Performance of the Weekend?

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Actually it has never happened.

Cigar and Pleasantly Perfect couldn't do it … and there were probably other decent 6yos along the way which have tried.

Gives you some idea of what Z is up against here...

Horses to run in the BC at 6 (or higher) since 2000:
Awesome Gem 2009 52-1 7th
Student Council 2008 44-1 11th
Perfect Drift 2006 34-1 8th
Perfect Drift 2005 15-1 3rd
Pleasantly Perfect 2004 5/2 3rd
Azeri 2004 15-1 5th
Bowmans Band 2004 62-1 11th
A Fleets Dancer 2001 146-1 11th

See something in common here? All but Pleasantly Perfect in '04 were 15-1 or higher, and really most were much higher. Any horse that was good enough to compete in the BC that was intact was gone to stud before the age of 6 in 99.9% of cases (PP in '04 a notable exception.) Age isn't the factor that will get Zenyatta beat if she loses... it's the lack of shipping and/or quality competition on her lesser surface.

[Smooth Operator]

Originally Posted by philcski

Horses to run in the BC at 6 (or higher) since 2000:
Awesome Gem 2009 52-1 7th
Student Council 2008 44-1 11th
Perfect Drift 2006 34-1 8th
Perfect Drift 2005 15-1 3rd
Pleasantly Perfect 2004 5/2 3rd
Azeri 2004 15-1 5th
Bowmans Band 2004 62-1 11th
A Fleets Dancer 2001 146-1 11th

See something in common here? All but Pleasantly Perfect in '04 were 15-1 or higher, and really most were much higher. Any horse that was good enough to compete in the BC that was intact was gone to stud before the age of 6 in 99.9% of cases (PP in '04 a notable exception.) Age isn't the factor that will get Zenyatta beat if she loses... it's the lack of shipping and/or quality competition on her lesser surface.

A more taxing campaign might've emptied the tank too much.

I think John has her right where he wants her.


By the way, think you meant 'superior' surface…

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

A more taxing campaign might've emptied the tank too much.

I think John has her right where he wants her.


By the way, think you meant 'superior' surface…

Of course. The path of least resistance has been taken by many all time great horses in the past. I will list them below: