by Tom Law

Zenyatta dazzled the crowd with a come-from-behind victory in the $1,832,000 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) to lead a five-way sweep for Kentucky-bred fillies on the first day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championship on Friday at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park.

Zenyatta, a four-year-old filly by Street Cry (Ire) out of the Kris S. mare Vertigineux, stayed undefeated with her victory in the Ladies’ Classic. Bred by Maverick Production Ltd., Zenyatta was listed as sold for $60,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Other impressive Kentucky-bred winners on the day were Stardom Bound in the $1,832,000 Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Forever Together in the $1,951,080 Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1).

Stardom Bound, a two-year-old filly by Tapit out of the Tarr Road mare My White Corvette, won her third straight Grade 1 race in the Juvenile Fillies and virtually locked up the two-year-old filly championship. Stardom Bound was purchased earlier this year by trainer Chris Paasch on behalf of owner Charles Cono for $375,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March sale of selected two-year-olds in training.

Forever Together, a four-year-old by Belong to Me out of Constant Companion, by Relaunch, was bred by White Fox Farm and purchased by owner George Strawbridge for $240,000 at the 2006 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March sale of selected two-year-olds in training.

The remaining Kentucky-bred winners were Karen Woods’s and Saud bin Khaled’s Maram, a homebred two-year-old filly by Sahm in the $1,035,080 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf; and Juddmonte Farm’s Ventura, a homebred four-year-old filly by Chester House who won the $916,000 Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Tom Law is managing editor of Thoroughbred Times