Why Fillies First?

For quite some time, I’ve been debating whether or not to branch out, and start a second horse racing blog.

My original blog—in initial inspiration dedicated to my childhood devotion to champion Foolish Pleasure—emerged out of my re-awakening in 2007 to the sport I loved as a girl, but moved away from as university, graduate school and then (finally) work took me in other directions. It’s a mélange of handicapping, reactions and history, often rooted in the current race meetings or big racing events, whether here in North America, Europe, Dubai, or more often of late, Australia—and I like it’s diversity. However, I’ve always felt that if I concentrated too much on one subject or another, I’d get pigeonholed as a certain type of blogger—and I’m a generalist at heart.

That said, there is definitely a place for a voice that resonates with a specific agenda so what I envision here is a mix of racing and breeding news from around the world, along with a strong dose of thoroughbred racing history—all focused exclusively on current and past fillies and mares. I certainly wish to appeal to fans of both sexes, but most particularly to women and girls who like me love horses with a passion, and find themselves reawakened to, or falling in love with, the sport of horse racing.

It won’t be trite. It won’t be “girly” in a negative or stereotypical way. And it certainly will not be patronizing.

It will be informative, and, most importantly, serious in presenting the sport of horse racing—past, present and future—with a clear intent of...Fillies First!

To start things off, you’ll notice on the left sidebar the results of a continuing project I have undertaken over the past year—a list of successful fillies and mares running in open company (against males) in graded stakes races around the world.

All too often (but particularly in the United States) there is a preconception that female horses cannot compete against male horses due to inherent physical capabilities, or mental weakness, usually the result of anthropomorphically projecting our own gender prejudices. You know, the old “frailty, thy name is woman.” However, the best fillies and mares can and do compete against colts, horses and geldings at the highest level of racing all around the world, on all surfaces and distances, from age 2 until they are ready to retire.

To prove my point, I’ve compiled a Google spreadsheet listing the names and ages of every filly and mare who won or placed (second or third) in a G1, G2 or G3 stakes race around the world just this year—as of this post, there are 158. In the sidebar, I’ll keep a current listing of just the G1 winners, but you will always be able to access the complete list which I’ll update on a regular basis.