Zenyatta Looks To Make History In Breeders’ Cup Classic

Added on Nov 05, 2010 by Jack Thurman in

Horse Racing

The Triple Crown Races–the Kentucky Derby, Belmont and Preakness–may get more attention from the mainstream sports media–but the Superbowl for horse racing enthusiasts is coming up this weekend. The Breeders’ Cup, held this year at Churchill Downs, is the biggest prize in the sport both financially and competitively. There’s a ton of great horses throughout the two day competition but the undisputed star of the show is Zenyatta.

Zenyatta will be the favorite in the big race of the weekend, the Breeders’ Cup Classic with a purse of $5 million dollars, part of a total prize pool of $25.5 million for the entire event. If Zenyatta wins her race she’ll become only the second horse in history to defend in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, joining Tiznow who won in 2000 and 2001.

Despite a field comprised of the best horses in the business, Zenyatta was made the 8-5 morning line favorite. There’s a strong possibility that this will be Zenyatta’s swan song in competitive racing, and a victory would give her the remarkable accomplishment of 20 wins in 20 career races. Zenyatta won the Ladies’ Classic in 2008, and she’s trying to become the first three time winner in Breeders’ Cup history. She may have some company in this regard, however, as Goldikova is looking to win her third Breeders’ Cup Mile event after victories in 2008 and 2009. Realistically, there doesn’t look to be much competition for Goldikova in her event.

Zenyatta will face serious competition in her bid for a Classic repeat—most significantly Blame, Haynesfield, Lookin At Lucky, and Quality Road. Zenyatta drew the #8 post position, which is a decent start position. Less fortunate were Lookin At Lucky and Quality Road. Lookin At Lucky drew the far outside post and he’s not done well from far inside or outside positions. He started from the rail in the Kentucky Derby this year and got a terrible trip, while he drew the outside post in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and ran wide though recovered to finish second. Quality Road drew the rail—this might not be as big of an issue in the relatively small field for this race, and trainer Todd Pletcher tried to put a positive spin on the post draw:

“That wasn’t the post position we were hoping for but it’s probably less of a disadvantage in a 12-horse field. It’s a terrible post in the Kentucky Derby.”

Blame, who has three lifetime wins at Churchill Downs, was the second choice on the morning line at 9-2, with Quality Road next at 5-1. Churchill Downs’ linesmaker Mike Battaglia set Lookin At Lucky at 6-1, and Haynesfield at 12-1. The longest odds in the race are shared by Pleasant Prince and Etched, both priced at 30-1.

Not to minimize the two days of wall to wall horse racing excitement, but this event is all about Zenyatta. With her career accomplishments—including an electrifying come from behind win in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic—her legacy as a top competitor is already secure. A victory in what is very likely her final race would put her in the conversation as one of the greatest thoroughbreds in the sport’s long history. Hopefully it’ll also earn her the Eclipse Award for ‘Horse of the Year’ which she lost out on in 2009 finishing a hotly disputed second to Rachel Alexandra.

In the meantime, check out this clip of Zenyatta’s 2009 Classic victory which will go down as one of the most iconic performances in horse racing history: