2011 Breeders Cup: Havre De Grace Not Intimidated by Star-Studded Field

In order to win the Breeders Cup a horse has to be confident that there is no other competitor on the track that can sway their game, and that sentiment will be truly put to the test in the 2011 Breeders Cup with filly Havre de Grace.

Maybe people believe that horses shouldn't race with the opposite sex, and many cite that it's dangerous.

Havre de Grace is looking to make that statement a myth at Churchill Downs.

Not only is she a filly, but many people consider her to be a favorite to win the Classic, which is a bold statement in itself.

The fact of the matter is that she can back that statement up with her incredible record though, and her trainer Larry Jones feels that she is up to the challenge, according to Tom Pedulla of USA Today:

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Jones describes Havrede Grace as the closest he has come to having a perfect horse. He made the decision to enter the Classic in conjunction with the owner.

Porter noted females and males race together abroad with regularity. It's not as common in the USA.

"You have to have the right kind of filly, who's not intimidated by males," he said. "Eight Belles was a big, strapping filly. I assure you, this one's not intimidated by anybody."

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Intimidation is a key factor in a race this size, especially for a filly. She's going to be riding with stars such as Uncle Mo, Drosselmeyer, and Stay Thirsty, so there is no room for error.

In the end, the fillies record stands by itself, with eight wins, four second-place finishes and two third-place grabs in 14 starts. 

She knows how to win, so now all she has to do is go out there and beat all the odds.

That's something I'm confident she will do.