Perhaps the best female to race in the last 5 years?

[Smooth Operator]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

Zarkava would get my vote for greatest female turf horse I have ever seen, but it's quite rare for any horse to prove extraordinary quality on multiple surfaces like Zenyatta did today.

Could you imagine Goldikova coming to the US to run in a Met Mile loaded with multiple Grade 1 winning older males on dirt? Tough spot. In my mind, that might actually be an easier task than taking them on at 10F on dirt.

The record is fairly clear that fillies and mares have had way more success against older males in sprints and on turf than at Classic distances on dirt.

The other exception is 3YO fillies that may have an edge in maturity and development during the Triple Crown preps and races before the 3YO colts hit their peak later.

Had to give ya one for each paragraph

Terrific post

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Had to give ya one for each paragraph

Terrific post

It is difficult for a filly to defeat males at a Classic distance on dirt. That makes Rachel Alexandra's Preakness win all the more amazing.

[Smooth Operator]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

It is difficult for a filly to defeat males at a Classic distance on dirt. That makes Rachel Alexandra's Preakness win all the more amazing.

Uh, dumbass, did you miss that last paragraph of CH's post?

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Uh, dumbass, did you miss that last paragraph of CH's post?

So, it is common for a filly to win the Preakness? Hmm, someone alert Leroy Jolley and D. Wanye Lukas.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

So, it is common for a filly to win the Preakness? Hmm, someone alert Leroy Jolley and D. Wanye Lukas.

Didn't you know that the day after the Belmont is run, it becomes official that all three year old males are caught up to their filly counterparts?

That's how shitty ass fillies like RA or R2R were able to win those classics. They were picking on immature male horses.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

So, it is common for a filly to win the Preakness? Hmm, someone alert Leroy Jolley and D. Wanye Lukas.

It's not common for any filly to beat the best 3YO colts in the world in a Classic race. Only the special ones can do that. But it's easier than beating the best fully matured older horses at Classic distances on dirt.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

It's not common for any filly to beat the best 3YO colts in the world in a Classic race. Only the special ones can do that. But it's easier than beating the best fully matured older horses at Classic distances on dirt.

Which makes Jolypha's third in the 1992 Classic even more amazing. It was her first start in North America and her first start on dirt. She finished two lengths behind 3yo HOY AP Indy and a 1/2 length behind champion older horse Pleasant Tap. Behind her were very good older horses like Strike The Gold, Hollywood Gold Cup winner Sultry Song, Strub winner Defensive Play, Meadowlands Cup winner and Classic runner-up Twilight Agenda, and Hollywood Gold Cup winner Marquetry.

[Danzig]

and here i figured the distaffers didn't get a lot of wins vs boys because there aren't that many attempts made here. now, overseas, it's far more common..and it seems there are far more celebrated females because of that. goldikova isn't considered special because once a year she ventures a start vs males-unlike other mares who are allowed to be brave once a year. goldikova, ouija board, sunline, makybe diva, etc will be fondly remembered because they repeatedly took on the best in open races, paying their owners and bettors well for taking the chance. before freddy head made history with his three-peating filly, he won twice as a rider on miesque, another great mare who wasn't treated like a hothouse flower.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

Which makes Jolypha's third in the 1992 Classic even more amazing. It was her first start in North America and her first start on dirt. She finished two lengths behind 3yo HOY AP Indy and a 1/2 length behind champion older horse Pleasant Tap. Behind her were very good older horses like Strike The Gold, Hollywood Gold Cup winner Sultry Song, Strub winner Defensive Play, Meadowlands Cup winner and Classic runner-up Twilight Agenda, and Hollywood Gold Cup winner Marquetry.

I think that was a magnificent performance. Unfortunately very few handicappers talk about her or comprehend what she did there because they don't comprehend the differences between turf and dirt racing and how much more difficult it is to do that at 10F on dirt.

I was and still am less familiar with Jolypha's overall record, her trips etc... than I am with most US based horses, but I think it's highly likely she was a great mare if that wasn't a "one time" peak dirt performance or trip that enabled her to run big. Even though I was a huge fan and serious handicapper at the time, I don't recall the details of that race and didn't have a full understanding and appreciation for what she did at the time either.