Zenyatta draws post 8 in Classic
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Undefeated six-year-old mare ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) drew post position 8 for Saturday's $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs as she bids for her 20th career victory facing 11 male rivals as the 8-5 morning line favorite in the 1 1/4-mile test, including BLAME (Arch), QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality) and LOOKIN AT LUCKY (Smart Strike). The 27th Breeders' Cup World Championships, racing's most prestigious global showcase, consisting of 14 races with purses totaling $26 million over the two-day event, will be held on Friday and Saturday. The Breeders' Cup races will be televised live on ABC/ESPN and viewed in more than 130 countries.
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A record total of 172 horses, four of them on "also-eligible" lists, was
entered in the Breeders' Cup races, including 21 from Europe and two from Japan.
There are six defending or former Breeders' Cup champions entered, led by
Zenyatta, who became the first female to win the Classic when she rallied to a
one-length victory last year at Santa Anita Park.
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Trained by John Shirreffs for owners Jerome and Ann Moss, Zenyatta posted the 19th victory of her perfect career winning the Lady's Secret S. (G1) at Hollywood Park on October 2. Saturday's Classic is expected to be the last race in her brilliant career.
Bidding for a third consecutive Breeders' Cup victory is Wertheimer et Frere's French-trained five-year-old mare GOLDIKOVA (Ire) (Anabaa), defending her 2008 and 2009 victories in the $2 million Mile (G1) at Santa Anita for trainer Freddie Head as she breaks from post 10 in a field of 11 as the 6-5 morning line favorite.
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Goldikova's rivals include five-year-old GIO PONTI (Tale of the Cat),
runner-up to Zenyatta in the Classic at Santa Anita last fall and a dual
champion last season. Trained by Christophe Clement, Gio Ponti was also
pre-entered in the Classic this year, but his connections opted for the Mile and
he will break from post 3.
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A field of 11 fillies and mares was drawn for the $2 million Ladies' Classic (G1) at 1 1/8 miles race to climax the Friday program which will conclude under the lights for the first time in Breeders' Cup history with a 7:30 p.m. (ET) post time.
This wide-open edition of the Ladies' Classic will match leading three-year-old fillies BLIND LUCK (Pollard's Vision) and HAVRE DE GRACE (Saint Liam) against accomplished older fillies and mares LIFE AT TEN (Malibu Moon) and PERSISTENTLY (Smoke Glacken). Blind Luck won the Kentucky Oaks (G1) over the track and distance and was installed the 9-5 morning line favorite.
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Four other former Breeders' Cup Champions return for the 2010 event -- MIDDAY
(GB) (Oasis Dream [Ire]) bidding for a repeat in the $2 million Filly & Mare
Turf (G1); FOREVER TOGETHER (Belong to Me), who won that same race in 2008;
INFORMED DECISION (Monarchos), defending her title in the $1 million Filly &
Mare Sprint (G1); and CALIFORNIA FLAG (Avenue of Flags), winner of last year's
$1 million Turf Sprint (G2).
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UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie), a 4 3/4-length winner of the Champagne S. (G1) at Belmont Park following a 14-length debut victory for trainer Todd Pletcher, and Hopeful S. (G1) winner BOYS AT TOSCONOVA (Officer) are the favorites in the $2 million Juvenile (G1) at 1 1/16 miles at 7-5 and 2-1, respectively, in a field of 10 going 1 1/16 miles. The $1 million Dirt Mile (G1) has drawn a wide-open field of 11 with three-year-old MORNING LINE (Tiznow), winner of the Pennsylvania Derby (G2) in his last start, established the lukewarm morning line favorite at 7-2 from post 10. An intriguing longshot at 20-1 in the Dirt Mile is four-year-old MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone), bidding for his first victory since drawing off to win the 2009 Kentucky Derby (G1) by 6 3/4 lengths. All-time leading Breeders' Cup winning trainer D. Wayne Lukas will saddle the gelding.
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