The horse betting odds for the 2009 Breeders Cup Picks Quality Road is at 12 to 1 Betting Odds

First day of racing Friday Horse Breeders Santa Anita was a delight Ladies Day. Second day on Saturday is expected to be, well, the same thing.

Today is the day of Zenyatta.

No filly or mare has won the Breeders Cup ‘Classic, and I have run this race since 1984. A mare in 1992 at Gulfstream Jolypha finished in the money, one third to AP Indy. That’s for women on this board of testosterone. Until now.

The $ 5 million Classic has been the domain of large, rough and ready, you can power over what is presented and the grass so tight hole is presented.

This is not for the faint of heart. As Zenyatta trainer John Shirreffs, said, “When one of the bumps children, another child of skin on the back. When you hit the girls, who just walk away.”

That said, Shirreffs has not only entered the undefeated Zenyatta classic 1250 pounds for today, but it was not the slightest surprise when she was named a 5-2 morning-line favorite.

“She’s a once-in-a-lifetime,” said Shirreffs.

If you believe in omens, Shirreffs has one race in Breeders Cup final Friday, the $ 2 million Ladies Classic won last year, of course, Zenyatta. The winner was Life is sweet, also trained by Shirreffs and easily defeated in all three races against Zenyatta who have entered since May.

Life Is Sweet is in a barn at Hollywood Park right in front of Zenyatta. Life is sweet has a personality somewhat against the last word in its name, a name that would have been a better fit for Zenyatta. Shirreffs likes to show visitors a picture on his laptop of the groom, Mario Espinoza, in the post lying next to Zenyatta Zenyatta and applying ointment to her ankles while she lies on her side.

When visitors ask Shirreffs Zenyatta since it belongs to, is likely to tell you to go find one in which the horse is licking her boyfriend.

Garrett Gomez, who had tried almost everything on previous trips aboard life is sweet and against Zenyatta, including trying to block it on the line at Hollywood Park, then laughed when asked whether the absence of Zenyatta this time changed the equation of the race.

“Well, yes,” he said, “because I knew he probably would have finished second.

Zenyatta attempt to win the 14th race has caused the kind of shock that officials of this event have coveted. Although not even race on a day in which five of the six horse races were women and 8.5 million U.S. dollars of the $ 25.5 million in stock that was at stake, the turnout was about 20% to 37,651, from 31,257 last year. And at the track betting handle rose 4% to $ 7,097,789.

“In the time it became official that Zenyatta would run in the Classic was a huge boost in ticket sales,” said Allen Gutterman, vice president of marketing at Santa Anita. “You put a woman against children and something happens in the audience. It becomes electric.

“There are people who live here today, the day before she runs, trying to find seats. I attribute that to the buzz over Zenyatta. It’s good to have a track star.

There will be several attempts, of course, to try to spoil the fairy tale.

Irish horse Rip Van Winkle has been installed as the second favorite in the morning line at 7-2. He is a 3-year-old with eight races, four wins and $ 915,117 in winnings. It has also been hampered by bad feet, and each time one of European coaches asked about him this week, he began his answer with the phrase: “Well, if it is good …”

Einstein is a Brazilian horse, who has spent his entire career in the U.S. He is a 7 year old with $ 2,903,324 in purses, a good chunk of that from this year’s Santa Anita Handicap. He is trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, who was the first female coach to win the Big Cap and would be the first female coach to win the Classic.

Mine That Bird is memorable for his who-is-it-and-when-what-you-come-from end to win this year’s Kentucky Derby. He did so under the dash incredible weaving, railway hugs Calvin Borel, who has made trips as an art form. Borel will be back on board and coach Chip Woolley, said, “I’ll tell Calvin to mount as it did in the Derby.”

Both Einstein and Mine That Bird to start the day with little regard to 12-1.

Another entry aptly named for the speed of the wings, Summer Birds attempting to add his victories in the Belmont, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup in only his ninth career. From the Kentucky Derby, Summer Birds, 9-2 for the race, has lost only twice – for Bird mine in the Derby and a beautiful filly named Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness.

Colonel John, always competitive, try to improve his sixth place finish last year. Kid by Richard, with veteran Alex Solis in the saddle, looking for a repeat of his win Pacific Classic. Both have been linked to 12-1.

Quality of roads and Gio Ponti be online tomorrow, odds of 12-1 in the day, two times, Girolamo and Regal Ransom get Awesome Gem 20-1 and 30.1.

Quite possibly, all will be a showcase for major horse racing Z, who will make his little dance in the paddock, encourage their ears when she’s on the way, stick to stick jockey Mike Smith, mostly through career, then take off like a rocket down the stretch.

That’s his style. That is his arrogance. And the girls are girls.