[/caption]Two-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner and international champion Miesque died at the age of 27 on Thursday. A 9 time champion in both Europe and the United Staes, Miesque made history as the first horse to ever win two consecutive Breeders’ Cup races. Freddy Head rode the champion race mare in all but 1 of her 16 career races, with a record of 12 wins, 10 of which came in Grade/Group 1 stakes races. Aside from being a resplendent athlete on the track, Miesque became almost as good a broodmare. Her offspring included the major international sire Kingmambo as well as French Champion East of the Moon. Two more of her offspring, Miesque’s Son and Mingun became Group 3 winners.
Miesque’s was a life lived to the fullest, a stunningly well rounded example of just how good the thoroughbred racehorse can become. Though I was not old enough to witness her slender in person I bid a fond farewell to one of the greatest, most influential female turf runners in history and to her unending legacy of achievement.
Kathmanblu, one of the nation’s leading juvenile fillies last year, is set to make her 3-year-old debut in the Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park Saturday. In her last start Kathmanblu, entering off a troubled third place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, romped to victory in the Golden Rod Stakes by more than 8 lengths. While she has showed great promise on the dirt, Kathmanblu has also proved herself very effective on the turf as well with a four length victory in the Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland last year. There is a chance the turf could come up wet for the Sweetest Chant in which case it would most likely be moved from the turf to the main track. In spite of her proven dirt abilities, trainer Kenny McPeek has said it is unlikely he will run the filly if the management is forced to move the race to the dirt track.
Smiling Tiger was last seen finishing a determined second by a nose to Twirling Candy in the Malibu Stakes (gr.1) after a furious stretch battle that saw both horses break the track record set by Spectacular Bid 30 years ago. Prior to his impressive performance in the Malibu Smiling Tiger finished a very respectable third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint behind Big Drama after bobbling at the break. One month after his Malibu performance Smiling Tiger looks to get the new year started off with a victory in the Palos Verdes Stakes (gr.2) at Santa Anita Saturday. Cutting back to 6 furlongs from the 7 furlong distance of the Malibu, Smiling Tiger will be a heavy favorite to win his 2011 debut.
Ventana is the only other graded stakes winner entered. Trained by Bob Baffert the 5-year-old colt has not started since finishing 4th in the Churchill Downs Stakes (gr.2) in early May but has been training lights out for the Palos Verde.
Euroears, Captain Cherokee, Gata Go Win, Hunch and Don Tito complete the field.
Who’s looking forward to the Jan. 30th Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes? The race has already become the most anticipated 3-year-old Kentucky Derby prep of the year so far with high quality colts like Boys At Tosconova, Gourmet Dinner, Mucho Macho Man and Black N Beauty. Now the highly regarded colt Dialed In has tossed his hat into the ring, making the lineup even more interesting. This is the kind of race that sets the blood boiling and starts the real Derby fever.
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