It's all about Zenyatta in Breeders' Cup

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 5 (UPI) — Zenyatta: on a Churchill Downs Saturday full of world-class horses in eight Breeders’ Cup Championship races, Zenyatta is the only name that really matters.

Oh, sure. It would be historic if Goldikova could win the $2 million Mile for a third straight year. many of the best distance turf horses in the world will line up for the $3 million Turf. and the juvenile races will be scrutinized for a potential 2011 Kentucky Derby prospect.

But after the first 10 races on the card, everyone will still be there under the twin spires — still waiting to see if Zenyatta can win her 20th straight race without a loss by taking the $5 million Classic for the second straight year.

Seldom does any sport offer such a protracted buildup to two minutes of potential history.

It will be no walkover. Zenyatta’s five wins this year have all been against other fillies and mares and the competition has been something less than world-class. still, the 6-year-old Street cry mare has beaten every horse that’s lined up against her — always running from well back in the field and always getting the job done — usually just in the nick of time.

Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed Zenyatta as the 8-5 morning-line favorite, reflecting her adoring fans’ desire to wager on her one last time. Blame was pegged at 9-2, followed by Quality Road at 5-1, and Lookin at Lucky at 6-1.

Blame, a 4-year-old son of Arch, has never been off the board in 12 career starts, which include eight wins. most of those have been against the toughest kind of opposition. Quality Road, who was scratched at the gate before last year’s Classic, also has 12 in-the-money finishes from as many starts and also has eight wins. his only loss in five previous starts this year was by a head to Blame in the Whitney. Lookin at Lucky, a 3-year-old son of Smart Strike, could be undefeated in six starts this year except for incredibly bad luck in the Santa Anita Derby and the Kentucky Derby.

Unaccountably, Battaglia set Haynsfield at 12-1 on the morning line despite the fact he beat Blame in their last race, the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

There’s plenty of other interest in the race, too. Paddy O’Prado, who has been great on the turf since he finished third in the Kentucky Derby and sixth in the Preakness, is back on the main track for this race. Musket Man and Etched have been knocking on the door against the top rivals and are back for another try. and Japanese superstar Espoir City will try to stretch out to the 1 1/4-mile distance.

At the end, the question will be — can any of them get to the lead early in the stretch run and then hold off Zenyatta? Or, put another way, can jockey Mike Smith time Zenyatta’s move perfectly one more time and get her to the wire in front one last time?

While the world awaits the answer to those questions, there will be plenty of diversion in the seven other Championship events and three preliminary bouts on the Saturday card.

The $3 million Emirates Airline Turf features a European star — Epsom Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor Workforce. The 7-5 favorite has been a questionable starter as trainer Sir Michael Stoute said he prefers softer turf than the current firm going at Churchill Downs. Behkabad, who finished fourth in the Arc, also is entered in the Turf along with British-based Debussy, who journeyed to America in August to upset the Arlington Million. Winchester, winner of the Turf Classic at Belmont, is probably the best of the American contingent in the eight-horse field.

The $1 million Dirt Mile is another of those “you pick ‘em” races. The morning-line favorite at 7-2 is Morning Line. That’s not a Battaglia in-joke, either. The 3-year-old Tiznow colt won the Pennsylvania Derby very impressively in his last start. Crown of Thorns is in from California after a good second behind Richard’s Kid in the Goodwood. After that, there is a small herd of possibilities including 2009 Kentucky Derby winner mine That Bird (who hasn’t won since that first Saturday in May), Kelso winner Tizway and Forego victor Here Comes Ben. The race is a potential Pick six buster.

Other than the Classic, the $2 million TVG Mile is the day’s most-anticipated race, as Goldikova attempts to become the first “threepeat” winner of an individual Breeders’ Cup race. The 5-year-old Anabaa mare will face a talented field, including Paco Boy, who just missed beating her by 1/2 length in their last race, albeit over a soft surface Goldikova did not like. another potential upsetter is Gio Ponti, who just missed in the 1 1/4-mile Arlington Million, then shortened up to win the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland in his last start. The rest are double-digit odds in the morning line but many have upset potential should Goldikova not be up to the task.

As frequently happens, the $2 million Grey Goose Juvenile has talented rivals from both the East Coast and West Coast. Boys at Tosconova finished a good second in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs in April, then won at both Belmont and Saratoga this summer, the latter win coming in the Grade I Hopeful. Uncle Mo is undefeated in two starts including the Champagne at Belmont and his stablemate, Stay Thirsty, was second in the Hopeful. Jaycito, J P’s Gusto and Riveting Reason finished 1-2-3 in the Norfolk at Hollywood Park in their last start but none has raced outside California or on real dirt.

Silver Timber is the very lukewarm 4-1 favorite in the $1 million Turf Sprint, where most of the 15 entrants could make a case for consideration. only two of the starters were out of the money in their last race and one of them, California Flag, is the defending champ in this event.

Big Drama, Girolamo and Smiling Tiger headline the $2 million Sentient Jet Sprint on the main track. again, many of the remaining nine entrants has a case, including Supreme Summit, who is improving and finished a close second to Smiling Tiger last time out with a late rush in California.

The $1 million Juvenile Turf looks to be a contest among a trio of Euros — favorite Master of Hounds, Mantoba and Utley. none of them, however, is really proved against top competition. Air Support, winner of the Pilgrim at Belmont Park over yielding turf, is one of the more attractive Americans set to enter the gate.

But, really, on the first Saturday of November under the twin spires of Churchill Downs, it’s all about Zenyatta.

It’s all about Zenyatta in Breeders’ Cup

5 million, fillies