Will we see more females running against males?

[keithw84]

In the past three years, we've seen a female horse:
-Place in the Kentucky Derby
-Win the Preakness (1st since 1924)
-Win the Belmont (1st since 1905)
-Win the Haskell Invitational
-Win the Woodward Stakes (1st ever)
-Win the Breeders Cup Classic (1st ever)

Do you think these successes will lead to more females being entered in races against males?

[BirdstoneFTW]

In the past three years, we've seen a female horse:
-Place in the Kentucky Derby
-Win the Preakness (1st since 1924)
-Win the Belmont (1st since 1905)
-Win the Haskell Invitational
-Win the Woodward Stakes (1st ever)
-Win the Breeders Cup Classic (1st ever)

Do you think these successes will lead to more females being entered in races against males?


If we do see an increase in females v males it will also increase the # of losses for females. And every time a female loses against a male there will be a cry for them not to race males. It is just a never ending cycle.

[classhandicapper]

In the past three years, we've seen a female horse:
-Place in the Kentucky Derby
-Win the Preakness (1st since 1924)
-Win the Belmont (1st since 1905)
-Win the Haskell Invitational
-Win the Woodward Stakes (1st ever)
-Win the Breeders Cup Classic (1st ever)

Do you think these successes will lead to more females being entered in races against males?

I think we'll see more of it if synthetic racing remains popular. Other than that, smart trainers will take a shot with a very good filly in the spring classics from time to time when fillies are still ahead of the colts in "relative" development.

[nearco]

Doubt it. There are way too many restricted filly/mare races in the US with decent, if not huge, purses. The only time owners/trainers will step outside the box is when they have something exceptional, this year we were lucky in that there were two of those, and one of those still only raced in open company ONE TIME, despite racing until she was a 5yo.
It's too financially rewarding to take the easy way out and play it safe.

The reason why it's more common see f/m's in open company elsewhere is they have few options once they get past the 3yo season.

While Zenyatta's Classic win was a joy to watch, I wouldn't get too carried away slapping Sherriffs and the Moss' on the back. The one time the stepped into open company they did it with the cards stacked in their favour, in her own backyard and on her specialist surface. It was hardly a massive roll of the dice.

[JustRalph]

If there are good fillies.........you will see it..........

That is the only determining factor...........

[Bochall]

Nearco hit the nail on the head. Only thing I might add is that Rachel caught a 'down' year for 3yr old males with injuries to Quality and Revenge that kept them out of the Triple Crown...she capitalized in the Preakness. Summer Bird emerged but not much else. If Quality or Revenge had won the Derby with a normal fig I think Rachel skips the Preakness. Also, the Eastern older runners werent that special. Its about opportunities when faced with a relatively weak older and 3yr old male crop.

[Linny]

Had Rachel not been sold, she'd have faced fillies all year. There are many owners that think fillies shouldn't face colts. I wont call them "traditionalists" because before about 1900 it happened all the time. Very few big races of the 1800's were for just females. The Ladies H was a rarity.

Your list failed to mention the BC Mile wich was won by a 3yo filly last year. That filly successfully defended this year at 4. In fact the Mile has seen Miesque and Six Perfections both win at 3. Of course all three of these gals are Euro based where fillies face males in G1 races far more often than in the US. England and Ireland have alot of opportunities now for fillies to face only eachother but France has far fewer and it has shown that the best fillies can and often do beat the best colts. We are all breathless over Zenyatta, but last year Zarkava won the Arc, Europe's biggest race while also unbeaten facing older males as a 3yo filly. I daresay that her performance last season dwarfs that of RA in holding off Macho Again by a nose.

As long as there are lucrative and important fixtures for fillies, I don't expect to see a huge amount of crossover. Unless a filly is owned by a daring owner (Jackson) or one with something to prove (Moss) it's unlikely to be commonplace.

[11cashcall]

I think so.Theirs been a trend for the last few yrs that show females are not only catching up to the boys but surpassing them.At least from a sheets
perspective anyway. If there were a future bet that offered a wager if a filly
would win the TC in the next 10 yrs,i'd be all over it. Im not kidding!

[hazzardm]

Other instances also ....

Win the Arc
Win the Woodbine Mile
Win the San Vincente