Zenyatta has raced 13 times in her career. She has won every time. The 13 for 13 record put Zenyatta on par with Personal Ensign who retired but not before beating the boys once. Zenyatta won the Grade I $299,000 Lady’s Secret at Santa Anita last Saturday for the second year running.

An odds-on choice in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic at Santa Anita in 2008, Zenyatta used her patented late charge to justify the favouritism. The Street Cry mare is now awaiting her Breeders’ Cup engagement. Another tilt at the Ladies’ Classic is a safe option. However, news coming out of Zenyatta’s camp indicates that her connections are considering a more ambitious target. With Sea The Stars not coming, will we see the unbeaten Zenyatta line up in the $5,000,000 Classic? A girl is yet to win the Classic. Life won’t be easy in the Classic for Zenyatta because Summer Bird, winner of the Belmont-Travers-Jockey Club Gold Cup, is committed to the 2000-metre event. Quality Road, winner of the Florida Derby this year and who has come back stronger than ever after physical problems, will also be in the Classic line-up.

Jerry Moss, Zenyatta’s owner, commented. “Yes, the Classic is looming large. There is time to decide. We will let her make the call. We will see if she comes out of the Lady’s Secret in good order.

After winning the Lady’s Secret as the 2-5 favourite, Mike Smith, Zenyatta’s regular partner, had this to say. “Ability wise, she can run with anyone, anywhere. She had ten gears today. She only had to use four of them.

Trainer John Shirreffs’ thoughts were not about Zenyatta’s next race. He was savouring the moment. “I love to watch her. You have 13 in a row, the same as Personal Ensign. That’s history. You don’t see that. They come so seldom.

What is the one factor in Zenyatta’s favour? She has a tremendous fondness for Santa Anita’s pro-ride surface. She will have home field advantage.

What about Summer Bird? The Birdstone colt shot into national prominence with a fluent win in the Belmont Stakes in early June. Owned by Mrs Vilasini and Dr K K Jayaraman, Summer Bird ran second to Rachel Alexandra in Monmouth Park’s Haskell Invitational in August. Then came the Travers at Saratoga. Summer Bird won with a measure of comfort.

On October 3, Summer Bird faced older rivals for the first time in Belmont Park’s Jockey Club Gold Cup. The fans were not worried. The Tim Ice trainee was the 5-4 choice. Jockey Kent Desormeaux went in chase of Quality Road in the final 400 metres on a sloppy track. In a duel of attrition, Summer Bird edged away in the waning yards.

Jockey Desormeaux heaped praise. “He is trying to become the best horse I have ridden. He was idling when he went ahead. He was floating. There was no doubt in my mind. After the race, he came back as if nothing had happened.

Trainer Ice spoke. “It is extraordinary. He has now three Grade I races. He keeps improving. He deserves a chance in the Classic. He used to train on Santa Anita’s surface.

There was a Grade I race run at Santa Anita last week that merits mention. There was an upset result in the Goodwood Stakes, a race over 1,800 metres. Colonel John was the 5-2 favourite. Richard’s Kid, the Pacific Classic winner this year, was in the field. Another prominent name in the mix was Mine That Bird, the 2009 Kentucky Derby champion. The winner of the Goodwood did not come from this exclusive trio. Gitano Hernando, a Hernando colt trained by Newmarket-based Marc Botti, came with a win in Wolverhampton and taught his foes a lesson with a sizzling stretch burst to win the Goodwood. Kieren Fallon was aboard the 18-1 chance. A neck away in second was Colonel John. A decision is awaited on Gitano Hernando’s participation in the Breeders’ Cup.

Kieren Fallon, in irresistible form, rode two winners in England on Thursday. Fallon spoke about Gitano Hernando. “He broke the track record at Wolverhampton on the polytrack and has been training great. I know he wants to go farther. He’s a tough horse and he needed to be today. He really wanted to win.

There are three Graded races at Woodbine this weekend. The Toronto-based course hosts the $2,000,000 Canadian International. Marsh Side, last year’s winner, is back to defend his title. Jukebox Jury, winner of the Preis Von Europa at Cologne in late September, is the 3-1 morning line favorite. Just As Well, who won the Northern Dancer via a disqualification, will take his chances.

The E P Taylor Stakes, a 2000-metre race for distaffers, has a quality field. Rainbow View, leading freshman filly in England in 2008, checks in. The John Gosden-trained filly comes off a win in Leopardstown’s Matron Stakes. Look Here, the 2008 Epsom Oaks winner, is in the field.

Then there is the $5,00,000 Nearctic Stakes, a sprint. All the three Woodbine races are ‘you win and you’re in races’ for the Breeders’ Cup races.

On Saturday, there are two high profile races at Newmarket. Graded action is ending in Europe. Freshmen take centre stage in the 1400-metre Dewhurst Stakes. Jim Bolger has won the Dewhurst three years in a row with Teofilo, New Approach and Intense Focus. Bolger’s runner is Chagal this year. There are several two year-olds n the Dewhurst with realistic chances.

The other Newmarket race is the Group I Champion Stakes. Fame And Glory, sixth in the Arc de Triomphe, is the short-priced pick. The Montjeu colt did not race up to potential in Paris but his record, otherwise, is solid. Sariska, Kieren Fallon up, lines up. Never On Sunday comes from France and will have Christophe Lemaire. Jockey Lemaire suffered a hairline fracture in his collarbone on October 2 at Saint Cloud. He missed, at least, eight winning rides, over the Arc weekend.

Fame And Glory is a confident selection, Sea The Stars is out of the way. It is time for Fame And Glory to have his moment in the sun.
 

I am not going to Melbourne. I did not get the approval until three days ago. It was late to get things organized. The Melbourne Cup is on Tuesday, November 3. The Breeders’ Cup races are on November 6 and 7. I am committed to the Breeders’ Cup.