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 Lone Star Park hosted the Breeders' Cup for the first time this year. |
The 21th anniversary of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships was held at first time host track Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. The weather was hot and sunny with the temperature peaking at 83 degrees around 4pm, but the track was sticky and heavy and the turf yeilding from overnight rain. The main track gradually dried out by the Juvenile, but for the early part of the card it was so sticky it could suck the shoes off your feet if you walked on it.
In the Distaff, 2-1 favorite Ashado did not disappoint her backers, saving ground in good position in fifth early on and then splitting rivals at the top of the stretch to draw away by 1 1/4 lengths over Storm Flag Flying in 1:48.26. Winning trainer Todd Pletcher, finally winning his first Breeders' Cup race, said "I was going to be happy whenever I won a Breeders' Cup race, but it's particularly gratifying since I have a lot of family here (in Texas), always extra fun when you get to share it with people."
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Purse: $2,000,000 Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Ashado Velazquez 6.00 3.60 2.80 7 Storm Flag Flying Bailey 7.00 4.00 11 Stellar Jayne Albarado 4.80
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The Juvenile Fillies saw another favorite take the top prize, as 2-1 choice Sweet Catomine rallied from seventh after some early traffic trouble to draw away by 3 3/4 lengths over Balletto in 1:41.65. Winning owner Martin Wygod said "She is a very harsh filly, very long-strided. Whenever they have to be pulled up and be checked like that you never know if they are going to fire again. She showed what kind of class she had today and what kind of shape she is in, with all due respect to (trainer) Julio (Canani)."
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Purse: $1,000,000 Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 10 Sweet Catomine Nakatani 6.60 4.00 3.00 1 Balletto Bailey 4.80 3.40 4 Runway Model Bejarano 5.00
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Longshot players finally got their wish in the Mile, when 16-1 shot Singletary surged ahead in mid-stretch after a stalking trip and held off the 31-1 Antonius Pius in the last strides for the half length victory, in a time of 1:39.90. Winning owner Bill Koch said, "We just got into (horse ownership) and my people are very realistic. We never set out to win a million dollars. You look around the room and see smiles and cheers and that's what we are about. That's how people need to get back into the game."
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Purse: $1,500,000 Distance: 1 mile turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 10 Singletary Flores 35.00 15.60 9.80 7 Antonius Pius Spencer 37.60 13.60 11 Six Perfections Bailey 5.00
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In the Sprint, 3.70-1 second choice Speightstown stalked the pace of longshot Abbondanza, found an opening to the inside, then edged clear in the last furlong to win by 1 1/4 over Kela in 1:08.11. Winning owner Eugene Melnyk said, "This is what everybody dreams of as an owner, to win a championship like this, especially with a well-bred horse like Speightstown. I knew from day one he had tremendous raw talent."
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Purse: $1,000,000 Distance: 6 furlongs
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 2 Speightstown Velazquez 9.40 5.20 4.00 5 Kela Bailey 5.00 4.00 12 My Cousin Matt Dominguez 15.00
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The European contingent's best hope didn't disappoint in the VO5 Filly and Mare Turf as 0.90-1 favorite Ouija Board rallied three wide after rating in sixth early on, to draw clear by 1 1/2 lengths in 2:18.25 for the 1 3/8 miles. Winning jockey Kieren Fallon said, "I knew she was the best filly and she proved herself. I was in the box seat, with not too much ground to make up." Trainer Ed Dunlop said she will continue to race as a 4-year-old next year.
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Purse: $1,000,000 Distance: 1 1/4 miles turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 5 Ouija Board Fallon 3.80 3.00 2.80 3 Film Maker Velazquez 9.00 6.60 12 Wonder Again Prado 6.60
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In the Juvenile, Wilko followed in the footsteps of Arazi and Johannesburg as the European import pulled off a 28-1 upset, when jockey Frankie Dettori unleashed a powerful rally from fourth to first in the final furlong, winning by 3/4 length in 1:42.09. Favorite Roman Ruler was fifth. Dettori said, "I can't believe it. I expected to be really outpaced but I can't believe he jumped right out to second." Trainer Jeremy Noseda announced Wilko will remain in America to be trained by Craig Dollase.
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Purse: $1,500,000 Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 8 Wilko Dettori 58.60 18.20 6.80 3 Afleet Alex Rose 5.00 3.60 1 Sun King Prado 5.60
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The Turf saw the longest shot on the board, 28-1 Better Talk Now, pull off a huge upset, rallying from seventh early to defeat the heavily favored Kitten's Joy by 1 3/4 lengths in 2:29.70. Winning trainer H. Graham Motion said, "Any won is an emotional thing but this seems to be even more so. It makes it even more special when you have a longshot get a win."
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Purse: $2,000,000 Distance: 1 1/2 miles turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 5 Better Talk Now Dominguez 57.80 12.40 5.20 4 Kitten's Joy Velazquez 2.80 2.20 1 Powerscourt Spencer 3.00
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In the Classic, 5-2 favorite Ghostzapper showed his class, going to the lead right away and simply stretching his lead over the last three furlongs, finishing 3 lengths clear in a track record 1:59.02. Winning trainer Bobby Frankel said, "He ran the way I thought he would. I told (jockey Javier Castellano) to ride this horse like he was on the best horse and he did. And he was."
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Purse: $4,000,000 Distance: 1 1/4 miles
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Ghostzapper Castellano 7.00 4.00 3.60 6 Roses in May Velazquez 8.20 5.20 12 Pleasantly Perfect Bailey 3.00
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