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 Olivier Peslier on Banks Hill waves at the photographers after winning the Filly and Mare Turf. |
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Dateline: 10/27/01
England's Legend and Mot Juste went to the front along with Starine to their outside. Banks Hill saved ground along the hedge just behind them. England's Legend held the lead for the first mile, setting initial fractions of 24.21, 48.65, 1:13.55, and 1:37.69. But by then the early pace pressure had taken its toll, and she faded to an eventual 11th place finish as the 5-2 favorite. Banks Hill, who had raced in stalking position early on, made smooth headway along the hedge on the turn, joining up with England's Legend with 3 furlongs to go. She would blow right by her, and draw off to win by 5 1/2 lengths over Spook Express, a 20% supplemental entry, who had raced well back early but made good headway on the turn, and finished well down the center of the course. Spring Oak came from as far back as eighth to finish third. Final time was 2:00.36 for the 1 1/4 miles over firm ground. The win broke another Breeders' Cup losing streak as Juddmonte Farms finally won on Championship day after thirty consecitive losses.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 5 Banks Hill Peslier 14.00 9.20 6.10 1 Spook Express Smith 11.40 7.70 11 Spring Oak Dettori 11.60 Winning Time: 2:00.36 $2 Exacta 5-1 229.00 $2 Trifecta 5-1-11 5,166.00 $2 Superfecta 5-1-11-8 44,331.00Results Chart from Equibase
Banks Hill and Olivier Peslier take their walk down Victory Lane. Peslier said: "She's a very good filly. I'm sure she's a stayer. She travels well, good turn of foot. She loves the firm ground. Soft is not her turf. She has a lot of speed and good action. It was a lovely ride. Before the last turn, the filly on the lead went wide and mine just kept going.
When I got in front I couldn't hear anybody. She looked like a champion."
Banks Hill in the winner's circle. Trainer Andre Fabre said: "I was very confident about the distance and looking forward to fast ground so I was very confident."
The trophy presentation. Juddmonte Farm racing manager Teddy Beckett said: "Breeders' Cup is really the World Championships and it was great to finally win it. She's a totally homebred filly; we bred her sire and dam. To destroy the field like she did, superb."
Banks Hill in the post parade. When asked about her future, Beckett said: "That will be entirely up to Andre [Fabre]. She obviously stays the 1 1/4 really well which really increases her potential. We originally planned to run her in the 10 furlong Prix de l'Opera on Arc de Triomphe day but the ground was so soft we decided to come here."
Second place finisher Spook Express earned $278,000 after supplementing for $200,000. Jockey Mike Smith said: "She ran brilliant today. I took her up on the outside and she thought she had it won. Then we looked up and saw the mare on the fence was gone (winning). But she beat a bunch of good horses today. I hope she stays around for awhile. The pace was pretty slow. I didn't want to drag her up into something that was going too easy (pace), but that winner just ran a brilliant race today."
Third place finisher Spring Oak in the post parade. Jockey Frankie Dettori said: "We had a bad post position (11), so we had to give a little ground away, but she finished well and she got third."
England's Legend was a slight favorite over Lailani and finished 11th after leading though the first mile. Her trainer Christophe Clement said: "England's Legend ran very disappointingly. We will scope her when she gets back to the barn." The next day he reported, "We believe she displaced (her palate). She was making a lot of noise according to her jockey, but she is fine."
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Photos ©2001, Cindy Pierson Dulay and Terence Dulay