Trainer John Shirreffs said unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) winner Zenyatta merits serious consideration for the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year.
Jerry and Ann Moss’s Zenyatta remained unbeaten in nine career starts following her 1 1/2-length win in the Ladies’ Classic on Saturday at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park. The Street Cry (Ire) filly is unbeaten is seven starts this season, including four Grade 1 wins.
“It’s quite an accomplishment to go all year undefeated, and to step up each time, four of them in Grade 1, like she did,” Shirreffs said. “In the vote, she would have to seriously be considered for that.”
The last female to win Horse of the Year was Azeri, who completed her 2002 season by winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, which was renamed the Ladies’ Classic this year. Mike Smith rode Azeri to victory in the 2002 Distaff and also rode Zenyatta in the Ladies’ Classic.
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday, which could lead to Zenyatta taking some Horse of the Year votes.
Trainer Chris Paasch hopes Stardom Bound wrapped up champion two-year-old filly honors by winning the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The win was the first Breeders’ Cup victory for Paasch and third Grade 1 victory this season for Stardom Bound, who is scheduled to be sold at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky selected fall mixed sale on November 2 as part of a dispersal for owner Charles Cono.
“This is as good as it gets for me,” Paasch said of the Breeders’ Cup win. “She’s an unbelievable filly.”
Trainer Bob Baffert is not sure about future plans for his three Breeders’ Cup starters, Midnight Lute, Midshipman, and Indian Blessing. He hopes owners-breeders Hal and Patti Earnhardt keep Indian Blessing in training next year as a four-year-old.
Indian Blessing finished second in the Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, a seven-furlong race on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride surface.
“She’s just not the same on the synthetic,” Baffert said. “She tried real hard but [Saturday] morning she was mad. She knew she got beat. I promised her I would not run her on a synthetic track again.”
Baffert said a trip to Dubai next year is a possibility for both Indian Blessing and Midshipman, the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Darley Stable.
“I don’t know if Sheikh Mohammed will want to take him to Dubai,” Baffert said. “I hope he doesn’t.”
Midnight Lute posted a 1 3/4-length win in the Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Weitman Performances. The Real Quiet horse also captured the 2007 TVG Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
“We haven’t made a decision yet [about his future],” Baffert said. “We are going to meet this week.”
Trainer Bobby Frankel expects 2007 champion older female Ginger Punch to be retired from racing by owner-breeder Frank Stronach. Ginger Punch finished sixth in the Ladies’ Classic.
“Ginger Punch likely will be retired,” Frankel said. “I don’t know that for a fact yet, but I’m thinking so.”
A career earner of $3,065,603, the Awesome Again mare has won 12 of 22 starts. Ginger Punch concluded her 2007 campaign by winning the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Monmouth Park.