The $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) featured a field of 12 older horses going 1 mile around 2 turns of the Haggin turf course at Keeneland. Prix le Parisien (G1) and Prix de la Foret (G1) winner and 3-year-old filly Make Believe was sent off as the 5-2 favorite. In to challenge him included 4-1 second choice 5-year-old mare Esoterique, winner of the Sun Chariot Stakes (G1) and 5-1 third choice Tepin, winner of the First Lady (G1) as a 4-year-old filly. Note that despite the race being open to older horses of both genders the top three favorites are all distaffers.
Tepin draws away in the stretch.
Jockey Joe Talamo sent Obviously to the lead and he set fractions of 23.77, 48.08, and 1:13.23 over the "good" course while pressed by Tepin and stalked by 13-1 Tourist. Entering the stretch, Tepin came out 3 wide to gain the lead, and quickly opened up a 3 length advantage midstretch through 7f in 1:24.75. 17-1 Mondialiste, 11th early, got clear and rallied well but left with too much ground to make up as Tepin cruised to a 2 1/4 length win in 1:36.69 It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to 13-1 Grand Arch third, while favorite Make Believe was 5th.
Left: Tepin in the winner's circle with owner Robert Masterson. Masterson said, "I told everyone that she was the best filly in the country and she proved it today. She's great. She's a Breeders' Cup champion and she deserves it."
Right: Tepin heads back to the barn. Winning trainer Mark Casse said, "I said to Norman (son and top assistant) after Stephanie's Kitten's performance today (in the Filly and Mare Turf) that if (Tepin) is going to be champion Turf Mare, she's going to have to win today. I whispered that in her ear. To be in the same company with Goldikova, Miesque, Six Perfections, and Royal Heroine, beating the boys in the mile, I'm not sure I have the words. Am I dreaming? She just continues to amaze me. I'm still in shock (at how easily she won and by how many lengths) so I'll have to watch the race a few more times, and then I'll be even more surprised. I can't put it into words what great work Norman did with this horse. It's special. He worked really hard with her."
The trophy presentation with trainer Mark Casse to the left of jockey Julien Leparoux. Leparoux said, "She broke well like she always does. I was surprised actually to be on the lead around the first turn. I thought that Obviously would be there already. He came across on me and I couldn't get out. As soon as I pulled, she was great, she just relaxed. On the backside, I was very confident."
Left: Second place finisher Mondialiste in the post parade. Trainer David O'Meara said, "I'm over the moon. He was struggling for a while and we got a b it short of room. But, he didn't have it coming down the stretch. He's improving all the time and has even improved from his last run in Canada (Woodbine Mile). I'm really, really pleased." Jockey Daniel Tudhope added, "He traveled great for most of the way and everything nearly went according to plan. I had to wait for the gaps and he picked up incredibly well."
Right: Third place finisher Grand Arch in the post parade. Jockey Luis Saez said, "Got a good break and we got some good position early. The horses in front of me seemed to be going slow and he was wanting to run off with me. But he settled and kept on running. In the stretch, he was perfect, but the winner was going too fast to catch."
Beaten favorite and fifth place finisher Make Believe walks over before the race. Jockey Olivier Peslier said, "Disappointing really. Last time at Longchamp, he gave me a great kick. This time, he traveled well for me, but found no kick today. Maybe it was the ground."
Breeders' Cup Saturday Results - There were 9 races Saturday highlighted by the $5 million Classic where American Pharoah was an impressive winner in his final start before retiring to stud. Also on the card, Found won the Turf, Nyquist won the Juvenile, and Tepin won the Mile. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 9 races here. Get more photos and comments for each race here.
Breeders' Cup Friday Results - There were 4 races Friday highlighted by the Distaff where Stopchargingmaria won by a neck over Stellar Wind and the Dirt Mile won by Liam's Map. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 4 races here.
Thursday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 38 horses out on Thursday morning at Keeneland on both the main and training tracks, including American Pharoah. Beholder was also out, but was found to have bled when scoped and is scratched from the Classic.
Wednesday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 46 horses out on a very rainy Wednesday morning at Keeneland on both the main and training tracks, including Keen Ice, Frosted, and Golden Horn. No American Pharoah yet, hopefully he comes out tomorrow.
2015 Breeders' Cup Entries - Check out the entries, post postitions, and morning line odds for the 13 Breeders' Cup World Championship races to be held at Keeneland on October 30 and 31.
Tuesday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 31 horses out on a rainy Tuesday morning at Keeneland including Stephanie's Kitten, Grand Arch, and Private Zone.
Monday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 28 horses out Monday morning at Keeneland including Rachel's Valentina and a timed work by Beholder.
Sunday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 10 horses out Sunday morning at Keeneland including Liam's Map and Lea
Breeders' Cup Weather - Check out the latest weather forecasts for the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland
Review: Crushing the Cup 2015 - by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett. An invaluable tool for trying to unlock the mysteries of handicapping the Breeders' Cup races at Keeneland updated for 2015.
2014 Breeders' Cup Saturday Results - The feature race was the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic won by Bayern. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 9 races here.
2014 Breeders' Cup Friday Results - Friday was headlined by the $2 million Ladies Classic won by Untapable. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 4 races here.
Breeders' Cup History - Historical info, past results, and photos from previous runnings
The Breeders' Cup Championship Day - The official page for the Breeders' Cup championship races. Just about anything you need to know about it: results, video clips, and race calls for past years, and eventually nominations, entries, and results.
Free Prep Replays - for major prep races in the Breeders' Cup Challenge. The ones with camera logos have video available.
Blazing Silks, Breeders' Cup Edition- an interactive social network game that allows horse racing fans and social gamers to train and care for Thoroughbred horses.
TV Schedule - for all the preps and other programming leading up to the big day
Breeders' Cup Postcards - Breeders' Cup theme virtual postcards to send your friends including many past winners
Breeders' Cup Supplemental Entries - The old official policy on supplemental entries plus all the supplemental entries and how they fared, mostly it was a losing proposition. There are no more supplements now, only late nominations making it impossible to track now.
Left: Tepin in the winner's circle with owner Robert Masterson. Masterson said, "I told everyone that she was the best filly in the country and she proved it today. She's great. She's a Breeders' Cup champion and she deserves it."
Left: Second place finisher Mondialiste in the post parade. Trainer David O'Meara said, "I'm over the moon. He was struggling for a while and we got a b it short of room. But, he didn't have it coming down the stretch. He's improving all the time and has even improved from his last run in Canada (Woodbine Mile). I'm really, really pleased." Jockey Daniel Tudhope added, "He traveled great for most of the way and everything nearly went according to plan. I had to wait for the gaps and he picked up incredibly well."
