The drama and anticipation surrounding ZENYATTA’s (Street Cry [Ire]) possible
first-ever challenge of males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita
on November 7 will be finalized Tuesday morning. That’s when horses pre-entered
in two Breeders’ Cup races must decide on which one to enter. Zenyatta also is
pre-entered in the Ladies’ Classic (G1) at 1 1/8 miles, to be run November 6.
It is expected that owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs will
opt for the Classic at 1 1/4 miles and risk Zenyatta’s perfect record of 13
straight victories, all against her own sex. The five-year-old stretch-running
mare is three-for-three on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface, including her second
consecutive Lady’s Secret S. (G1) victory in her most recent start on October
10.
Zenyatta or not, little if any alteration of strategy is being contemplated
for two of the Classic’s major players, Belmont (G1), Travers (G1) and Jockey
Club Gold Cup (G1) winner SUMMER BIRD (Birdstone) and Kentucky Derby (G1) victor
MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone).
“It won’t hurt my style,” said Tim Ice, who trains Summer Bird. “Zenyatta and
I have two different running styles. I think it will make the race interesting.
It will be what it’s supposed to be for a $5 million purse. It’s going to be a
great race. I’m not expecting anything easy, and all I can control is my horse
and what I do with him. Whoever else is in the race is who I have to outrun, and
there’s going to be more than one horse to outrun.”
Mine That Bird’s trainer, Chip Woolley, has the utmost respect for Zenyatta,
and if he had his druthers, he’d rather she not run, but that won’t change the
game plan for his late-running three-year-old.
“It’s another horse to beat, and she’s a great mare,” Woolley said. “I’ve
said all along, ‘I want to keep myself in the best of company and my horse in
the worst of company,’ so obviously, you don’t want her in there. You’d be
foolish to want her in there, but if she runs, she runs. It’s not going to
change how you run your race, because to get the best race out of your horse,
you’ve got to run his race. You have to line up and go around there.
“If she runs, the publicity will be great for racing. From that standpoint,
it would be very exciting for everyone.”
If Zenyatta’s connections opt to run her in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, she
will be the favorite on Jon White’s official Breeders’ Cup morning line.
“Zenyatta not only is 13-for-13, she has been the favorite in her last nine
races,” said White, Oak Tree’s new morning line oddsmaker and a commentator for
HRTV and the simulcast network. “Granted, this would be the first time Zenyatta
has run against males, plus she’s never gone farther than a mile and an eighth.
But Zenyatta likes Santa Anita’s main track and it looks like she actually might
thrive going a mile and a quarter. I also think she will get a lot of play
because of her big-time reputation.
“I would have made European superstar Sea the Stars the favorite had he been
in the Classic. And some may feel that Europe’s RIP VAN WINKLE (Ire) (Galileo
[Ire]) will be the Classic favorite. But I expect Zenyatta to be a lower price
than Rip Van Winkle. Rip Van Winkle has been the favorite only twice in eight
career starts. He also will be running on a synthetic surface for the first
time, so there will be bettors who have reservations about him on the surface.”
While Europeans Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator ran one-two in the Classic
last year on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface, White said it is important to note
that they were not respected in the betting.
“Raven’s Pass was 13-1 and Henrythenavigator was 19-1, while the top American
horse, Curlin, was pounded down to 4-5 favoritism, even though there were those
who thought Curlin might not be on his game at the time,” White said. “As for
Zenyatta, anyone who saw the Lady’s Secret and/or her recent six-furlong workout
should have no reservations that she certainly is on her game going into the
Breeders’ Cup.
“After the success of the Europeans last year, they probably will get more
respect from the bettors this year. In trying to determine who will get bet
more, Zenyatta or Rip Van Winkle, I took a look back at a couple of other
Europeans with outstanding records, Giant’s Causeway and Sakhee. Giant’s
Causeway was 7-1 when he ran second in the Classic to Tiznow, and Sakhee was 9-2
when he finished second in the Classic to Tiznow. Even though I don’t think Rip
Van Winkle will be the Classic favorite, I think there’s a pretty good chance he
will be a shorter price than Sakhee.
“With the Classic eight days away, such factors as defections, developments,
workouts and post positions could lead to some tweaking. But as it stands right
now, I’m planning to make Zenyatta the 5-2 favorite for the Classic, with Rip
Van Winkle next at 7-2. For those who believe 5-2 might too low on Zenyatta in
such a big field, keep in mind the last time that Zenyatta was higher than 3-5
was about a year and a half ago. That was in the 2008 Apple Blossom H. (G1) when
Zenyatta was 9-5 and beat Ginger Punch.”
Summer Bird will be the third choice on White’s Classic line.
“With each Grade 1 win, Summer Bird is getting more and more respect,” White
said. “But when Summer Bird won the Jockey Club Gold Cup as the 6-5 favorite, it
was the first time he’s ever been the favorite. Right now, I’m planning to put
Summer Bird at 9-2 for the Classic.
“The way I see it, Zenyatta, Rip Van Winkle and Summer Bird are the ‘big
three’ in terms of Breeders’ Cup Classic wagering. I think there will be a
pretty good gap to the rest. I doubt that I will have anyone else lower than
10-1.”
In other Breeders’ Cup news:
Investimenti Immobiliari’s SWEET HEARTH (Touch Gold) will be forced to miss
her two possible engagements at Santa Anita next weekend after scoping dirty.
Runner-up in the Prix de la Foret (Fr-G1) at Longchamp October 3, the
three-year-old held entries in the Dirt Mile (G1) and Filly & Mare Sprint. “She
scoped dirty this morning, and I can’t risk traveling her now,” trainer Alain de
Royer-Dupre told the Racing Post Thursday.