May 22 - Saturday's $150,000 Milady Handicap (Gr 2) for fillies and mares at Hollywood Park in California should be real humdinger considering that the two race favorites - the unbeaten Zenyatta and multiple stakes winner Life Is Sweet - hail from the barn of respected trainer John Shirreffs.

This winning combination will no doubt have Shirreffs brimming with confidence ahead of the 1 1/16 mile on synthetic dirt, along with the many punters hoping to win some cash tomorrow. The only dilemma they may possibly face is which of the two horses to back to win, given that both are in top form.

Take Zenyatta. As a four-year-old, she has had what can only be described as an immaculate run of it of late, having been unbeaten in nine starts. In fact, in 2008 she was named champion older female, cementing the honor with a worthy victory in October's prestigious Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic.

And despite that race being her last start, the word on the street is that she is once again raring to go and is expected to handle the Milady Handicap's 1 1/16 miles in her stride. If Shirreffs has one concern going into tomorrow's race, it's whether her winning streak risks being ended by Life Is Sweet.

Life is Sweet more than earned her reputation as one of America's best four-year-old fillies by delivering victories in three premier stakes races earlier this year at Santa Anita's winter-spring meeting. Despite lacking the experience of her illustrious stablemate, she has shown an excellent turn of foot.

Answered Shirreffs with a wry smile when asked which of his fillies he thinks will cross the line first on Saturday, 'I'm not paid to figure that out. That said, perhaps Life Is Sweet will be quicker to accelerate. Whereas Zenyatta just lengthens her stride and lowers her head. She just keeps coming.

'They have very different styles of acceleration. I can say that both are coming into the race as well as you could hope for,' he said. The other entrants in the Milady Handicap are expected to include Champagne Eyes, Gambler's Justice, Dawn After Dawn, Taste's Sis and Allicansayis Wow.

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2011/12/09 12:48:59 AM