Zenyatta wins Breeders Cup Classic

Zenyatta made her place in the History books retiring undefeated while becoming the first mare to win the Breeders Cup Classic. As much as I loved Zenyatta prior to her convincing win in the Breeders Cup Classic, I was thinking along with many others, "Who did she ever beat". Undefeated Yes, but was she really as good as her record. Now, thanks to Mr. And Mrs. Jerome Moss, her owners and John Shirreffs her trainer, we have the answer. Had she skipped the Classic and instead run in the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic, she would be remembered as the undefeated Zenyatta. Instead her connections gave her the chance for greatness and perhaps immortality, which she quickly siezed. How she goes down in the history books as, "The Great Zenyatta". All of this was to the benefit of racing.


This brings us to the dams of the winners of the Breeders Cup races. Keep in mind the winners of these races have some of the highest racing indexes in racing. What this blog is all about is what kind of racemares are the dams of these type of superior runners.



In the cases of the European winners I had to estimate their racing indexes. And example of how I would do this is in comparing Zenyatta's index to that of Conduit. Zenyatta started 14 times with 14 wins and earnings of $5,474,580. Her Standard Starts index is 154.47. Her average earnings per start is $391,000. I figure Conduit's index at about 150 slightly under Zenyatta's. Conduit started 15 times and earned $5,814,200 his average earnings per start is $387,000, So, Conduit's average earnings per start is slightly under Zenyatta's therefore so is his index. I figured Goldikova the same way. Keep in mind these index are not a handicapping tool. We are just interested that these horses are very high indexed runners and then look to see what type racemare produced these runners.



In this years Breeders Cup races none of the dams was an exceptional racemare. Probably the best racemare as far as the dams go is Sweet Life by Kris S whose racing index is 7.61 She won the listed Providencia Stakes and ran 2nd in the Beverly Hills Handicap G1 and 3rd in the San Clemente Handicap G2. In the case of each dam of a Breeders Cup winner I'll give her SS index and make a comment on what type of racemare she was. What I'm trying to show is that you will find most of the dams of Breeders Cupo winners will come from mares with racing indexes of ranging from 1-10. What you generally find in the breed (except for Turf runners) is that once a mares racing index rises above SS index of 25 she will be very unlikely to Produce Champions.



Most important piece of Information to be gathered from the Breeders Cup races is that two of the 10 winners were out of Kris S mares. Get yourself one!


Breeders Cup Classic G1
Zenyatta 154.47 Vertigineux 3.96
Vertigineux started 7 times with 2 wins.......Allowance winner


Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Sprint G1
Informed Decision 46.06 Palangana 1.70
Palangana won 1 race. A maiden winner


Breeders Cup Ladies Classic G1
Life is Sweet 42.94 Sweet Life 7.61
Sweet Life won Providencia Stakes, 2nd Beverly Hills H. G1, 3rd San Clemente H G2


Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies G1
She Be Wild 69.37 Trappings o.2
Trappings started 8 times 0 Wins earned $4,130


Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Turf G1
Midday 45.50 Midsummer.........3.00
Midsummer started 3 times with 1 win. placed 2nd in Oaks Trial


Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf G1
Tapitsfly 25.25 Flying Marlin..........3.22
Flying Marlin 18 starts 4 wins $146,051


Breeders Cup Sprint G1
Furthest Land.........20.58..........Flagrant.........Unr,
Flagrant was unraced


Breeders Cup Juvenile G1
Vale of York..........45.00............Red Vale.........Unr
Red Vale was Unraced



Breeders Cup Mile G1
GoldIkova..........135.............Born Gold......1.30
Born gold made 6 starts with 1 win

Breeders Cup Turf G1 Conduit 150..................... Well Head Unr
Well Head was unraced