Zarkava may have raced for the last time in her career. Winner of all her seven outings, Zarkava’s crowning moment came on Sunday in the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp when she outpaced a field that included some of the best 2400 (turf) horses in the world. It was a bloodless victory and the manner of doing it was, at once, fluent and flawless.

The Zamindar filly, according to Alain du Royer-Dupre, has done everything asked pf her. I chatted with trainer Dupre. “We cannot ask her more. It is the owner’s decision to race or not race her."

I interjected. “You are no ordinary trainer. Your input should be critical. Does not His Highness the Aga Khan listen to you and take your opinions seriously.”

“I believe that is how it works. You asked me why the Breeders’ Cup is not an option. The one-word answer is ‘No.’ You see, it is such a hard process. I don’t like what our filly will be put through.”

His Highness the Aga Khan made reference to my point about his enjoying high profile successes a lot more as he was getting older. “Thanks for gently reminding me about my aging. This is the prize of prizes. Zarkava has given me the ultimate present.”

Jockey Christophe Soumillon, fluent in English, talked about how merciless the riders are to one another. “Everybody wants position. I got a lucky trip. I did not have a plan going in. I knew my filly had the acceleration. When the opening came up, she took over.”

In another item about the Arc, the third spot was a dead heat between It’s Gino and Soldier of Fortune. It’s Gino’s trainer, Pavel Vovcenko has filed an appeal saying that his horse got third and there is enough evidence in the official photo. It’s Gino represented Germany.

Trainer Vovcenko has sought legal advice. “I am very sorry to have had to pursue this after such a big race as the Arc but I do have the habit of looking at photo finishes closely. You cannot see in the normal picture but in the mirror image you will see he (It’s Gino) has finished third.”

This is another headache for France Galop. There is already an overdose of criticism about the false start in the Prix de l’Abbaye.  Fleeting Spirit’s stall door did not open and a false start was declared. The race was run after the last race in the Arc program. Marchand D’Or won it. Out of the original 20 in the Abbaye field, 17 returned to race.

Trainer Mike de Kock has confirmed that Eagle Mountain is a starter in the BC Turf (2400 metres) at Santa Anita.  Eagle Mountain, part of Ballydoyle at one time, won the Group III Nayef Joel Stakes at Newmarket last week.

De Kock stated, “he showed his fitness the other day when I thought he might have been a bit short. He is very likely to run in the Turf.”

Cozzene,  a BC winner in 1985, was euthanized on October 7 at Gainesway Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. The gray son of Caro produced two BC winners. They were Alphabet Soup who had the beating of Cigar in 1996 and Tikkanen. Cozzene was 28.

Tony Beck, President of Gainesway said, “grays are supposed to have a shorter life because they often have melanoma which he (Cozzene) has had for years. His coordination and movement were seriously compromised. The quality of his life had to be maintained.”

Curlin took to Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride on October 6. The recent winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup went 800 metres in 52.8.

Trainer Steve Asmussen was pleased. “We just breezed him back in a maintenance move. We are going to show Curlin the patience that I think he deserves. We will do what is right for him.”

The BC Classic field, in addition to having Curlin and Big Brown, may also have Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator.  It is a race worth going a long way to see.

 Paco Boy will not go to the BC. A son of Desert Style, Paco Boy was a decisive winner of the Prix de La Foret at Longchamp on Saturday. Coral has Paco Boy as the second choice at 5-1 in the BC Mile.

Trainer Richard Hannon said, “The ground will be too firm in America. Paco Boy will not like it. He has done enough.”

Jockey Dean Mckeown is going through a trial for corruption charges. The British Horseracing Authority has charged that Mckeown and others arranged for laying of horses to lose on betting exchanges. The period in question is from March 2004 through December 2005. Jockey Mckeown has refuted the charges.

The Daily Racing Form has reported that the Breeders’ Cup races will be held at Churchill Downs in 2010. It will be the seventh time that the BC will be run at the Louisville track. However, a spokesman for Churchill Downs,  refused to confirm.

Here is news of a personal nature. My friend and I were driving home late Sunday. We were on a Paris highway. We were leaving a ramp and entering a highway when a car hit our car on the driver’s side. In France, you drive on the right and cars have left hand drives. After hitting our car, the offending car spun and got right in front of us. We are doing about 50 MPH. Our car hit the other car and started spinning. This is a highway and traffic was heavy even at 11:30 PM. After causing all the damage, the offending driver sped. My friend steered the car the same direction in which it was going and our car hit a huge cement block and stopped.

The car was damaged beyond recognition. Believe me when I say we got away without any injury. We were able to open the door and get out. We both had our seat belts on. My chest hit the area above the glove compartment.

I was taken in an ambulance to a local hospital. The ambulance staff was courteous and pleasant and there was one partial English-speaking paramedic. The hospital staff went one step better. I went through a battery of tests. I could not breathe because of the impact. Pain was setting in. Finally, the night shift doctor, came in to look at the xrays. In perfect English, he said, “you are in the clear. You are fine. You can go. You will have pain for some days. I am giving a prescription, pain killing medication that will also stop a fever.”

My friend, after attending to police formalities, came to the hospital and picked me up. The sparse French-speaking skills I have, came in handy. I am blessed. I had planned a stop at Zurich. That was cancelled. Now, I am going to Chicago on Thursday. I will be in Chicago by 5 P M on Thursday.

Words cannot adequately describe my feelings. There was an angel protecting us. One of any number of things could have killed us. God intervened.