By Richard Rosenblatt
The Associated Press

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - An upset in the Breeders' Cup Classic usually creates chaos in trying to pick the Horse of the Year. There should be no confusion this time - it has to be Azeri, the sensational filly who ran away with the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Saturday's World Thoroughbred Championships at Arlington Park.

Trained by Laura de Seroux, the 4-year-old Azeri has compiled the most impressive resume of any thoroughbred - male or female - with seven straight wins and 10 victories in 11 career starts.

While no female has ever won Horse of the Year without defeating males, that should not be a factor in year-end balloting. Azeri is simply the best.

"She has everything you look for, speed, stamina and class," de Seroux said at Sunday's post-race breakfast. "And to me, she is championship material."

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas agrees, and he's a pretty fair judge of fillies. Lady's Secret, the last filly to win Horse of the Year, in 1986, was trained by Lukas. Though Lady's Secret defeated males in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga, Lukas said Azeri shouldn't be penalized for sticking with the girls.

"You can't argue with the program because they did everything right," Lukas said. "Losing one race, that's almost perfect."

Azeri's nearly effortless five-length win over Farda Amiga in perhaps the toughest of the eight Breeders' Cup races turned her into the star of the day.

The others contenders faded when 43-1 long shot Volponi won the Classic.

War Emblem may still be the most well known race horse off wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, but trainer Bob Baffert's colt lost three of his final four races. He was eighth in the Classic.

Medaglia d'Oro, beaten in the Derby, Preakness and Belmont, moved into contention with wins in the Jim Dandy and Travers. He was second in the Classic.

Came Home had an outside shot with six wins in seven races, but finished 10th in the Classic.

"It was laid right out there for them," Lukas said, "and all they had to do was go get it."

Of the other Breeders' Cup winners, not one has Horse of the Year credentials, although the 2-year-old divisional champions were likely decided when Vindication won the Juvenile and Storm Flag Flying took the Juvenile Fillies.

Given a chance Sunday morning to launch her campaign for Azeri, de Seroux declined.

"Am I supposed to politic now?" she asked master of ceremonies Kenny Rice of NBC Sports.

"You're in Chicago," Rice replied, drawing laughs from the crowd.

"My question back is, `Who else?' ... I'm not going to get too pushy here."

Hopefully, it won't be necessary.

Since the Eclipse Awards for divisional champions and Horse of the Year began in 1971, only two fillies have won the top prize - All Along in 1983 and Lady's Secret.

Azeri's winning streak is even more impressive because it came in five Grade I races and two Grade IIs. In the Distaff, she beat top 3-year-old fillies in Take Charge Lady, Farda Amiga and Imperial Gesture, and has been defeating older females all year.

In 1986, Lady's Secret staked her Horse of the Year claim by beating the boys in the Whitney, but it wasn't until after her win in the BC Distaff that the prize became a distinct possibility.

"After the Distaff, I told my son Jeff that all we have to do now is sit back and relax all day and let them run the Classic," Lukas said. "If one of those horses up for Horse of Year doesn't do the job, then we're home free."

Sky Walker, a 10-1 shot, upset favorites Turkoman and Precisionist, and Lukas' prediction came true.

"It's the same situation this year," he said.

Horse of the Year is decided by votes from three racing groups - the Daily Racing Form, the National TurfWriters Association and the National Thoroughbred Racing Associations. The winner will be announced in late January.

Azeri won't race the rest of the year, but is expected to return in 2003. What about the boys?

"She's just coming into the peak of her strength and maturing now so next year is probably a good year to do it," de Seroux said.

Hopefully, Azeri will return trying to become a two-time Horse of the Year.