Dream double 'as good as it gets' for Shirreffs

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Trainer John Shirreffs shrugged off a sleepless night on Sunday and felt as if he was walking on air after celebrating a dream double at the two-day Breeders' Cup.

On Friday, Life is Sweet roared to a 2-1/2-length triumph in the Breeders Cup Ladies' Classic at Santa Anita Park before her stablemate Zenyatta stunned the racing world the following day with victory in the showpiece Breeders' Cup Classic.

The sport of kings celebrated the coronation of a peerless queen as Zenyatta became the first female to win North America's richest race.

"This is as good as it gets," Shirreffs told reporters at Hollywood Park after Life is Sweet and Zenyatta had been transported back across town to their training base.

"It was a perfect weekend. (Friday) was great for Life is Sweet to have gotten her chance to shine. You know, Life is Sweet is the princess and Zenyatta is the queen in my barn.

"They both ate up and walked this morning. And she could run again today," Shirreffs added, referring to Zenyatta's energy less than 24 hours after coming from last to first to win by a length.

UNBEATEN RECORD

The five-year-old mare was 11 lengths off the lead with half a mile to go in the mile-and-a-quarter (2000m) race before producing her trademark late kick to surge across the line and extend her unbeaten record to 14 races.

"She is a great, great filly," Shirreffs said. "She is all heart. It was just an unbelievably emotional experience to have her do this.

"We ran against probably one of the best fields ever assembled for a Breeders' Cup Classic. We put it all on the line."

Zenyatta's first prize of $2.7 million almost doubled her career earnings to $5,474,580 and owner Jerry Moss hinted strongly the Kentucky-bred female was likely to move next into the broodmare ranks.

"I believe that this would probably have been Zenyatta's last race," Moss said after her spectacular victory on Saturday in front of a frenzied crowd of 58,845 at Santa Anita.

"John has done a beautiful job bringing her along, and she's given what she has in a race like this. I think she deserves now to go out with her record intact."

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)