By Steve Sherack
ARCADIA, CA – It's been 10 years now since Zenyatta's 'Unbelievable' performance in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.
The classy 5-year-old mare and 'TDN Rising Star' Elate (Medaglia d'Oro) will attempt to join Queen Z in the record books while facing off against 10 males in the $6-million centerpiece at the Great Race Place Saturday.
She is a perfect three-for-three at the Classic distance, courtesy of wins in the 2017 GI Alabama S. at Saratoga and back-to-back victories in the GII Delaware H. A disappointing fourth as the 2-1 choice in the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar, the Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider homebred was forced to sit out last year's Championships after popping a splint in the summer.
“We have always had our eye on the Classic with her,” Claiborne President Walker Hancock said. “If she was healthy last year, we were considering running there. The mile and a quarter is very suiting for her running style.”
A too-good-to-lose second for the second straight year in the GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga, Elate heads to the big one off a runner-up finish as the heavy favorite after leading in the stretch in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland.
Produced by the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Cheery, Elate hails from the extended female family of standouts such as Eastern Echo, Roar, Praise, Congrats, Flatter, et al.
The Classic will be the final start of Elate's career, which also includes a win in the 2017 GI Beldame S. and a painful second in a roughly run renewal of the GI Coaching Club American Oaks.
Any idea who she'll be bred to yet?
“We haven't settled on a stallion officially, but with War Front being in her backyard [at Claiborne], he would certainly be logical,” Hancock revealed. “She's a very special mare to us all, and following her career has been so fun for many of us. I think she has had somewhat of an unlucky career. You could make the argument that she should've been put up twice at Saratoga in Grade I races. It would be a storybook ending if she could avenge all those narrow defeats and come out on top in her swan song on racing's biggest stage.”
Elate continues to make a favorable impression for Hall of Famer Bill Mott during training hours at Santa Anita. She was striding out nicely while blowing out three furlongs in a :36.80 (5/12) clocking in Arcadia Oct. 27.
“She is doing well at Santa Anita and seems to be getting over the track well,” Hancock concluded. “We are hopeful she will put in one last big performance.”
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