Trainer Freddie Head confirmed on Oct. 7 that Goldikova will return to Santa Anita to defend her crown in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) Nov. 7.
The six-time group I-winning filly was an eye-opening winner in California last year, but her participation for this year's event came under question when she was overhauled late on in the Oct. 3 Prix de la Foret (Fr-I) at longchamp, finishing third.
However, Head said: “She is fine and has come out of the race well. We have checked her over and nothing is wrong; she is fine. She is well and I think that she will go to America.”
The trainer said of her Longchamp run: “It was a bad race as she was drawn out wide and had to use a lot of energy to get to the front. She was pushed wide at one point and (Olivier) Peslier had to choose whether to go on or pull her back. He decided to go on and that may have been the wrong decision.”
A 4-year-old daughter of Anabaa—Born Gold, by Blushing Groom, Goldikova has won nine of 14 starts and earned more than $3 million for her owners/breeders, Wertheimer and Frere.