Filed under: Horse Racing
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- After he had circled back onto the dirt track at Churchill Downs aboard three-time Breeders' Cup Mile champion Goldikova, jockey Olivier Peslier pumped his fist to the cheering throng in the grandstand. Then he took a French flag and whipped it over his head to even louder roars.On foreign turf -- no pun intended -- Peslier gave a silent shout-out on behalf of his home continent after Goldikova, the hottest female thoroughbred in Europe, surged with a stirring stretch run to blow past the field and achieve a Breeders' Cup first.
The Irish-born, French-trained mare won for the fifth time in six starts this year, the 15th time in 21 starts in her career, and an unprecedented third time in a row in the same Breeders' Cup race. She might not have had a perfect record, but not even Zenyatta, who went into Saturday's Classic with two straight wins in different Cup races (she won the Ladies' Classic in 2008), had managed a pure three-peat.
Thus, Peslier was feeling his oats afterward. "Right now, she is the best filly in the world,'' he said of his mount. "First my filly, and now it's (up) to Zenyatta.''
Insiders have long pushed for something close to equal recognition and adoration for Goldikova, who has long dominated on turf in Europe, while trying not to begrudge unbeaten Zenyatta her celebrity status. Turf experts and international horse-followers gush over the 5-year-old Goldikova as much as Zenyatta is praised in the United States. Both mares faced brutal tests Saturday, with their reputations on the line in each.
"When she started winning, that was really -- I think that was important to try to make history, to have a horse that can win three times the same race,'' Alain Wertheimer said. "That would be something very, very difficult to beat.''
Source: http://www.fanhouse.com/2010/11/06/goldikova-sets-breeders-cup-mark-with-mile-turf-win/
Nicole Scherzinger Nicollette Sheridan Nikki Cox Nikki Reed Norah Jones
No comments:
Post a Comment