Zagora fancied to beat The Fugue at Breeders Cup despite 16/1 price
Published:European horses dominate the betting for the Breeders’ Cup Fillies and Mares’ Turf, but with little known of Zagora this side of the Atlantic, she looks to have been heavily underestimated.
It is The Fugue that heads the betting for the 1m2f showpiece at 2/1, with Ridasiyna, Nahrain and I’m A Dreamer other European charges prominent in the top five of the market.
Zagora is well back at 16/1 and has triumphed on four of her seven starts in 2012, with a further two placed efforts.
On her first start over 1m2f last time, she was collared almost on the line by Nahrain in the Flower Bowl.
But it could be argued that it was not a lack of stamina that saw her fade late on, but the fact she was sent to the front too early and she slightly idled.
Furthermore, this defeat was on really boggy ground, which could not have been any more unsuited, and how well she did run to the line indicates that Zagora does have the stamina to see out the trip.
Earlier in the season at a sun-baked Saratoga, Zagora broke the course record over 1m1f and conditions at Santa Anita are anticipated to be just as quick, which will be right up her street.
The fact that connections also had to pay a supplementary fee to get Zagora added to the Fillies and Mares’ Turf must be a hint to how highly they rate her chances, while stall two is the plum draw.
Trainer Chad Brown has said: “She’s going to the get the firm ground she likes and I’m confident that she will be effective at a mile and a quarter on firm ground.
“I think she’s got a reasonable shot to win.”
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
