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Zenyatta went into the Classic, thank goodness. That means the field for the richest race in America, the featured race in the world’s richest sporting event, will have at least one horse people have heard of. And she’s not just entered, but favored, too, at 5-2 in the morning line for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, run Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
Yes, Mine That Bird, the equine Cinderella who inspired dreams by winning the Kentucky Derby as a nobody from nowhere, was entered in the Classic, too. But he hasn’t won since wearing the roses, and the public memory for losing horses tends to be like Gary Stevens’ acting career: very brief.Rip Van Winkle, a European standout who won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, which produced last year’s Classic winner, Raven’s Pass, will wake up today to find himself as the 7-2 second choice in the morning line. But he’s largely unknown in this country, except among Washington Irving fans. And so the black Amazonian whose talent surpasses even her charisma, the champion older filly from a year ago who hasn’t lost in 13 races, becomes the star of the Breeders’ Cup show. Zenyatta was also pre-entered in the unfortunately named $2 million Ladies’ Classic, a race she won last year. But her owner, Jerry Moss, the famed record producer who’s in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, explained that Zenyatta deserved the opportunity to run in the richer and more prestigious Classic, where she’ll face males for the first time and also race 1 1/4 miles for the first time, all in pursuit of $5 million and, more important, an unimpeachable standard of perfection that could elevate her to a unique place in the sport’s history.But to get there, she’ll have to win, and, frankly, that seems, from this corner, an unlikely outcome because even though the Classic field lacks star power, it doesn’t lack talent. Summer Bird, the Belmont and Travers winner, is the third choice in the morning line at 9-2. And Colonel John, who’s owned in partnership by Bill Casner of Flower Mound, is 12-1. Colonel John has raced only three times this year, most recently finishing second in the Goodwood Stakes despite a wide trip. He’s fresh, and unlike many horses that will be competing in the two-day event that offers $25.5 million in purses, he has considerable experience over Santa Anita’s synthetic surface, where he has won half of his six starts.Casner said Colonel John appears to be in the best form of his career and approaching a top effort. "I wouldn’t trade places," Casner said about Colonel John’s chances. Also among those entered are Gio Ponti, Einstein, Quality Road, Regal Ransom, Richard’s Kid and Girolamo, who are all formidable, if not stars.That role belongs to Zenyatta. Can she fill the void created by the absence of Rachel Alexandra and Sea The Stars? Rachel Alexandra, the sensational 3-year-old filly who became the leading candidate for Horse of the Year honors with victories over males in the Preakness and the Haskell and over older horses in the Woodward Stakes, is passing the Breeders’ Cup largely because of the "plastic," to use the disparaging description of synthetic surfaces often employed by her principal owner, Jess Jackson.And she isn’t alone. Hot Dixie Chick and Jackson Bend, who could be in line for championship honors, are absent, too. Munnings, Fabulous Strike, Macho Again, Kodiak Kowboy — they’re all absent, along with others, for a variety of reasons. And Sea The Stars, the Arc winner who has been anointed one of the all-time greats, has been retired.The Breeders’ Cup is the self-proclaimed championship event for horse racing. But this year’s renewal could have less championship impact than any Breeders’ Cup in history.But even without Sea The Stars, several of Europe’s best will be on hand, including Goldikova and Conduit, who won Breeders’ Cup races last year. And it’ll be a great day of racing, it always is, because in the end more stars will exit the Breeders’ Cup than entered it.Gary West, 817-390-7760
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