -- Frankie Dettori
Classic (USA):
- Zenyatta (Street Cry) -- Mike Smith -- in 2:00.62
- Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat) -- Ramon Dominguez
- Twice Over (GB) (Observatory) -- Tom Queally
Battle of Breeders' Cup Jockeys
Rider Julien Leparoux won the day in jockey victories, snatching three wins and a show. Garrett Gomez followed him with four places, a win, and a show. Joe Talamo, shut out in May's Kentucky Derby when I Want Revenge was an 11th hour scratch, rode California Flag to the winner's circle in his only BC start this year.
