Friday, October 16, 2009

Here Comes the Cup!: Part One

Only three more weeks and the most exciting two days of racing will be upon us, the Breeders Cup. Friday will feature Ladies day, where all Breeders Cup races are restricted to females except for the Breeders Cup Marathon. On Friday we will get to see the unbeaten Zenyatta take on her toughest challenge yet in the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic. Zenyatta will be facing a four year old monster in Music Note and another monster in the three year old Careless Jewel. On the under card we will get to see two time champion Indian Blessing, Ventura and Sara Louise all on the same track. We could see the Euro Dar Re Mi try to dethrone defending Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Turf champion Forever Together.

The two races I will be looking forward to the most on Friday's championship care will be the Filly and Mare Sprint and the Ladies Classic. The Filly and Mare sprint is loaded with talent. You will have the last horse to ever beat the great Rachel Alexandra, the talented three year old sprinter Sara Louise. This filly has been leaving a trail of fire behind her in every start since her return to the races. Indian Blessing is rounding back into form after battling a trip back from Dubai and a few setbacks that held her up on her way back to the races. In her last race, the Gallant Bloom, Indian Blessing registered a gutsy decision when holding off Sara Louise, to win the Gallant Bloom for the second year in a row. Ventura, defending champion, is coming into this race with fantastic form supporting her. In her last win she came from dead last in the Woodbine Mile, to become the first filly to win the race. Her closing kick and affinity for the Pro-Ride makes her a heavy, heavy favorite, and even though I love Indian Blessing, it would not be wise to bet against the monster Ventura.

In the Ladies Classic you have a plethora of talent. Careless Jewel, who has taken over for Rachel Alexandra as the best of the three year old fillies, will be joining the fray. She will most likely be on the pace or close to it, but on the Pro-Ride surface, which favors closers, she may have to work extra hard to keep the lead coming to the wire. What I do like about her is the fact that she is proven over synthetics and has buckets and buckets of raw talent. Next is Music Note, who beat Indian Blessing two starts back at her own game of sprinting. She then returned in the Beldame where she won under a hand ride. She has improved a lot since her last visit to Santa Anita, a third place finish to Zenyatta as a three year old. Now she is back as a four year old and better than ever. Last but not least is the champion herself, the massive five year old daughter of Street Cry, Zenyatta. The dark bay giant is a perfect 13 for 13 and looks to extend that streak to 14 in a row. In the Ladies Secret she proved she was back in for with an incredibly easy victory. Zenyatta will almost certainly enter as the favorite but this will be the best field she has ever faced and a Music Note and Careless Jewel have a huge chance to upset the champion mare.

Saturday also seems to be an exciting action packed day of racing, with possibly even more talent on display as we will get to watch Zensational, Fatal Bullet, Goldikova, Court Vision, Precious Passion, Ripvanwinkle, Mastercraftsman, Summer Bird, Quality Road, and many, many more make a their bid for fame and glory. The most exciting races will be reviewed on tomorrow's blog, so until then, share your thoughts on what races have you salivating most and chomping at the bit for November 6th to come.

2 comments:

  1. Hey, what about Informed Decision?...she has never lost on synthetics. If anybody takes it to Ventura, it will be the Sheppard mare.

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  2. Thanks for reminding me, I can't believe I forgot her. You are right. Anyway, that race will be fantastic.

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