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 Jockey Frankie Dettori and trainer Saeed bin Suroor with their Turf winner Fantastic Light. |
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Dateline: 10/27/01
As expected, With Anticipation and Timboroa went straight to the front and led the procession for the first half mile, with initial fractions of 24.40 and 48.02, at which point With Anticipation faded along the hedge and would fade to seventh. Timboroa woulf inherit the lead for the next 3/4 miles, with fractions of 1:12.34, 1:36.66, and 2:01.15 for the 1 1/4 miles. By this point, 7-5 favorite Fantastic Light had been making headway and closed second place just 2 lengths off of the leader. On the turn, Frankie Dettori angled Fantastic Light out, passed Timboroa with 1 1/2 furlongs to go, and stretched his lead to 2 1/2 lengths a furlong out, holding off the on-rushing Milan to win by 3/4 lengths, finally breaking the losing streak of favorites on the day. Milan had been as far back as 9th, gained third at the 3/16 pole but could not rach the winner. It was another 5 3/4 lengths back to third place finisher Timboroa. Final time was 2:24.36, a new course record for the 1 1/2 miles over very firm turf.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 2 Fantastic Light Dettori 4.80 4.20 3.10 12 Milan Kinane 7.10 4.50 8 Timboroa Prado 4.60 Winning Time: 2:24.36 $2 Exacta 2-12 33.60 $2 Trifecta 2-12-8 211.00 $2 Superfecta 2-12-8-3 3,965.00Results Chart from Equibase
Fantastic Light comes back after winning the Turf. He did not want the flowers put on him. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: "It's a perfect day for us to win the Turf for the second time after Daylami (1999). Everyone wondered why we switched races for him and Sakhee, but he's a different horse this year, stronger and more professional. A mile-and-a-quarter to a mile and a half is perfect for him. In the last two furlongs, Milan had a chance to catch him, but it got too late."
Fantastic Light and Frankie Dettori take their walk down Victory Lane. Dettori said: "It's a relief. At least we got one. He's a great horse. Like a good wine he gets better with age. He lost a little bit of concentration when he was well clear, but I could feel Milan coming
and I thought 'keep going a little bit more'. When I asked him, the race was over."
The trophy presentation. Simon Crisford, Godolphin racing manager, said: "That was fabulous. He's such a world champion. He can travel anywhere and compete in all the top races. He's a brilliant modern day racehorse. We'll talk to Sheikh Maktoum about taking him to the Japan Cup before he retires."
Fantastic Light in the post parade. He was the only winning favorite in all eight Breeders' Cup races.
Second place finisher Milan in the post parade. Jockey Michael Kinane said: "He (Fantastic Light) got four or five lengths on me, and that made it tough. A couple of horses were coming back and I get held up a bit. I thought I just had too much to do. Milan is a very high-class colt. He's probably been a little overshadowed by Galileo, but he's come into his own." Trainer Aidan O'Brien added, "He ran a great race. Michael (Kinane) was saying, he didn't get a clear run, but he ran a great race. The Hong Kong Vase is possible for him."
Early pacesetter Timboroa finished third. Edgar Prado said: "He was trying real hard. We needed something to run at and we got it. We were tracking With Anticipation. Then he quit and we were all by ourselves. He did try very hard, but there was no beating the winner."
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Photos ©2001, Cindy Pierson Dulay and Terence Dulay