Goldikova (IRE)

For three consecutive years, the diminutive Goldikova made the Breeders’ Cup her personal playground to demonstrate to the world what an incredible and rare racehorse she was.

Inducted

2017

Foaled

2005

Sire

Anabaa

Dam

Born Gold

Damsire

Blushing Groom

Breeder

Wertheimer
and Frere

Owner

Wertheimer
and Frere

Trainer

Freddy Head

Career

2007-2011

Earnings

$7,176,551

Racing Record

27

Starts

Year	Starts	First	Second	Third	Earnings
Year	Sts	1	2	3	$
2007	2	2	0	0	$38602 $38,602
2008	7	4	2	1	$2056742 $2,056,742
2009	6	4	0	1	$1994746 $1,994,746
2010	6	5	1	0	$2064067 $2,064,067
2011	6	2	3	1	$1022394 $1,022,394

Biography

For three consecutive years, the diminutive Goldikova made the Breeders’ Cup her personal playground to demonstrate to the world what an incredible and rare racehorse she was.

At Santa Anita Park in 2008 and 2009 and at Churchill Downs in 2010, Goldikova secured her legacy as an all-time great with three consecutive victories in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. She won the Eclipse Award for Champion Female Turf Horse in 2009 and 2010 and concluded her brilliant career in 2011 with a record of 17-6-3 from 27 starts and earnings of $7,176,551. Fourteen of her victories were in Grade/Group 1 races, including nine wins against males.

Foaled in Ireland and raised in France, the bay Goldikova (Anabaa—Born Gold, by Blushing Groom) was bred and owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer and trained by the legendary Freddy Head, who rode Hall of Famer Miesque to back-to-back victories in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 1987 and 1988. Goldikova was ridden throughout her career exclusively by Olivier Peslier.

As a 2-year-old, Goldikova broke her maiden with a four-length victory in her career debut at a mile on Sept. 17, 2007 at Chantilly, France. She won her only other start that year three weeks later at Chantilly.

Goldikova began her 3-year-old campaign by finishing second in an allowance race before running behind the sensational Zarkava in both the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas) and the Prix de Diane (French Oaks). The defeats did nothing to diminish the potential of Goldikova, as Zarkava went on to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and finished undefeated in seven career starts.

Goldikova, meanwhile, found her stride and did not lose again in 2008. After finishing third in the French Oaks, she reeled off consecutive victories in the Prix Chloe (Maisons-Laffitte, France), Prix Rothschild (Deauville, France) and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Longchamp, France) before contesting her first Breeders’ Cup.

In her inaugural Breeders’ Cup Mile, Goldikova lived up to her advance billing as the favorite, delivering a 1¼-length victory over Kip Deville. It was the fourth consecutive win for Goldikova, as well as the conclusion of her campaign and a sign of things to come.

As a 4-year-old in 2009, Goldikova finished seventh on a soft course at Longchamp in her season debut in the Prix d’Ispahan. The result was quickly forgotten when she won the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, England, and then returned to France to win the Prix Rothschild and Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

Favored once again in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Goldikova came into the stretch four wide and drifted in a bit before rallying deep in the stretch for a thrilling victory over Courageous Cat by half a length. Goldikova won her first Eclipse Award and was also honored as Europe’s Champion Older Horse. She was rated behind only l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sea the Stars in the 2009 World Thoroughbred Rankings.

Goldikova made her 2010 debut at Longchamp in the Prix d’Ispahan, winning the race in stakes-record time. She set another record in her subsequent start, winning the Queen Anne at the Royal Ascot meeting in England in 1:37.74 for one mile. Goldikova then won her third consecutive Prix Rothschild before finishing second in the Jacques Le Marois on soft ground. Tuning up for the Breeders’ Cup, she won the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp, earning her 11^th Grade/Group 1 victory, a new record for a European horse since the group race system was initiated in 1971. All systems were go for Goldikova as she ventured to Kentucky for a shot at history.

In another scintillating Breeders’ Cup performance, Goldikova fired on all cylinders down the middle of the track in the stretch at Churchill Downs to defeat Gio Ponti by 1¼ lengths to become the first horse to win three Breeders’ Cup races with her third consecutive victory in the Mile. She was once again named the Eclipse Award winner for Champion Female Turf Horse and earned European honors for Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse.

As a 6-year-old in 2011, Goldikova won the Prix d’Ispahan for the second time and then her 14^th Grade/Group 1 when she won the Prix Rothschild for the fourth consecutive year. A fourth consecutive Breeders’ Cup Mile victory, however, did not pan out. In her second start at Churchill Downs, Goldikova took the lead at the eighth pole, but longshot Court Vision closed sharply and dug in for the victory. Goldikova finished third, a nose behind Turallure. She was retired following the race.

Achievements

Eclipse Award Champion Female Turf Horse — 2009
Eclipse Award Champion Female Turf Horse — 2010
European Champion Older Horse — 2009
European Horse of the Year — 2010
European Champion Older Horse — 2010