LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Magnificent mare Goldikova stormed to an historic victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Saturday, becoming the first horse to win a Breeders' Cup race three times.
Goldikova, trained in France by Freddy Head and ridden by Olivier Peslier, exploded after the turn for home and rolled to victory on the turf track at Churchill Downs, successfully defending the title she won in 2008 and 2009 at Santa Anita in California.
She had already made Head the first to both ride and train a Breeders' Cup winner. He rode Miesque to back-to-back Mile victories in 1987-88.
"It's quite unreal. She's amazing, she can do anything," said Head, son of legendary trainer Alec and brother of well respected trainer Criquette. "It's too good to be true. I'm very emotional.
"I was the first jockey to win this race twice with a mare, and now I?m the trainer of a mare winning three times. It?s unreal. She?s extraordinary. I don?t have the words.
"I mean, even in the worst soap opera, you can't imagine anything like that," Head said.
Goldikova notched her eighth victory in 11 races against male horses. She owns 15 wins in 21 career starts.
Last month she set a record with her 11th Group One victory in the Prix de la Foret.
Gio Ponti, runner-up in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic, was second. The Usual Q.T. was third ahead of Ireland-bred Paco Boy. Paco Boy has now failed in five attempts to beat Goldikova.
As he headed toward the winner's circle - French flag in hand and a big smile on his face - Peslier called Goldikova "the best filly in the world" - a clear rebuke to those in US racing who have largely overlooked Goldikova in the hype surrounding unbeaten American mare Zenyatta, who was bidding to defend her title in the Classic later Saturday.
"I didn?t want to ask too much of her (early)," said Peslier, who calmly waited for a chance to move as he sought to overcome an unfavorably wide post position for the second year in a row.
"She was wide on the turn but after that she relaxed behind the pace. On the last turn, she was flying and she kept running.
"I don?t know the words to describe what it feels like to ride a champion like that."
In one stroke Goldikova reversed European fortunes in this Breeders' Cup. Of 13 prior European runners on Friday and Saturday, only the Henry Cecil-trained Midday had finished in the money, but settled for second in defence of her Filly and Mare Turf title.
Gio Ponti trainer Christophe Clement and jockey Ramon Dominguez could only shake their heads.
"I wish the filly (Goldikova) was not in the race. Unfortunately, (we were) second-best," he said.
"The filly is a freak," he said of Goldikova. "She?s the best miler we?ve seen for a long, long time. She?s a freak."
Added Dominguez of Goldikova: "We ran a big race, too, but she's really a champion."
Goldikova's owners, brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, said they did not yet know if the victory would signal the end of Goldikova's racing career.
"We have no idea," Alain Wertheimer said.
"At the moment, I think we're enjoying the race and the win," Gerard Wertheimer added.
Goldikova wins Breeders Cup Mile
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Magnificent mare Goldikova stormed to an historic victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Saturday, becoming the first horse to win a Breeders' Cup race three times.
Goldikova, trained in France by Freddy Head and ridden by Olivier Peslier, exploded after the turn for home and rolled to victory on the turf track at Churchill Downs, successfully defending the title she won in 2008 and 2009 at Santa Anita in California.
She had already made Head the first to both ride and train a Breeders' Cup winner. He rode Miesque to back-to-back Mile victories in 1987-88.
"It's quite unreal. She's amazing, she can do anything," said Head, son of legendary trainer Alec and brother of well respected trainer Criquette. "It's too good to be true. I'm very emotional.
"I was the first jockey to win this race twice with a mare, and now I?m the trainer of a mare winning three times. It?s unreal. She?s extraordinary. I don?t have the words.
"I mean, even in the worst soap opera, you can't imagine anything like that," Head said.
Goldikova notched her eighth victory in 11 races against male horses. She owns 15 wins in 21 career starts.
Last month she set a record with her 11th Group One victory in the Prix de la Foret.
Gio Ponti, runner-up in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic, was second. The Usual Q.T. was third ahead of Ireland-bred Paco Boy. Paco Boy has now failed in five attempts to beat Goldikova.
As he headed toward the winner's circle - French flag in hand and a big smile on his face - Peslier called Goldikova "the best filly in the world" - a clear rebuke to those in US racing who have largely overlooked Goldikova in the hype surrounding unbeaten American mare Zenyatta, who was bidding to defend her title in the Classic later Saturday.
"I didn?t want to ask too much of her (early)," said Peslier, who calmly waited for a chance to move as he sought to overcome an unfavorably wide post position for the second year in a row.
"She was wide on the turn but after that she relaxed behind the pace. On the last turn, she was flying and she kept running.
"I don?t know the words to describe what it feels like to ride a champion like that."
In one stroke Goldikova reversed European fortunes in this Breeders' Cup. Of 13 prior European runners on Friday and Saturday, only the Henry Cecil-trained Midday had finished in the money, but settled for second in defence of her Filly and Mare Turf title.
Gio Ponti trainer Christophe Clement and jockey Ramon Dominguez could only shake their heads.
"I wish the filly (Goldikova) was not in the race. Unfortunately, (we were) second-best," he said.
"The filly is a freak," he said of Goldikova. "She?s the best miler we?ve seen for a long, long time. She?s a freak."
Added Dominguez of Goldikova: "We ran a big race, too, but she's really a champion."
Goldikova's owners, brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, said they did not yet know if the victory would signal the end of Goldikova's racing career.
"We have no idea," Alain Wertheimer said.
"At the moment, I think we're enjoying the race and the win," Gerard Wertheimer added.
Read more >>
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Magnificent mare Goldikova stormed to an historic victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Saturday, becoming the first horse to win a Breeders' Cup race three times.
Goldikova, trained in France by Freddy Head and ridden by Olivier Peslier, exploded after the turn for home and rolled to victory on the turf track at Churchill Downs, successfully defending the title she won in 2008 and 2009 at Santa Anita in California.
She had already made Head the first to both ride and train a Breeders' Cup winner. He rode Miesque to back-to-back Mile victories in 1987-88.
"It's quite unreal. She's amazing, she can do anything," said Head, son of legendary trainer Alec and brother of well respected trainer Criquette. "It's too good to be true. I'm very emotional.
"I was the first jockey to win this race twice with a mare, and now I?m the trainer of a mare winning three times. It?s unreal. She?s extraordinary. I don?t have the words.
"I mean, even in the worst soap opera, you can't imagine anything like that," Head said.
Goldikova notched her eighth victory in 11 races against male horses. She owns 15 wins in 21 career starts.
Last month she set a record with her 11th Group One victory in the Prix de la Foret.
Gio Ponti, runner-up in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic, was second. The Usual Q.T. was third ahead of Ireland-bred Paco Boy. Paco Boy has now failed in five attempts to beat Goldikova.
As he headed toward the winner's circle - French flag in hand and a big smile on his face - Peslier called Goldikova "the best filly in the world" - a clear rebuke to those in US racing who have largely overlooked Goldikova in the hype surrounding unbeaten American mare Zenyatta, who was bidding to defend her title in the Classic later Saturday.
"I didn?t want to ask too much of her (early)," said Peslier, who calmly waited for a chance to move as he sought to overcome an unfavorably wide post position for the second year in a row.
"She was wide on the turn but after that she relaxed behind the pace. On the last turn, she was flying and she kept running.
"I don?t know the words to describe what it feels like to ride a champion like that."
In one stroke Goldikova reversed European fortunes in this Breeders' Cup. Of 13 prior European runners on Friday and Saturday, only the Henry Cecil-trained Midday had finished in the money, but settled for second in defence of her Filly and Mare Turf title.
Gio Ponti trainer Christophe Clement and jockey Ramon Dominguez could only shake their heads.
"I wish the filly (Goldikova) was not in the race. Unfortunately, (we were) second-best," he said.
"The filly is a freak," he said of Goldikova. "She?s the best miler we?ve seen for a long, long time. She?s a freak."
Added Dominguez of Goldikova: "We ran a big race, too, but she's really a champion."
Goldikova's owners, brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, said they did not yet know if the victory would signal the end of Goldikova's racing career.
"We have no idea," Alain Wertheimer said.
"At the moment, I think we're enjoying the race and the win," Gerard Wertheimer added.
0 comments:
Post a Comment