Day 2 of the 2008 Breeders' Cup, the 25th anniversary running, featured nine
World Championship races, highlighted by the Breeders' Cup Classic. Full
fields and big payoffs were the order of the day, with participants again
sweltering in 90-degree desert heat under a sunny sky. The announced crowd of
51,331 saw European-trained horses take 5 of the 9 races, with the Pro-Ride
surface proving to be the nemesis for some dirt trained runners especially in
the Classic, a race traditionally dominated by Americans but which saw a 1-2
European finish this year.
Full results with several photos per race are available at the link below the pay-off chart.
The highlight race of the World Championships weekend is the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at 1 1/4 miles on the main track for older horses, one of the richest horse races in the world. As expected, defending champion Curlin was the 9-10 favorite in the field of 12 over 8-1 Go Between and 9-1 Duke of Marmalade. 10-1 Casino Drive battled for the lead with 40-1 Fairbanks through fractions of 47.60 and 1:11.64, while Curlin sat back in 8th. Turning for home, the pacesetters tired as Curlin came out 5 wide for the drive. Curlin took a short lead in mid-stretch, but he too weakened in the final 1/16, as 13-1 Raven's Pass closed down the center of the track to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths over 19-1 Henrythenavigator in track record time of 1:59.27. Tiago closed for third while Curlin finished fourth.
Winning trainer John Gosden said, "What a day to cherish. Santa Anita is our home away from home. We were here for 11 years. I was very confident that we'd be in the top three. He's been improving over the fall. He's been training better and better. Mentally, he's more mature. Sometimes things just go right."
The Breeders' Cup Classic
Purse: $5,000,000 Distance: 1 1/4 miles
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show
8 Raven's Pass Dettori 29.00 15.80 8.00
5 Henrythenavigator Velazquez 22.00 11.20
3 Tiago Smith 7.40
Winning Time: 1:59.27
$1 Exacta 8-5 159.50
$1 Trifecta 8-5-3 2,395.00
$1 Superfecta 8-5-3-9 10,236.00
$2 Pick Six 4-11-4-4-9-8 (6 of 6) 55,920.80
Curlin gets a pat from Robby Albarado as he returns after finishing 4th in the Classic
Jockey Robby Albarado said, "He ran well. Maybe he's not a synthetic surface specialist. I don't know. He was paddling around. (Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator) are great turf horses and it seemed like the synthetics played like a turf course. Raven's Pass is an exceptional horse who ran an exceptional time. Curlin's been in that position turning for home, and he's never lost. I was content with where I was. Curlin did what he does, going by horses, and he made his run but got a little late in the stretch. He ran hard. I can't answer whether or not the surface had anything to do with it. I'm disappointed he lost, but obviously he's done enough for us and our careers. He's the all-time American horse, so we can never knock him."
Conduit wins the Turf
The $3 million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) saw 11 older horses contest the 1 1/2 mile trip over the firm turf course. Soldier of Fortune was the 8-5 favorite over 5-1 Grand Couturier and 6-1 Conduit. 66-1 longest shot Red Rock Canyon led the field for the first half of the race, through fractions of 47.06 and 1:10.20 before fading from contention. Turning for home, Soldier of Fortune took over the lead and held it to the 1/8 pole, but when he tired late, Conduit, 8th early, closed with a rush on the outside to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths over 9-1 Eagle Mountain in 2:23.42. Soldier of Fortune finished fourth.
Winning jockey Ryan Moore said, "We were in a gallop early. I was a little further back than I wanted to be. Once he hits his stride, he gets in a real good rhythm and just keeps going. As soon as he chimed in, I knew I had them. It's great to ride a true Group 1 winner. I didn't know if he could close enough ground coming down the stretch, but he has a great stride, and he showed it. I thought maybe earlier the leaders would be coming back to me."
The Emirates Airlines Breeders' Cup Turf
Purse: $3,000,000 Distance: 1 1/2 miles turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show
9 Conduit Moore 13.60 8.40 5.80
11 Eagle Mountain Shea 9.60 6.40
6 Dancing Forever Douglas 12.80
Winning Time: 2:23.42
$1 Exacta 9-11 53.60
$1 Trifecta 9-11-6 1,406.70
$1 Superfecta 9-11-6-4 5,622.00
The $2 million Sentient Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) featured older horses going 6 furlongs on the main track. Just 9 entered, with Street Boss sent off as the 2-1 favorite over defending champion Midnight Lute at 5-2 and Fatal Bullet at 5-1. 12-1 First Defence was quickest away but was soon challenged by Fatal Bullet to his outside through a quarter in 21.28. Fatal Bullet took over the lead entering the far turn and opened up a 1 1/2 length advantage at the top of the lane, getting the half in 43.85. However, Midnight Lute, slowest out of the gate, came out six wide into the stretch and circled the field, passing Fatal Bullet at the 1/16 pole and pulling away to win by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:07.08. Street Boss finished another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
Winning trainer Bob Baffert said, "Winning this race twice shows what a great horse he really is. He is a freak. He had a hock injury after he won last year, and we thought we were going to have to retire him. We X-rayed him after 60 days and it had healed. We took the blinkers off. He is getting old and he doesn't need blinkers. I've always been bragging on him, but today he showed what a great horse he is. I've never seen a horse like this. He's the best horse I've ever trained."
The Sentient Breeders' Cup Sprint
Purse: $2,000,000 Distance: 6 furlongs
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show
4 Midnight Lute Gomez 7.40 5.00 3.20
9 Fatal Bullet Da Silva 6.60 3.80
2 Street Boss Flores 2.40
Winning Time: 1:07.08
$1 Exacta 4-9 23.80
$1 Trifecta 4-9-2 62.50
$1 Superfecta 4-9-2-7 242.30
The $1 million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf is a 1 mile trip over the turf course for 2-year-olds. The maximum field size of 12 went to post, with Westphalia sent off as the 3-1 favorite over 4-1 Bittel Road and 9-2 Grand Adventure. 56-1 longest shot Orthodox was loose on the lead by as many as 3 lengths through fractions of 46.53 and 1:10.34 before fading from contention. 6-1 Coronet of a Baron, 3rd early, took over the lead in mid-stretch, but 6-1 Donativum, 9th early, came through just off the rail on the inside and closed well to prevail by 1/2 a length over Westphalia in 1:34.68. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to Coronet of a Baron third.
Winning jockey Frankie Dettori said, "On the turn, when I looked, I saw things were tight up front. I was looking for the right spot, and we found it in the last hundred yards. This was my first time riding him, but once he got down to running, I knew we got it."
Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf
Purse: $1,000,000 Distance: 1 mile turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show
4 Donativum Dettori 13.60 7.00 5.00
3 Westphalia Murtagh 5.40 3.80
7 Coronet of a Baron Garcia 5.40
Winning Time: 1:34.68
$1 Exacta 4-3 23.60
$1 Trifecta 4-3-7 152.90
$1 Superfecta 4-3-7-2 3,024.10
The $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) saw a field of 12 two-year-old colts and geldings go 1 1/16 miles on the Pro-Ride. Square Eddie was the lukewarm 7-2 choice over 4-1 Midshipman and 5-1 Bushranger. Square Eddie went to the front first time past the stands through a quarter of 23.55, but Midshipman passed him on the outside down the backstretch to take over the lead, getting the half in 47.08 and 3/4 in 1:10.61. Entering the stretch, Midshipman pulled away to a 1 1/2 length lead, and easily held off Square Eddie down the lane to win by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:40.94. It was another 1/2 length back to 6-1 Street Hero third.
Winning jockey Garrett Gomez said, "I was trying to get him to settle down a little bit. He was a little keen, and every time I tried to touch his mouth, he threw his head in my lap a little bit. I had to finesse him a little bit around the first turn. When I got him slowed down, I just slowly gave it to him and let him do his own thing and find a good rhythm and get into a nice long stride. Turning for home, I asked him to start accelerating, he answered all the right questions. He went about his business really well and hung on against a really nice racehorse."
The Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Purse: $2,000,000 Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show
11 Midshipman Gomez 9.20 4.40 3.20
4 Square Eddie Bejarano 5.00 3.80
8 Street Hero Solis 4.40
Winning Time: 1:40.94
$1 Exacta 11-4 19.70
$1 Trifecta 11-4-8 72.20
$1 Superfecta 11-4-8-3 736.70
The $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) is a 1 mile turf event for older horses. 11 went to post on Saturday with 3-year-old filly Goldikova sent off as the 9-5 choice over defending champion Kip Deville at 4-1 and Whatsthescript at 9-2. 21-1 Thorn Song set the early pace of 46.52 and 1:10.07 while being stalked by 10-1 Daytona to his outside and Goldikova to his inside. Turning for home, jockey Olivier Peslier found a hole between horses and sent Goldikova on through with a quick burst of speed, getting the victory by 1 1/4 lengths over Kip Deville in 1:33.40. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Whatsthescript third.
Winning trainer Freddy Head said, "She's a wonderful filly. She's in the same class as Miesque. She was a little backward before, but now she's in the same league as Miesque." Miesque won the Mile in 1987 and 1988 with Freddy Head aboard as her jockey.
The $1 million TVG Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile featured a field of 12 older horses going 1 mile on the Pro-Ride main track. Well Armed was the 6-5 favorite over 5-1 Lewis Michael and 6-1 Albertus Maximus. 22-1 Two Step Salsa was loose on the lead through fractions of 45.02 and 1:08.57 with Lewis Michael stalking him the whole way. Entering the stretch, Lewis Michael faded as Two Step Salsa continued to lead at the 1/8 pole, but Albertus Maximus, 10th early, split horses five wide into the lane and closed with a rush to win by 1 1/4 lengths over 19-1 Rebellion in 1:33.41. It was another 1/2 length back to pacesetter Two Step Salsa.
Winning trainer Vladimir Cerin said, "Garrett (Gomez) had him in a perfect position on the first turn. I was a little concerned when he went inside, but the Red Sea parted. It was a superlative performance by a superlative athlete. It feels great; unbelievable to win my first Breeders' Cup."
The TVG Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile
Purse: $1,000,000 Distance: 1 mile
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show
7 Albertus Maximus Gomez 14.60 7.40 5.40
10 Rebellion Prado 16.00 11.20
5 Two Step Salsa Pedroza 12.80
Winning Time: 1:33.41
$1 Exacta 7-10 109.30
$1 Trifecta 7-10-5 1,636.00
$1 Superfecta 7-10-5-11 19,804.30
The new $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint featured a full field of 14 older horses go "about" 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Fleeting Spirit was sent off as the lukewarm 9-2 choice over 5-1 Get Funky and 6-1 Diabolical. 7-1 Mr. Nightlinger was quickest away, getting the initial quarter in 20.73 before 8-1 California Flag took over entering the stretch, getting the half in 41.81. California Flag opened by a 1 1/2 length lead in mid-stretch but he weakened late setting the race up for the closers. 36-1 longest shot Desert Code closed from 12th early, down the center of the course to win by 1/2 a length over Diabolical in 1:11.60. It was another length back to 16-1 Storm Treasure third, while favorite Fleeting Spirit was fourth.
Winning jockey Richard Migliore said, "I just dropped my hands early and let him relax because I knew they were going fast up front. I didn't want to start to move until we crossed over the dirt, which is where a little bit of my experience riding out here helped. When we turned for home, I thought we had a chance of getting something. But when we got to the 1/16 pole, I thought we're going to win this thing. I always had faith in this colt."
Kicking off Championship Saturday was the new $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon, contested at 1 1/2 miles over the Pro-Ride main track. Just 8 faced the starter with Sixties Icon the 7-5 choice over 3-1 Zappa. 49-1 longest shot Booyah set an uncontested pace of 1:16.20 and 1:40.95 while as many as 2 1/2 lengths in front, before he tired to eventually finish last. 12-1 Muhannak, 4th the whole way, took over at the top of the stretch and was all-out to hold off late-running 11-1 Church Service in 2:28.24. It was another 3/4 length to 10-1 Big Booster third, while favorite Sixties Icon was 5th.
Winning trainer Ralph Beckett said, "He got the perfect trip. Pat (Smullen) just said they were crawling. We worked it out beforehand that he had to be running going into the bend. Whether that meant he hit the front too soon or not, he had to be rolling going into the bend. He got that part of it right. I felt that he was just idling a little bit there the last 50 yards, but maybe he was running on empty. He's trained very well all week. He's not an easy horse to train. A big, big part of this is the team at home because he hasn't been easy."
The Breeders' Cup Marathon
Purse: $500,000 Distance: 1 1/2 miles
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show
5 Muhannak Smullen 26.80 10.80 6.20
1 Church Service Prado 9.60 6.80
7 Big Booster Bejarano 6.80
Winning Time: 2:28.24
$1 Exacta 5-1 133.10
$1 Trifecta 5-1-7 987.10
$1 Superfecta 5-1-7-3 3,955.00
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Free Prep Replays - for major prep races in the Breeders' Cup Challenge. The ones with camera logos have video available.
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