John Shirreffs two best mares before Zenyatta

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Manistique:

At Hollywood Park: 6-for-6 lifetime with 4 Graded Stakes wins. Those 6 wins coming by a combined 40.5 lengths for an AVG margin of victory of 6.75 lengths per win. Ran a mind-boggling 110 Beyer in her debut win at HP going 7 furlongs.

At Santa Anita: 5-for-5 lifetime with all 5 wins in Graded Stakes company.

Lifetime record in California: 12-11-1-0 - with 9 Graded Stakes wins. Beat future Eclipse champion older mares Riboletta and Gourmet Girl - both on multiple occasions.

Shipped out of So. Cal three different times ... finished 6.25 lengths behind Banshee Breeze in the Alabama, finished 10.75 lengths behind Banshee Breeze in the Apple Blossom, and finished 14.25 lengths behind Beautiful Pleasure in the BC Distaff.




Starrer:

Finished her career with 3 straight huge stakes scores out West for Shirreffs. Including back to back Grade 1 wins where she toyed with You in the Santa Maria and toyed with Sightseek in the Santa Margarita. She was 2nd to Azeri in the Lady's Secret for her last So. Cal loss




As uninspiring as Manistique's and Starrer's form are when Shirreffs had them leave Cal ... does anyone really think either horse would have gone down to Taptam or Brownie Points?