| Watch out, It’s Billie Jean vs. Bobby Riggs all | | | | make my cut. |
| over again this weekend, except for the fact that | | | | I start by tossing out the Birds – Mine That |
| this Billie will have to beat TWELVE Bobbie’s. | | | | Bird and Summer Bird. |
| The 5-year old female sensation Zenyatta will | | | | Mine That Bird won the Derby in a huge upset. |
| race against twelve males in the Breeders Cup | | | | His last start? Disappointing 6th in the Good |
| Classic, second only to the Kentucky Derby as | | | | Wood stakes last month. Already beaten by a |
| the biggest race of the year. It will be the | | | | girl, he gets no respect from me in this one. |
| mares first time in the Classic and first time | | | | Summer Bird? Two problems – he |
| running against the boys. | | | | doesn’t seem to like the synthetic surface |
| No female has ever won this race and only three | | | | that they have at Santa Anita, and, like Mine That |
| have even tried, with Jolyphya’s third place | | | | Bird, he has also already been beaten by a girl. |
| finish in 1992 being the best finish by a female so | | | | I should mention that the girl that beat them both |
| far. But this is a very un-girl like girl - the mare | | | | was Rachel Alexander who some, like her trainer, |
| stands at a massive seventeen hands (for | | | | think is the best female horse today. R.A. |
| readers who are unfamiliar with horse latitudes | | | | won’t be at the Breeder’s Cup this year, |
| and longitudes seventeen hands is freakishly large.) | | | | just like last year, because her trainer says she |
| In addition to running against males for the first | | | | doesn’t like the artificial surface, plus, it’s |
| time, it will also be her first time running the | | | | easier to say you’re #1 if you don’t |
| distance of a mile and a quarter, but apparently | | | | actually ever race the mare who many say is the |
| both facts are overshadowed by her 13-0 lifetime | | | | real #1 – Zenyatta. It is a hotly debated |
| record, because she is still the betting favourite at | | | | question in horse circles, and if they went head to |
| odds of 5-2. | | | | head I would ride with Zenyatta. |
| | | | But the most anticipated and desired head to |
| Between now and Saturday, I will work on | | | | head match will never come off - Rachel’s |
| whittling down the field to isolate my play in The | | | | people announced she is done for the year, and |
| Classic and the other races on the card. | | | | next year when she runs at four-years old, |
| Handicapping the thoroughbreds is very unlike | | | | Zenyatta will be an old-for-horses six, and |
| ‘capping other sports, with your picks | | | | rightfully retired. So, in the hypothetical race I |
| changing right up until post time. | | | | stand by my pick of Zenyatta, since Rachel’s |
| My final plays, including head to head match ups, | | | | handlers seem to be gelded when it comes to her |
| will be sent to team mates via PUB’its at Bet | | | | participating in a contest that would settle the |
| Republic, all throughout the day on Saturday. | | | | debate once and for all. |
| To me, ‘capping the nags is more a matter | | | | For the rest of my eliminations, and final picks for |
| of eliminating also-rans than picking the winner. I | | | | the Classic and all the Breeders Cup races, be |
| haven’t completed all of my work, but I have | | | | sure to join me at bet republic come Saturday. |
| my identified the first two horses that do not | | | | See you there…. |