by Jeff Lowe

Undefeated champion older female Zenyatta is steered toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on the list of 166 horses pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on November 6-7 at Santa Anita Park.

Zenyatta is pre-entered in both the Classic and Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1), the race she won last year at Santa Anita in the first Breeders’ Cup with races on a synthetic surface. This time, her connections listed the Classic as her first preference. She would be the fourth female to compete in the Classic, following Triptych (sixth in 1986), Jolypha (third in ‘92), and Azeri (fifth in ‘04).

“For Zenyatta at this particular point in her career, as well as she’s done, the Classic is obviously a big challenge,” Shirreffs said. “If she’s doing well, and she’s peaking towards that race, there is no reason not to go in that race. Winning that race … there is an opportunity to maybe garner the Horse of the Year award. To not do it and have a filly doing really well would probably be just as big of a mistake.

“I think [for] Mr. Moss, it’s not so much for Horse of the Year honors as much to see his filly compete at the highest level. Whenever somebody has a horse and they’re proud of it, they want to see it do well.”

Shirreffs said a final decision for Zenyatta would follow a scheduled workout on Saturday at Hollywood Park

The presence of Zenyatta in the Classic would be a major boost to Breeders’ Cup Ltd., which already was facing the conspicuous absence of star three-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra and saw pre-entries drop 8% from 180 horses last year when the event first expanded to 14 races.

European-based horses won five of the 14 races in last year’s World Championships, and the number of pre-entered horses based outside North America rose slightly from 35 to 36.

Godolphin Racing accounts for a record 15 pre-entries, including five horses from England. Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien pre-entered seven horses, down from ten a year ago.

Six races oversubscribed, and Zenyatta was one of 37 horses pre-entered in two races. The largest cast is for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, which attracted 22 pre-entries.

The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) also was a popular target, attracting 21 pre-entries, although Girolamo, Quality Road, and Regal Ransom all have first preference in the Classic. Girolamo would need a defection to crack the overflow Classic field, possibly from either Bullsbay or Mastercraftsman, who were cross entered with the Dirt Mile as their preferred option.

Top three-year-old colt Summer Bird was pre-entered in both the Classic and Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), although trainer Tim Ice said there is only a slim chance he would run in the Turf.

The winner of the Belmont Stakes (G1), Shadwell Travers Stakes (G1), and Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) over his last four starts, Summer Bird has never raced on a synthetic track or on turf. He has been training at Santa Anita since October 12.

“He’s shipped out here well and is handling the surface well,” trainer Tim Ice said. “I thought his workout here in between races last Sunday was an indication that the track will not be an issue with him. He’s handled it.”

To view the pre-entries, click here.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer