Monday, October 5, 2009

Appreciating perfection

October 3 started off as a tough day for favorites at the game’s highest level when Fabulous Strike, Gio Ponti, and Goldikova (Ire) all lost Grade 1 or Group 1 races as odds-on favorites.

In reflecting on the chance that all three would lose (about a 19-to-1 shot if you figured each was 3-to-5 to win his or her respective race), it made me realize how special Zenyatta’s career has been.

Those who follow me on Twitter or read this blog regularly know that I am a huge Rachel Alexandra fan who thinks the three-year-old would have no problem disposing of Zenyatta at a variety of distances on any surface.

The one thing Zenyatta has going for her, however, that Rachel Alexandra (or Sea The Stars or Goldikova or a host of other superstars) can never get back is an undefeated record. Being undefeated is sort of like virginity, once you are defeated, you can never get the “un” back.

For Zenyatta, being undefeated means she won:
  • her career debut
  • all ten of her stakes races
  • on four different surfaces
  • while carrying 129 pounds
  • after shipping 1,600 miles to face the defending champion older female in her dirt debut
  • the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) over six Grade 1 winners and a Canadian champion
Perfection is relative, of course. Peppers Pride ended her career with 19 victories in as many starts, but what she accomplished in New Mexico-bred races pales in comparison with any horse who wins a Grade 1 race. That is not to say that I would not love having a Peppers Pride in my barn or as a broodmare, but having an Azeri seems more exciting to me, even though she lost her stakes debut in a stretch of 14 wins from 15 starts.

Most of us who love Thoroughbred racing look for perfection in the facets of the game that interest us most: Trainers look for the perfect specimen, jockeys look for the perfect trip, handicappers look for that perfect angle, breeders look for the perfect nick, fans look for that perfect spot on the rail.

After winning the Tattersalls Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-G1) with Sea The Stars, trainer John Oxx said the Cape Cross (Ire) colt is the closest horse to a machine he has ever trained. Indeed, seeing all the moving parts of this sport come together into a perfect performance is something to behold and part of what has earned Thoroughbred racing its moniker as the Sport of Kings.

Seeing that perfection played out over multiple starts at the highest level of the game is an even rarer treat that has vaulted Zenyatta into the stratosphere as one of American racing’s all-time greatest mares.
_ came correct at 2:20:00 PM

4 soothsayers:

  1. Great article! (:
    ReplyDelete
  2. Celebrating "perfection" is fine and dandy for a blog piece Ed. But the public has come to their senses this year - especially east of the Rockies. And they're not fooled.

    Perfection does not equal greatness.

    The consensus around the web these days is that as long as Zenyatta stays out west, avoiding racing against the best of her colleagues, her perfect record will be tainted with a an asterisk.

    That asterisk has a question attached to it:

    * What might have been had she faced the very best?
    ReplyDelete
  3. Zenyatta is a great race mare. I'm really surprised that you would question that.

    She has faced the very best in her division. I'm a strong proponent of the idea that you can't duck races outside your division.

    Xtra Heat was a great sprinter. She didn't need to face Flute around two turns to prove that.

    Likewise, Zenyatta doesn't need to face Summer Bird to prove she's a great race mare. She races in Grade 1 company, and that's enough for me.

    I agree that if we're talking about other worldly transcendence, then she needs to beat males, but her accomplishments are legitimate.
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  4. To Knight Sky: Rachel lover are we?

    Maybe you are not aware that east coast great Personal Ensign (ranked #49 top greatest racehorse) hardly ever traveled out of her homebase. On her last year, top mares avoided PE like the plague just like the top mares are avoiding Zenyatta this year.

    As far as getting fooled, you probably believe that the 2009 Woodward was really a grade 1 race eh? DeTara, Macho Again, Bullsbay...yeah LOL
    ReplyDelete

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