Did you read and see the beautiful story on Zenyatta the other day by Samantha Clark? I loved it and was particularly drawn to the lovely pictures of Zenyatta in the Kentucky snow. I then started a twitter conversation with Samantha basically saying that Zenyatta had nothing on Makybe Diva (real mature I know). This descended quite quickly and Samantha being more mature (in personality) stopped it by refusing to enter the debate, mature yes but a little boring.
I got the inspiration to have a look at these two beautiful mares and write about them. Not as a comparison, me saying the Aussie mare was better and Samantha staunchly standing behind the Kentucky bred mare, but instead a celebration of these two mares and their amazing achievements.
So lets start with Makybe Diva.
First up I know that there will be some Poms (that is what Aussie’s call people from England) who will already be jumping up and down and saying that The Diva was English. This is sort of true, she was conceived and born in the UK of Irish American descent. The Diva’s Dam – Tugela (USA) 1995 – was purchased in foal to Desert King (IRL) 1994 by Tony Santic‘s bloodstock agent John Foote at Tattersalls in 1998, the filly was born in 1999.
After being passed in at auction, the filly and Tugela travelled to Australia, to join the Tony Santic team. The filly was name Makybe Diva by Tony Santic in honor of five of his staff from his commercial Tuna fishing operation – Maureen, Kylie, Belinda, Diane, and Vanessa.
So begins the story of a legend. I do not use the name “legend” lightly when it comes to Makybe Diva, and yes I do have a soft spot for her, the picture below hangs in my office. I love the fact that while she is a legend she is also just a horse and her natural beauty shines.
So “Legend” why? The Diva won the Melbourne Cup, the greatest race in Australia, two miles (3200m), featuring some of the best stayers in the world. She didn’t win it once, but three times back to back. The only horse to have ever done so and the only mare to have won it more than once.
All three runs were spectacular but her last in 2005 brings chills down my spine, after running most of the race in the pack, nearer to the back than the front they came round the final turn boxed in, seemingly nowhere to run. Glenn Boss her jockey put his foot to the floor and almost made the rest of the field look like it was standing still. The Diva was carrying top weight in the field with a massive 58kgs (128 pounds). I recall the outcry at the handicappers, never had a mare carried so much in the Cup, it didn’t matter.
This is the video of the race, even if you don’t want to watch the whole four minutes of the video, start at 2:30 and look for the distinctive red and white checked cap, blue shoulders and sleeves with the red and white checks below, they were 7th from last.
I will never forget watching that race live and knowing that she was going to win as she started emerging from the pack, it was stunning.
Makybe Diva won over $14 million Aussie on the track and was retired immediately after her 2005 Melbourne Cup win to stud. Her record over 1 1/2 miles or more is stunning with 10 starts, six wins, and one each of a 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th (Japan). In 2010 Makybe Diva was entered into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame as a Legend, joining only three others, legendary race horse Phar Lap, trainer Bart Cummings and Jockey Scobie Breasley.
So we come to the mare who has been stunning crowds in the USA for the last three years, Zenyatta. Zenyatta is a different racer to The Diva. A sprinter with a massive frame 17.2 hands, compared to the compact 15.2 hands of The Diva.
Interestingly both mares have Roberto (USA-1969) as a great grandfather in their Maternal bloodline, this is the only link in four generations of bloodlines. Zenyatta is also of Irish American blood by Street Cry (IRL) out of Vertigineux (USA).
Zenyatta’s record is stunning 19 wins from 20 starts, this has only been bettered by a select few, Man o’ War (20 of 21), Native Dancer (21 of 22) and Kincsem (54 Undefeated). There is no doubt she deserves the title Queen Zenyatta. Kincsem is the only mare to have bettered The Queen’s record and given that Kincsem is the most successful horse in the history of Horse Racing that is nothing to sneeze at.
Zenyatta also holds the record for winning a race three years straight, in fact she holds that record for three different handicaps, the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (1 1/16 miles 1700m), Vanity Invitational (1 1/8 miles 1800m) and the Zenyatta Cup formerly the Lady’s Secret Stakes (1 1/16 miles 1700m).
There is another record that Zenyatta shares, that being one of only three mares to have had 13 Group One wins, no mare has won more. She shares this title with Bayakoa an Argentinean mare who competed in the USA and the great Sunline.
I know that the Aussies and Kiwis who are reading this were wondering if I would get to Sunline. To be honest, you can’t have a conversation about great mares without talking about Sunline. Sunline was bred in New Zealand by Desert Sun (GB) out of Songline (NZ). She has the same Northern Dancer – Danzig line as Makybe Diva as a Great Grandfather on the Sire Line.
Sunline had 48 Starts in total, 32 wins, 9 seconds and 3 thirds, that is 44 places from 48 starts. This record is also stunning by any account. She won over $11 million Australian during her career. She won New Zealand Horse of the Year four times and is the only horse to have ever won the Australian Horse of the Year three times. Sunline, like Zenyatta, specialised around the 1 mile races.
All three mares were retired to stud. Sunline produced four foals before she passed away in 2009 after battling laminitis for a long time. Makybe Diva has produced three foals to date and Zenyatta was sent to stud with Bernardini only this week, so fingers crossed a new Prince or Princess is on the way.
Three Queens of the track, each special in her own right, unique and amazing.
Yours in Eventing,
ESJ
