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Breeders Cup Wrap Up Breeders Cup Saturday Breeders Cup Friday Breeders Cup Wed Works Breeders Cup Tue Works |
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 Jockey Ryan Moore celebrates aboard Benvenuto Cellini after winning the Turf |
The 2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships ended on Saturday with nine races, all with year-end championship implications, four of which were conducted over Keeneland's 7 1/2 furlong Haggin Turf Course in the infield. Conditions were similar to Friday, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 70's for the 45,775 fans in attendance, with the course officially "firm" but with a GoingStick reading of 8.6, would be considered "good-to-firm" elsewhere.
Flavien Prat won the 24th Bill Shoemaker Award, his second time after winning in 2024, after winning the Juvenile on Hughes on Friday followed by the Filly and Mare Sprint on Ways and Means and Owen Almighty in the Dirt Mile on Saturday The Shoemaker Award goes to the jockey who rides the most winners in the 14 Championship races with the tiebreaker being a 10-3-1 point system for second- through fourth-place finishes; Ryan Moore also won three races but Prat won on points.
 Benvenuto Cellini wins the Turf |
Jockey Tom Marquand sent 23-1 Deep Monster to the lead for the first lap of the course through fractions of 23.87, 47.82, 1:12.84, and 1:38.76 while pressed by 29-1 Johanna Walsh and stalked by 21-1 Hotazhell and 37-1 Far Bridge. Turning for home, Deep Monster continued to lead through 10f in 2:04.24 before tiring badly, allowing Hotazhell to lead briefly in midstretch before also tiring. Favorite Benvenuto Cellini, as far back as 12th early and 7 lengths off the pace, was sent through an opening between horses by Ryan Moore at the 1/16 pole and outfinished 40-1 longest shot Map of Stars to win by 3/4 length in 2:27.50. It was another 3/4 length back to Diamond Necklace third.
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Purse: $5,000,000 Distance: 1 1/2 miles turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 2 Benvenuto Cellini Moore 8.52 6.32 4.60 15 Map of Stars Doyle 30.80 20.98 12 Diamond Necklace Soumillon 3.96 Winning Time: 2:27.50 $1 Exacta 2-15 134.64 $1 Trifecta 2-15-12 703.36 $1 Superfecta 2-15-12-10 6,869.90 Expanded results with more photos and details |
Benvenuto Cellini heads back to the barn after the race. Winning jockey Dylan McMonagle said, "We decided to get back (in the field) and get him to relax, waiting for a bit of luck. Thankfully, halfways, the gallop was strong and it give me a good chance to finish, but once I was able to angle out off the turn, I was just pushing the button, and the way he went and he bolted up the lines. It's great to top off a year that we've had (champion jockey in Ireland). It is unbelievable, so I must thanks to everyone who deserves it."
Winning trainer Willie Mullins said, "The first time I brought him to Royal Ascot, he had a similar draw, he was wide on the outside, and he just broke so fast. He was too free. So now we just try and temper his early speed, which is a bit contradictory. Normally the Irish horses coming to America, we gun them up to try to get out of the stalls quick. We were doing the opposite with this fellow. We put a hood on him to slow him down. When Dylan jumped out, he just wheeled him across and behind and just got him relaxed and got him spitting out the bit. That worked for our better, and it does work, as we can see. He's just improving now that we have refined the tactics."
 Deterministic wins the Mile |
Jockey Mike Smith sent 54-1 Cabo Spirit to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.31 and 47.01 while pressed by Deterministic and stalked by 18-1 Puerto Rico On the far turn Cabo Spirit tired allowing Deterministic to gain the lead through 3/4 in 1:10.80. Into the stretch Deterministic opened up a 3 length lead through 7f in 1:22.31, and kept to task by Kendrick Carmouche, held off late-running favorite Notable Speech to win by 3/4 length in 1:34.52. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to 17-2 Lake Forest third.
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Purse: $2,000,000 Distance: 1 mile turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Deterministic Carmouche 12.10 4.62 3.22 8 Notable Speech Buick 3.34 2.48 2 Lake Forest Fallon 4.14 Winning Time: 1:34.52 $1 Exacta 1-8 14.65 $1 Trifecta 1-8-2 42.36 $1 Superfecta 1-8-2-3 702.00 Expanded results with more photos and details |
Deterministic heads back to the barn after the race. Winning trainer Miguel Clement, celebrating his first Breeders' Cup win said, “We got a great trip, stalking position, and pounced at the right time. Without a doubt, there was pace. He was in a stalking, pouncing position. Cabo Spirit lugged out a little bit, per usual, and he was able to make the most of it and open up at the top of the stretch and make him pay. He used his high cruising speed. I feel relieved because when you're training a horse as good as him. I should never have got him beat in Canada. It's 100% my fault. I'm over the moon that we got it right this time.”
Winning jockey Kendrick Carmouche, celebrating his first Breeders' Cup win said, “Beyond belief. My dad (Sylvester) died two years ago, Mr. (Christophe) Clement died a year after, and those people just set the table for me and Miguel to be successful. It's the best sport in the world. If you never saw it yet, you need to come out and see it, because you're going to meet cool people like me and some of the top jockeys in the world. I love y'all.”
 Kathynmarissa wins the Filly and Mare Turf |
Jockey Javier Castellano sent 22-1 Classic Q to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.90, 47.76, and 1:11.85 while pressed by 40-1 Expensive Queen and stalked by 17-1 Stellify and 25-1 Red Letter. Into the stretch Classic Q tired as 10-1 fourth choice Gimme a Nother gained the lead through 1 mile in 1:35.95. Kathynmarissa, fifth early under Jose Ortiz, came out for room and outfinished Gimme a Nother late to in by 3/4 length in 1:53.75. It was another 1/2 length back to late-running 26-1 Jancis third, while favorite Blue Bolt trailed early and failed to rally finishing 11th beaten 9 1/4 lengths.
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Purse: $2,000,000 Distance: 1 3/16 miles turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 5 Kathynmarissa Ortiz 13.24 6.08 4.54 1 Gimme a Nother Velazquez 7.88 5.48 8 Jancis Lee 9.86 Winning Time: 1:53.75 $1 Exacta 5-1 42.24 $1 Trifecta 5-1-8 628.40 $1 Superfecta 5-1-8-10 11,198.70 Expanded results with more photos and details |
Kathynmarissa in the post parade. Winning trainer Chad Brown said, "Often times this filly, she only grabs the bit in the lane and Jose, I can’t say enough about how he’s learned this filly and knows how to get along with her. We had a plan. That last conversation walking out with me and him to the track was reaffirming where if you get a good ground saving position on that first turn, you can go wide as you want in that second turn because she’s a clear run horse, which we both know about her. I’m just so happy those two found each other because he’s been a big part of her success.”
Winning jockey Jose Ortiz said, “She broke alert and that helped me a lot. That was the plan (to be wide in the stretch). I wanted to (tuck) in on the first turn and on the second turn, I wanted to go outside. That’s how she likes to run. I knew that could have been me (going up the rail), but she doesn’t like to do that. She’d rather be outside. Today, it wasn’t a (strong) turn of foot - it took her a little bit to get going. At the three-eighths pole I was struggling a little bit, finally she hit the clear and she gave me that run that she always puts up.”
 Bacio wins the Turf Sprint |
Jockey Juan Hernandez sent Bacio to the lead out of the gate through fractions of 21.23 and 43.86 while pressed by 22-1 Miss Yechance and stalked by 16-1 Shisospicy and 17-1 Joe Shiesty. Turning for home Bacio continued to lead through 5f in 55.75. Kept to task by Hernandez, Bacio cruised to a 2 length win over late-running Cy Fair in 1:02.11. It was a neck back to 27-1 Starlust third, and a nose back to favorite Comanche Brave fourth.
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Purse: $1,000,000 Distance: 5 1/2 furlongs turf
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 3 Bacio Hernandez 6.36 5.96 4.12 10 Cy Fair Velazquez 8.14 6.08 13 Starlust Ryan 12.08 Winning Time: 1:02.11 $1 Exacta 3-10 37.27 $1 Trifecta 3-10-13 705.06 $1 Superfecta 3-10-13-5 3,336.50 $1 Superfecta 3-10-5-13 1,424.60 Expanded results with more photos and details |
Bacio in the post parade. Winning trainer Wesley Ward said, "My daughter-in-law brought me one of the greatest gifts ever. My grandson Killian, and she put an ownership group together with MyRacehorse in order to keep him here in our stable. It's so nice to have thousands of owners in this horse and win the Breeders' Cup. MyRacehorse is fantastic, where we have so many owners and they have so many friends that watch this this race. We need all the help we can get in our in our sport, and I think this is a big boost. When you’ve got speed, you go to the lead. Juan did a great job.”
Photos courtesy of Amber Chalfin of Downthestretchphotos.com.
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