ARCADIA, Calif. — The Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic is missing its leading lady, with defending champion Zenyatta pitting her 13-0 record against the boys on the second day of the season-ending world championships.
Her defection leaves Music Note as the early 9-5 favorite in the eight-horse field for the 1 1/8-mile Ladies’ Classic today at Santa Anita.
The $2 million race is the highlight of six Breeders’ Cup races on Day 1, five of them featuring females, with the $500,000 Marathon for males.
Zenyatta’s presence in Saturday’s $5 million Classic is daunting to some of her rivals.
“I would have entered her with the fillies so I didn’t have to run at her,” said Chip Woolley Jr., who trains Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. “You know she’s going to be running late and she has a lot of style, much the same as my horse. She’s twice his size, so if she decides to knock him out of the way, she’s got a good chance.”
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert saddles longshot Richard’s Kid in the Classic.
“I don’t like to see her in there — I’m in there with her,” he said. “But she’s going to bring so much. Everybody is going to be watching with her in there. We need a big boost right now, and she’s going to be our boost.”
Zenyatta is going against male competition for the first time in her career. She will break from the No. 4 post in the 1 1/4-mile race.
“Optimism is high,” said Jerry Moss, who co-owns the 5-year-old mare with his wife. “I think everybody is in for a treat.”
Zenyatta is grabbing the attention in the absence of Rachel Alexandra, who was 8-for-8 this year, including three wins over male horses.
Owner Jess Jackson shut her down for the season because he dislikes Santa Anita’s synthetic track on which his two-time horse of the year Curlin faded to fourth in last year’s Classic.
No female horse has won the Classic in its 25-year history. Zenyatta will be the fourth female to try. Jolypha had the best result, finishing third in 1992. Azeri was fourth in 2004, and Triptych was sixth in 1986.
The $500,000 Marathon begins today’s races, with gelding Cloudy’s Knight making his Breeders’ Cup debut at age 9. European horses won five of last year’s 14 Breeders’ Cup races and could make a strong showing again.
