Eve of Greatness?

I was overwhelmed today in a way that hasn't happened since I was young. We are upon Breeders Cup Eve. Sure, we have survived the first day of Breeders Cup races spotted with longshots (Shared Account) and strong winners (Unrivaled Belle). My TwinSpires account reads positive, so I'm officially happy, but there is an anxiousness and yearning beneath it all.

Tomorrow holds a card of wonderful races. The Mile, featuring champion Goldikova. The Sprint, featuring various speedy thoroughbreds going all out for the goal. The Turf, where Europe meets America in a clash of the titans descending from Northern Dancer. And then there's the Classic.

Any other year, I would view this race as the meeting of the handicap and three year old champs. This is where sophomores come to grow up and older horses come to prove themselves. But in the background, there comes a dark beauty. Think Angelina Jolie meets Grace Kelly. She could kick your ass and seduce you with her grace all at the same time. I can't really elaborate upon her charismatic features. 60 Minutes and every turf writer in America has taken the opportunity to try to capture her persona, but you really have to be there to understand. It's more than these silly dances moves, or even her solid race record. It's the heart-stopping finishes, the weird awareness of the wire and the extreme confidence that this mare holds.

Zenyatta is THE story in this year's Breeders Cup. If she wins tomorrow, it will be the greatest culmination of a career since Seabiscuit came out of nowhere to skim the boots of Red Pollard in the Big Cap. We're talking 20 for 20. A perfect mare beating the boys. A two time winner of the Breeders Cup Classic. A Zenyatta. She is in a class of her own now isn't she?

And the winners in all of this? Horse racing. As horse racing fans, handicappers, turf writers and basic followers, we continue to be in search of that one thing that still makes us cheer. It's easy to become hardened to the spectacular two year old performances at Saratoga, or the deep closing Kentucky Derby winners or the record breaking sprinters. In fact, I think a racing fan is the hardest to impress. We've seen it all, done it all and beat it all. That is, until Zenyatta.

Then she came and horse racing suddenly started whispering through the cynicism to wax poetically, to give in to the belief that she was larger than life and to believe that a big ol' mare who drinks beer and listens to airplanes fly can beat the best colts in America. This is the stuff history is made of. And, folks, history is upon us. Tomorrow, a mare with a perfect record will enter the 8 hole in the Churchill Downs gate. The world will take a deep breath as she breaks (most likely last). And hopefully, somewhere down that long, legendary stretch of Churchill Downs, she will find a legendary full stride and beat all comers to become the best mare of all of racing history and potentially the most charismatic horse to approach the starting gate. Yes, horse racing, this is your time. Revel in it. This is the hour to enjoy Zenyatta.

Breeders Cup Week

What used to be an eight race championship day has, in the past few years, developed into about 30 races and half the competition. Much like the oversaturation of baseball deep into October (Oh wait....it's November? And the World Series is still going? Nothing like a sport season lasting as long as a pregnancy), the Breeders Cup has been split into so many specialist divisions that we have lost the impact of the championship vibe. So, I don't find it is surprising that I have yet to feel real excited about the two day event. I don't recognize the majority of the runners in races such as the Turf Sprint, Juvenile Turf, Dirt Mile, Marathon, etc.

But one thing remains: The Classic. The epitome of what is good in horse racing. The best of the best coming together for a 10 furlong race for immortality. Or a stud career. Either way, by winning this race, you join a select group of horses who have proved something at the end of a late autumn day, beating all comers and placing themselves in an elite position to be remembered every year after. Even the Arcangues and Raven's Passes of the world get mentioned around this time. But it isn't time to look back when we have a race like this year's edition looming.

Zenyatta. Lookin At Lucky. Quality Road. Blame. Haynesfield. We have names here and some real talent. Back on the dirt and back to competitive. So, don't allow yourself to become muddled in unrecognizable names and races and focus upon the greatness that could be this year's edition of the Classic.