The just released NTRA Thoroughbred Poll for this week, has two fillies listed at the top of their rankings. Four year old fillies; Havre de Grace (#1) and Blind Luck (#2) lead the top in thoroughbred world and two other female runners; Awesome Maria (#7) and Goldikova (#8) also are in the top ten. Nearly half are females runners and the trend of the "opposite sex" that horses like; Rachel Alexandra & Zenyatta lead the way the past few years, continues again right now. The focus this past weekend was on these Distaff runners across the country. The top two horses were coming off nice victories. also the Pletcher runner; Awesome Maria has been on a roll. Goldikova was gallant in defeat across the ocean and looks to defend her Breeder's Cup Mile championship for a three year in a row. These top females runners have proven a lot against own kind and with a rather weak older handicap division, the pickings look ripe for doing some damage!
We had been very fortunate the past few years with exciting female runners who have step up versus the males on several occasions. In 2007, Rags to Riches won the Belmont Stakes and was the first filly to do so in 90 years. Next, along came Zenyatta and her undefeated reign lasted four seasons with a Breeder's Cup Classic championship in 2009 and runner up versus the boys the next year in 2010. A three year old filly captured the hearts of many during the summer of 2009. Rachel Alexandra defeated the "boys" three times, in a Triple Crown race (Preakness) the top race at Monmouth Park (Haskell) and against older handicap runners at Saratoga in the Woodward Stakes. She was the first filly to do so in that race in over a hundred years. So, the foundation has been set for the fillies to take the next step against the handicap ranks this year.
Harve de Grace has never been out-of-the-money in her 11 lifetime starts. She recently beat up on suspect competition at Delaware Park and will be pointing to the Saratoga meet most likely next. The Ruffian Handicap on July 31st at a mile and an eighth should be the logical next spot start. But, six days later is the Whitney Handicap for older horses. With her status as the current top horse in the nation, it's only right that she faces the boys in a possible easy grade I spot and she'll get weight versus her foes.
Blind Luck is an mirror image of Harve de Grace. Never out-of-the-money either, she has been a cross country traveler racing in California , Kentucky , Arkansas , Philadelphia and Saratoga . Being a very good shipper, she could go anywhere or stay on the west coast and face the boys in the Pacific Classic on a synthetic surface she loves. Awesome Maria has won four races in a row. She could benefit from the top two choosing spots against the males and spice up her resume in the filly and mare ranks.
We have a great group of filly and mare runners once again, two of them could rival past runners like Rags to Riches and Rachel Alexandra. There's Goldikova, who could make history this fall by winning her third straight Breeder's Cup race. The older handicap horses aren't world beaters. Both, Harve de Grace and Blind Luck are one/two now and may stay that way if they choose to face the boys and are successful.
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