A Standing Ovation
By Emily Hufford

A truly great horse only comes along once in a while. Some believe that this past decade has seen a fair share of "great" horses, such as Cigar, Skip Away, and Dubai Millennium. There have been a scattering of great fillies, too, like Serena's Song, Inside Information, Heavenly Prize, Sightseek, Surfside, Spain, Silverbulletday, and so on. But out of these, one stands tall as a horse who still has the potential to make herself legendary, and that is the chestnut mare Azeri.

Owner Michael Paulson and trainer D. Wayne Lukas boldly announced that they were going to run their prize mare in the Breeders' Cup Classic, a grueling 1 1/4 mile contest against males from three-years-old and up. The filly Triptych was 6th in 1986 and Jolypha finished third in the Classic in 1992 to A.P. Indy, and in 1996 Yanks Music was entered but scratched. No other females have even attempted to run in this race, and now Azeri will get her chance.

Horse of the Year and Champion Older Mare in 2002, the year she won the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Azeri has proven herself to be a phenomenal and consistent competitor in her three full seasons on the racetrack. In 2003 she was again Champion Older Mare, although she was supposedly retired before the Breeders' Cup.

This year, Azeri returned to the racetrack in April, winning the Apple Blossom in one of the incredible comebacks in history. In all, Azeri has earned $3,959,820 and has run a record of 23: 17 - 4 - 0. This is better than many of the Classic contenders, with Birdstone (a three-year-old) having won five, Funny Cide has won eight, Ghostzapper has won seven, Newfoundland seven, and Roses in May, seven. Perhaps the favorite, Pleasantly Perfect, is the only won who is Azeri's age, and he has won only nine races. In fact, Azeri's won more races than many of the contenders have run.

Azeri has nothing to lose. A loss in the Classic will not tarnish her image whatsoever, and it is not disgraceful to lose to the best colts of one's generation. I congratulate her connections for gambling with her. While many of her fans are crying out in protest, Azeri has run many big races, why would one more hurt her? Why not let her attempt to prove what those very fans believe: that she is one of the best mares in a long time?

If Azeri can do what many believe to be impossible and cross that wire first, her legend will be cemented forever. Have a clean trip, Azeri.

10/27/2004