The Morning Line: Zenyatta Has Already Won

By BENNETT LIEBMAN

Bennett Liebman is the executive director of the Government Law Center at Albany Law School and a member of the board of directors of the New York Racing Association.

Unlike her actual come-from-behind racing style, Zenyatta, in the media race for the Breeders’ Cup, looks like a wire-to-wire winner. The “Mare and the Myth” stories keep on a comin’. Certainly, that’s the way CBS’ “60 Minutes” sees it, as they believe that Zenyatta is the “greatest filly in horse racing history” and ask the question whether Zenyatta is the “best racehorse ever?” She is “the most splendid creature we’ve ever seen” according to the actual broadcast. Jay Hovdey for the Daily Racing Form provides a critique of the broadcast.

CBS is not alone in its praise of Zenyatta. “All systems are go,” according to USA Today, and the Louisville Courier-Journal answers all your Zenyatta questions. Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal finds that “fixing Zenyatta’s position in the racing firmament is no easy task.” He quotes trainer Shug McGaughey who says, “I don’t know if she’s the greatest of all times, but she has got the greatest record of all time.” The Daily Racing Form even reports on Zenyatta’s strolls around Hollywood Park on Sunday.

A more humorous look at the Cup is provided by Nic Doggett’s Breeders’ Cup likes and dislikes in Sky Sports. He is looking forward to Americans getting excited about Zenyatta’s dance moves “if by dance moves you mean a horse scratching at the floor like a combination of a goose-stepping Basil Fawlty and my dog trying to bury its outdoor dealings.” He also complains about the “the spoiling of Zenyatta. Extended, weepy, pointless over-sentimental media coverage coupled with months of anticipation will surely result in the mother of all boil-over’s and a huge anticlimax.”

There is a Breeders’ Cup beyond Zenyatta, and it is beginning to receive more coverage. Todd Pletcher’s Todd Squad is featured in the Thoroughbred Times, the New York Post, Los Angeles Daily news group, and the Blood-Horse. Trainer Pletcher seems particularly high on Quality Road stating in the Lexington Herald –Leader, “”I thought he worked as well as he’s ever worked this morning,” The New York Post says that Pletcher “believes he has the horse to beat.”

Other contenders for the Classic are featured. Lookin at Lucky and Japan’s Espoir City worked at Hollywood Park, and jockey Garrett Gomez writes that he truly believes that Blame is “the horse with the best chance to beat Zenyatta.”

Both the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader have stories on Goldikova. Both Goldikova and Workforce – the likely favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Turf – arrived in Louisville on Saturday.

In an interesting development, the top BritishK rider Richard Hughes may not make it to the Breeders’ Cup. He trails Paul Hanagan by three wins in the UK rider standings, and the British flat racing season ends on Saturday. He may give up his two Cup mounts, including Paco Boy in the Mile, to try to win the rider’s title.

If you want to take an early look at handicapping information for the Cup races, please take a look at the Daily Racing Form site with its listing of Cup contenders.

The Melbourne Cup is run on Tuesday in Australia, which means that post time is actually this evening at midnight Eastern time. Past performances are here (Go to page 36). Internet radio coverage can be found through the Australian Broadcasting Company. Right now, So You Think is a huge favorite. Maluckyday has become the second choice, and he and So You Think are among the eight horses in the race that raced on Saturday.