For video of the Breeders' Cup Mile, click here.
by Frank Angst
Miesque has company.
Goldikova (Ire) completed a stirring stretch run to surge past Justenuffhumor and runner-up Courageous Cat and win a second straight edition of the $2-million TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park on Saturday.
Goldikova assured herself lasting star power by joining Miesque as the only females to twice win the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). Goldikova, a four-year-old Anabaa filly, joins Miesque, Da Hoss, and Lure as two-time winners of the Mile.
Goldikova’s trainer, Freddie Head, guided Miesque to back-to-back wins in the Mile as her jockey in 1987 and ’88.
“I don’t have the words to say what I feel,” Head said. “Riding a horse like Miesque and then having a horse like this to train; it’s more than I can dream of.”
Last year, Goldikova overcame traffic trouble in the stretch to rally past three horses on her way to a clear victory. Returning to the Santa Anita turf for this year’s Mile, regular jockey Olivier Peslier sent Goldikova to the outside for her stretch run, and she had just enough to surge past Justenuffhumor and Courageous Cat.
Goldikova completed one mile on firm turf in 1:32.26, improving by more than a second her final time of 1:33.40 last year. Peslier earned his third Breeders’ Cup win as a jockey, two with Goldikova as well as a victory aboard Banks Hill (GB) in the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1). Both of Head’s training wins in the Breeders’ Cup have come with Goldikova.
“She’s very special,” Head said of the filly who has earned four Grade 1 or Group 1 wins this season in six starts. “It’s been a long season and now to make this long trip in November. We haven’t discussed her future—maybe we’ll come back and try for three.”
Three-year-old Courageous Cat nearly gave owners-breeders Pam and Marty Wygod their second Breeders Cup win in two days when he powered to a clear lead in the stretch. But the Storm Cat colt did not have enough to hold off Goldikova’s final surge, finishing a half-length behind the winner. The Wygod’s won Friday’s Ladies' Classic (G1) with Life Is Sweet.
Godolphin Racing’s Justenuffhumor also rallied in the stretch, challenging for the lead late before settling for third.
Goldikova, who quickly settled toward the rail after breaking from post 11, certainly had plenty of pace to run at as Gladiatorus completed a quarter-mile in :22.98 and a half-mile in :45.22.
“The draw wasn’t a big help,” Peslier said. “I didn’t want to make a run until the last turn. I came wide because that was the only place to go.”
A homebred of Gerard and Alain Wertheimer, Goldikova is out of the Blushing Groom (Fr) mare Born Gold. Other horses bred by Wertheimer Family to win Breeders’ Cup races include Halfbridled (2003 Juvenile Fillies [G1]) and Kotashaan (Fr) (1993 Turf [G1]). All four of those Breeders’ Cup victories have come at Santa Anita Park.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
For video of winning jockey Olivier Peslier, click here.
For video of winning trainer Freddie Head, click here.
For quotes, click here.
Frank Angst is senior writer for Thoroughbred Times