Girls Against Boys

There's something to be said for perfection. Last Friday at Santa Anita Park, the 4-year-old filly Zenyatta completed an undefeated season by winning the $2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. Dropping to last out of the gate, as is her habit, the muscular bay inhaled her seven rivals around the far turn and seized the lead 200 yards from the wire. It was a dominant performance, with jockey Mike Smith doing little more than shaking the reins at her a few times over the 11⁄8-miles. "I've never felt something like this," he said.

Owned by A&M Records cofounder Jerry Moss and his wife, Ann, Zenyatta is now seven for seven this year and nine for nine in her lifetime. With the defeat of Curlin in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic last Saturday, she is beginning to get serious support as Horse of the Year. Though she has never raced against the boys and was tested just once on dirt, Zenyatta thoroughly dominated her division, finishing the year with four straight Grade I victories. No horse accomplished more in 2008.

Still, it would be a mistake to fault Curlin, the reigning Horse of the Year and the top money winner in North American history, for his performance at Santa Anita. After accomplishing so much as a 3-year-old in 2007, he could have spent this year earning millions in the breeding shed. But wine magnate Jess Jackson, who owns an 80% share of the big chestnut, instead showed a willingness to enter his colt anywhere, anytime. Curlin also won four Grade I races this year and never lost on dirt.

Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen were reluctant to try the Classic, which was run over a synthetic racing surface new to Curlin and not to every horse's liking. But they gave it a go for the good of the game, a gesture that became more significant after Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown dropped out of the Classic, and into retirement, with a foot injury last week. The Santa Anita surface may bear at least part of the blame for Curlin's listless performance last Saturday. When the Horse of the Year is announced in January, it would be a shame to see his handlers punished for good sportsmanship.