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Unbeaten beats the hardware

A show of hands, everyone. Who thinks past Horses of the Year Kotashaan, Criminal Type, Black Tie Affair or Saint Liam rank ahead of Personal Ensign in the annals of racing history?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller? (If you're over 40, you might not get the Ben Stein reference from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," so here you go).

Personal Ensign's undefeated career and Breeders' Cup glory cemented her place in horse racing history. While she won an Eclipse Award, she never received the Horse of the Year hardware. That trophy went to the connections of Alysheba in 1988.

But people remember and still revere Personal Ensign because of perfection, and her unwavering determination in the muddy bog at Churchill Downs to overcome the track condition and reel in the seemingly gone Kentucky Derby heroine Winning Colors in the shadow of the wire.

Not since Personal Ensign have we seen a top-class racehorse get this deep into his or her career and look lifetime perfection in the eye. And then along came Zenyatta. Now 11-for-11 in her career, the sensational race mare sits just two wins short of the 13-for-13 mark Personal Ensign posted in her remarkable career. With three potential starts remaining in her date book, Zenyatta could eclipse Personal Ensign with a perfect mark in 14 starts if she can remain unblemished.

An internet firestorm brews on whether the connections of Zenyatta risk Horse of the Year honors by not seeking out a race on Rachel Alexandra's terms, specifically at an east coast venue on a dirt track. You won't get an argument from this corner that the brilliant filly Rachel Alexandra certainly has a leg up on any such HoY discussion, and has earned every ounce of praise heaped her way. She's been nothing short of breathtaking against her fellow 3-year-olds, male or female.

Meanwhile, the calendar flips to July this week, officially marking the second half of the year. That means there's a lot of racing still to go, and many important decisions to make. First and foremost for the connections of Zenyatta: What's more important -- Horse of the Year or Horse for All-Time?

While both can be achieved, Personal Ensign proved that the latter can be done without the former. Also keep in mind that countless Horse of the Year winners became fairly forgettable in any all-time discussions (Not too many Favorite Trick bumper stickers on the back of any Chevys these days, right?). So Horse of the Year does not guarantee any real place in history, and that's really what superstars like Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra are running for these days. Both have done so much to earn our respect and admiration. From here out, they're racing to see how long they'll be remembered.

Consider this scenario: What if Zenyatta beats Rachel Alexandra somewhere this summer and takes control in the race for Horse of the Year? It means very little in the grand scheme of historical accomplishments if she were to subsequently get beat before retirement, say in the Breeders' Cup. And, that's a pretty strong possibility considering the rigors it would take to beat Rachel Alexandra and then overcome the wear and tear that criss-crossing the country provides.

A 13-for-14 Zenyatta who would happen to beat Rachel Alexandra and later became blemished would not be talked about 50 years from now in the same vein that a 14-for-14 Zenyatta would be, with or without ever facing Rachel Alexandra. Perfection is such a rare bird that it trumps most memories. Don Larsen was a subpar 81-91 pitcher in his uninspiring baseball career, but he's renowned for his 1956 World Series perfect game for the New York Yankees.

And speaking of New York, few people still complain that Personal Ensign raced only once outside of her New York/New Jersey home-base, that being a trek to Churchill Downs for a memorable curtain call. Today, however, the nasty nature of internet hate-mongering against Zenyatta calls her and her connections out as merely a state champion afraid to take on all comers, akin to New Mexico-bred unbeaten Pepper's Pride. That's outright blasphemous to compare Zenyatta and Pepper's Pride.

And while you might wish she'd span the globe more, for comparison's sake, Zenyatta has made as many road trips as Personal Ensign, one (that being her victory in the 2008 Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn on natural dirt). Personal Ensign has been forgiven, and so, too, would Zenyatta if she were to remain unbeaten.

That "perfect" theme can't be escaped. Horse of the Year has been given out since 1887. Adding that trophy to someone's case happens every year by both accomplishment and rule. Who ever secures the title this year will be the 123rd horse to do so. That's heady stuff when you figure the millions of racehorses who have graced America's ovals for more than a century.

But undefeated, top-class horses are another story.

When Personal Ensign wrapped up her career in 1988 with that historic, final lunge in the Distaff, she became the first unbeaten major racehorse in this country since Colin in 1908, some 80 years prior. That means since Colin, 101 years have passed and only Personal Ensign has done what Zenyatta possibly could accomplish. Truth is, Zenyatta could retire today and be in such rare air.

In this Google era, we're never more than a mouse click away from being reminded of history, or being taught a lesson we never knew. Upon Personal Ensign's victory in the 1988 Whitney, over just two male rivals, the racing press clamored that she would need to beat males again in the Breeders' Cup to earn Horse of the Year. Steven Crist, now of Daily Racing Form repute, wrote in the New York Times two decades ago:

"What is more appealing about Personal Ensign, though, is her bid to become that rarest of all things in racing: a champion who retires after a full career without ever tasting defeat. She would be defying one of the oldest axioms of racing: 'They all get beat sooner or later.'

" … Ogden Phipps, who bred and owns Personal Ensign, would not dream of selling such a special filly. He wants to do what is best for his horse and for the sport, and give his filly every chance to be remembered. That means running her in the Distaff instead of the Classic."

What was good enough for Personal Ensign 21 years ago should be good enough for Zenyatta in 2009. As it turned out, "undefeated" meant so much more to Personal Ensign's legacy than a Horse of the Year title, and it would to Zenyatta as well.

And this comes from a guy who would be proud to tip his cap to Rachel Alexandra as Horse of the Year and remember what a great year 2009 turned out to be on the track.

Jeremy Plonk has been an ESPN.com contributor since 2000 and is the managing partner of the handicapping website Horseplayerpro.com. You can E-mail Jeremy about this topic or anything racing-related at Jeremy@Horseplayerpro.com.


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  • Warrior's Reward has yet to peak

    ELMONT, N.Y. -- On the surface, it may seem odd for a jockey to consider giving up a Kentucky Derby winner for a horse that has yet to win a stakes race. But in Calvin Borel's case, his leap of faith in the promising 3-year-old Warrior's Reward may be justified.

    We will learn more Saturday at Belmont Park when Borel pilots Warrior's Reward against six other 3-year-olds also seeking their first stakes victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Dwyer Stakes, which kicks off the second half of the 3-year-old season.

    Borel was taken off Mine That Bird by that gelding's connections because he wouldn't give a commitment to ride him in the West Virginia Derby on Aug. 1. That is the same day as the Jim Dandy at Saratoga, which is a target of Warrior's Reward.

    Warrior's Reward has 2 wins from 5 starts, but has lost both stakes races in which he has run. However, following his eighth-place in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby, Warrior's Reward underwent throat surgery to fix a displaced palate. He responded with a 2 1/4-length victory in an allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 1 that proved to be a fast and extremely productive race. Munnings, who ran second that day, came back to win the Grade 2 Woody Stephens. Three other horses came back to win allowance races, including Just Ben, who is entered in the Dwyer.

    Six weeks later, in the Grade 3 Northern Dancer, Warrior's Reward lost a head decision to the undefeated Successful Dan, whom he couldn't get by in the stretch. In that race, Borel had Warrior's Reward closer to the pace than the stretch-running colt prefers.

    "Last time there wasn't a lot of pace. It didn't play into our hands,'' said Ian Wilkes, the trainer of Warrior's Reward. "I think our horse is improving a little. This horse needs some hard racing at the moment to get better.''

    Just Ben and American Dance enter the Dwyer off career-best performances. Just Ben, a son of Speightstown trained by Nick Zito, rolled to a 13 3/4-length allowance win going seven furlongs on Belmont Stakes Day. Just Ben was purchased privately earlier this week by Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stable.

    "He's got tremendous speed and I'll probably use it Saturday,'' Zito said. "If he's got limitations we'll find out, but I think he can go a distance.''

    American Dance, a half-brother to 2005 Horse of the year Saint Liam, shortens up after winning a 1 1/8-mile allowance race by 6 1/4 lengths on the front end.

    Masala, whose two best races have come in one-turn races on dirt, is an upset candidate.

    Kensei and Sunday Sunrise, an uncoupled entry trained by Steve Asmussen, complete the field.


    More Horse Racing Headlines


    Borel may jump off Mine That Bird again
     

    LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A potential conflict could lead to jockey Calvin Borel snubbing Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird once again.

    Borel is tentatively scheduled to ride Mine That Bird in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park on Aug. 1, but there is a possibility Borel could vacate the mount in favor of Warrior's Reward, a promising 3-year-old who runs Saturday in the $200,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park.

    Ian Wilkes, trainer of Warrior's Reward, said he has received a two-race commitment from Borel and his agent, Jerry Hissam, for the Dwyer and the $500,000 Jim Dandy on Aug. 1 at Saratoga. Hissam said Tuesday he had no comment.

    Borel, widely credited for a sensational ride in guiding Mine That Bird to his 50-1 upset in the May 2 Kentucky Derby, got off the gelding to ride Rachel Alexandra two weeks later in the Preakness. Rachel Alexandra won the Preakness while Mine That Bird, ridden by Mike Smith, rallied to be second.

    Borel then got the mount back on Mine That Bird for the June 6 Belmont Stakes. Mine That Bird, the 5-4 favorite, made a bold move at the top of the stretch before fading to third behind Summer Bird and Dunkirk.

    Chip Woolley, the trainer of Mine That Bird, has been planning on Borel riding his stable star in the West Virginia Derby, and he even had Borel breeze the gelding an easy half-mile Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

    Woolley said Tuesday morning at Churchill that he had not yet heard from Hissam or Borel about the Aug. 1 situation but that he intended to ask for a firm commitment, one way or another, "probably in the next day or two."

    Woolley said he was "okay with Calvin getting on Rachel Alexandra for the Preakness because I really felt in my heart she wasn't going to run, but she did, so we went along with it. This deal here's a little different, though."

    Warrior's Reward, a Medaglia d'Oro colt owned by A. Stevens Miles, has won 2 of 5 starts and most recently finished a close second in the Grade 3 Northern Dancer Stakes on the June 13 Stephen Foster undercard at Churchill. In his previous race, Warrior's Reward earned a 113 Beyer Speed Figure in winning a May 1 allowance at Churchill.

    Borel rides frequently for Wilkes, the longtime protege and business associate of trainer Carl Nafzger, for whom Borel won the 2007 Derby aboard Street Sense. Wilkes trains a large stable and therefore is the source of far more overall business for Borel than Woolley, whose stable is based in New Mexico.

    Both the Jim Dandy and West Virginia Derby serve as preps for the $1 million Shadwell Travers Stakes, set for Aug. 29 at Saratoga. Mine That Bird and Warrior's Reward are both being pointed to the Travers.


     
     

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