Paced by memorable victories of Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Goldikova in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, female horses enjoyed their greatest performance ever in the 2009 edition of the World Championships at Santa Anita. Along with the five female-only race winners; Life Is Sweet, Informed Decision, Midday, She Be Wild, and Tapitsfly, the Breeders’ Cup of six years ago truly belonged to the fairer sex, with seven overall winners. This year, the ladies of 2015 have a shot to beat that number and make Breeders’ Cup history.
Once again, our female stars will enjoy five guaranteed BC victories in the; Distaff, Filly & Mare Turf, Juvenile Fillies, Filly & Mare Sprint, and Juvenile Fillies Turf, which leaves only three more wins necessary to break the record. Taking a look at the potential winners, it’s easy to imagine a huge Breeders’ Cup for the distaff set. Let’s look at the most likely candidates, starting at the top ...
Beholder (Breeders’ Cup Classic) - She may not go favored in this year’s Classic, as that honor is likely reserved for the first Triple Crown Champion in 37 years, but it would be a stretch to say that any horse will come into America’s richest race on a bigger roll than Beholder. The two-time champion, and two-time Breeders’ Cup winner, is undefeated in her five starts in 2015. More than that, though, she has proven to be in a class far and above her female competition in her four victories against her own gender. It is her one and only attempt against the males that allows for real confidence heading into the Classic, though. While it is true that the competition in the million dollar TVG Pacific Classic was not of the same type that she will find at Keeneland, the way she totally undressed good males, in perhaps the finest performance run on American soil this year, makes it easy to imagine the mare beating the boys on the big stage.
Tepin (Breeders’ Cup Mile) - If you don’t believe that Tepin is a good enough mare to beat the boys in the Mile, you better rewind last Saturday’s Grade 1 First Lady, and watch it again. The four-year-old Bernstein filly is a true miler, and as good as her form has been all year, she threw all of that out the window with her first run over the Keeneland turf course. I don’t think I am overstating the performance at all when I say, a repeat of it in the BC Mile puts her on the short list of horses to beat for trainer Mark Casse.
Esoterique (Breeders’ Cup Mile) - As potent as Tepin is, she might not even be the best female runner heading to the mile. This five-year-old, Andre Fabre trained mare gave the world’s top miler, Solow, a run for his money at Royal Ascot this summer, and has only gotten better since. Her win against the males in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois was a real eye opener, and she verified that form with a sharp win in the recent Sun Chariot. Esoterique is all class, can handle different types of course conditions, and we all know what kind of record European females have enjoyed in the Miles of the past, led by the superstars, Miesque and Goldikova.
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Lady Shipman (Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint) - Don’t look now, but this speedy daughter of Midshipman is one of America’s hottest horses. She’s won four in a row, and sports a near flawless 8: 7-0-1 record in 2015. In a race in which the mare Mizdirection repeated in the 2012 and 2013 editions, Lady Shipman looks every bit the kind of talent to fit right in against the males. Best yet, each of her last four overpowering victories came at the same 5 ½ furlong distance that she will find in the Breeders’ Cup. She’ll look to make that five in a row on Friday, when she tops the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland.
Ageless (Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint) - While Lady Shipman brings dangerous speed to the Turf Sprint mix, Ageless does her best running down the lane. Last year she rallied to a fourth place finish in the Turf Sprint, and in fact, was beaten less than a length. This year, the six-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal might be even better. Ageless will get a run in at the Turf Sprint distance, and over the course, when she takes on Lady Shipman on Friday. Anything less than another strong performance would be a surprise.
La Verdad (Breeders’ Cup Sprint) - This one may be a bit of a long shot, but with the Filly & Mare Sprint at seven furlongs, I believe entry against the males at her much preferred distance of six furlongs would make plenty of sense, and if she is in it, the streaking New York-bred would have a chance at becoming the fourth female to win the BC Sprint. She has won 11 of her last 13 tries at six furlongs.