Good riddance to Guillot as American racing rids itself of a link to racism

Once upon a time in America, there were two magnificent mares who shared top billing at three consecutive Breeders' Cups. Last week America was on my mind, often for wretched reasons. First, though, there were memories of those mares, one in particular.

The second decade of the 21st century was dominated by outstanding female thoroughbreds. We marvelled at the wonders of Winx, Black Caviar, Enable and Treve, to name just four, but before they became superstars there was Goldikova and there was Zenyatta. Back then it would have been hard to believe that over the immediate following years other fillies and mares would rival their achievements. How blessed we have been.

There was an abundance of good fortune to be at Santa Anita and Churchill Downs for Goldikova's second and third victories in the Breeders' Cup Mile. To an extent, on both occasions the French champion was upstaged by the local lady, although there was never any suggestion Goldikova and Zenyatta viewed each other with the sort of enmity that famously marked the relationship between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. That said, Zenyatta undoubtedly had the bigger trailer.