by: Elizabeth Rancani

Twenty years ago a big, roan filly came to Louisville for her chance at immortality. Twenty horses showed up in the gates, but only one would emerge victorious. Many felt that would be Private Terms, an undefeated bay colt, that brought to mind another undefeated Derby champion, Seattle Slew.

Private Terms had run seven times previously and won them all, including the Grade I Wood Memorial in his final prep race. There to challenge him along with the filly were Risen Star, Brian’s Time and Forty Niner.

Forty Niner was the Eclipse award winning two year old champ, and deservingly so. He was trained by the legendary Woody Stephens, and leading up to the Derby had run eleven times, finishing worse than second only once. His victories were normally close ones, and he was as game as they come. As a three year old he won the Fountain of Youth by a gritty nose, and then finished second by a neck to Brian’s Time in the Florida Derby.

Risen Star had strung together three wins with the Derby Trial, Louisiana Derby and the Lexington. In the latter he defeated Forty Niner by a head. Risen Star was another horse that was game. He was trained by Louis Roussell III (who this year returns with Recapturetheglory).

And then there was the filly. She was big and beautiful; a registered roan, but she appeared far more grey, with a big, white blaze on her head. D. Wayne Lukas was seeking his first Derby win and after she finished second to Goodbye Halo in the Las Virgenes, she trounced the field in the Santa Anita Oaks by eight lengths. Lukas decided to try her against colts in the Santa Anita Derby and she repeated her Oaks form, winning easily by 7 1/2 lengths. She had more than earned her ticked to Louisville.

Eight BellesEight years prior another filly became just the second filly to wear the roses, and Winning Colors attracted her fair share of attention. She went off as second choice that day, led every step, and repelled every challenge, including a last minute surge by Forty Niner. She held him off by a neck and became the third filly in the Derby winners’ circle.

Risen Star finished third that day, but would later go on to be the star of the 1988 Triple Crown series. Winning Colors went back to racing fillies after the Triple Crown, and became part of Personal Ensign’s crowning moment in a fantastic Breeders Cup Distaff, where she lost to the older champion by her tough, grey snout.

Today we have a parade of colts vying for the roses, including the undefeated Big Brown, Santa Anita Derby winner Colonel John, and Wood Memorial winner Tale of Ekati. Once again, we also have one big, beautiful, roan filly seeking to become the fourth filly to wear the roses and beat them all to the wire.

Photo of Eight Belles taken by Michelle Yu.