A New Icon

We already know that Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta are the top two female horses in the country but after today's G1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga, there is another star joining the group.
Icon Project, making just her third start on dirt, rolled to the front on the turn for home and obliterated a talented group of fillies & mares by 13 1/2 lengths with jockey Julien Leparoux standing up celebrating before the finish line.

The daughter of 2003 Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker came to the United States in early 2009 after going 1-for-5 in Europe, all on turf. She continued her grass career in America in the first half of the year but finally made her debut on dirt on June 20.

"I had been wanting to run her on the dirt," Wolfson said. "She trained greast on dirt ever since I got her from overseas."

The New York Handicap was taken off the turf because of rain and she relished the change of surface, romping by 13 1/4-lengths. Trainer Marty Wolfson kept the filly on dirt in her next start and was runner-up to Swift Temper in the Delaware Handicap on July 19

But on a beautiful Sunday at Saratoga, Icon Project turned the tables on Swift Temper and crushed the Grade 1 field that would have made the races' namesake very proud. (Personal Ensign was one of the greatest fillies of all time and finished her career a perfect 13-for-13).

"I was a little surprised by how far she won by," Wolfson said. "(As for her next race), we'll keep our options open."

After today's performance, Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra beware: there's a new Icon in town.