The $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) featured a field of 13 older fillies and mares sprinting 7 furlongs on the main track. Acorn (G1) winner Carina Mia was the 3-1 favorite off her second place finish in the Cotillion (G1). In to challenge her included 7-2 second choice Haveyougoneaway, winner of the Ballerina (G1) and Honorable Miss (G1) and 5-1 third choice Tara's Tango, 4th in the Zenyatta (G1) after winning the Rancho Bernardo (G2)
Finest City leads down the stretch.
18-1 Gloryzapper contested the pace with 15-1 Paulassilverlinng and 8-1 Finest City through fractions of 21.98 and 44.82. Gloryzapper tired badly into the lane, allowing Finest City to inherit the front through 3/4 in 1:09.42. Kept to task by Mike Smith, Finest City held off late-running 14-1 defending champion Wavell Avenue by 3/4 length in 1:22.37. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Paulassilverlining third, while favorite Carina Mia checked in ninth.
Left: Finest City in the winner's circle. Jockey Mike Smith said, "I love going along on the turf, back to middle distance sprint on the dirt. I was able to get on her a few times for him, and she was really going into this race great. She jumped very well today. I was able to just kind of put my hands down. Once they go 1 1/8 they learn to relax. She was well within herself. I knew she had her air in her being that she was running the distance. So it was just a matter if we could hold them off, and she did a great job of doing that. Again, just happy that I was part of the team today.
Right: The trophy celebration for the Filly and Mare Sprint. Trainer Ian Kruljac (holding the trophy) said, "I saw (Wavell Avenue) coming at her, and she dug down and started to pull away more, so I know she's got a lot of heart, and definitely a fighter. To get a Group 1 for a filly is everything you can do in this game, especially on this stage. There's nothing more you can dream for."
Left:
Finest City in the post parade. Winning owner Tyler Seltzer said, "I went upstairs to my office in my house, and I found a mug from the first time I ever attended a Breeders' Cup when I was 11 years old. It was November 1st, 1986, 30 years ago here at Oak Tree at Santa Anita. And I came with my mom. My mom's no longer alive. And her initials are on the back of our silks. She's been deceased for about nine years now. But I fell in love with horseracing at a very young age. To be back here 30 years later at a place like this in a race like this, with people like this and a horse like that, is just beyond belief."
Right: Finest City heads back to the barn.
Left: Second place finisher Wavell Avenue heads out to the track before the race. Trainer Chad Brown said, "She ran huge. She showed she's a real Grade 1 performer and last year was no fluke. She's a real good horse, especially in the fall. I'm proud of her effort. She was just second best."
Right: Third place finisher Paulassilverlining in the post parade. Trainer Michelle Nevin said, "I expected her to run well today and she did. Joe (Talamo) told me after the race that if she hadn't been pressed and had a chance to give her a little breather, then she would have run even better. I don't know if she would have won. I was pleased with her performance."
Ninth place finisher and beaten favorite Corina Mia returns after the race. Trainer Bill Mott said, "It's a head scratcher."
2016 Breeders' Cup Saturday - There were nine Breeders' Cup races on Saturday at Santa Anita headlined by the Classic (G1) where Arrogate ran down California Chrome to win by a half length. Also on the card, Tourist upset Tepin in the Mile (G1) and Champagne Room was a huge upset in the Juvenile Fillies. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 12 stakes on the card. More photos: Classic - Juvenile Fillies - Turf Sprint - F&M Sprint - F&M Turf - JuvenileSprint - TurfMile
2016 Breeders' Cup Friday - There were four Breeders' Cup races on Friday at Santa Anita headlined by the Distaff (G1) where Beholder edged out favorite Songbird to win her 3rd Breeders' Cup race. Also on the card, New Money Honey won the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), Tamarkuz won the Dirt Mile (G1), and Oscar Performance won the Juvenile Turf (G1). Get the results, charts, and photos for all 8 stakes on the card. More photos: Juvenile Turf -
Juvenile Fillies Turf -
Dirt Mile -
Distaff
2016 Breeders' Cup Thursday Works - Photos and comments for 39 of the Breeders' Cup horses on Thursday November 3 in the morning at Santa Anita, including Found and the rest of the Aidan O'Brien horses out of quarantine.
2016 Breeders' Cup Wednesday Works - Photos and comments for 33 of the Breeders' Cup horses on Wednesday November 2 in the morning at Santa Anita, including Flintshire and Beholder as well as California Chrome.
2016 Breeders' Cup Tuesday Works - Photos and comments for 66 of the Breeders' Cup horses on Tuesday November 1 in the morning at Santa Anita, including California Chrome.
2016 Breeders' Cup Monday Works - Photos and comments for 53 of the Breeders' Cup horses on Monday October 31 in the morning at Santa Anita.
2016 Breeders' Cup Entries - Final entries were taken and post positions drawn on Monday for the 13 Breeders' Cup Championship races on November 4 and 5 at Santa Anita. Check out the post positions, odds, and horses for all the races.
Breeders' Cup program pages to print - these are the short version with number, odds, silks, and basic info from BreedersCup.com for Friday and Saturday.
DRF Quick Sheets for the Breeders' Cup - a very short overview the last 3 Beyer figures for all the horses for Friday and Saturday.
Breeders' Cup Weather - Check out the latest weather forecasts for the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita
Review: Crushing the Cup 2016 - by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett. An invaluable tool for trying to unlock the mysteries of handicapping the Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita. Updated for 2016, this is their 25th anniversary edition.
2015 Breeders' Cup Saturday Results - The feature race was the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic won by American Pharoah. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 9 races here.
2015 Breeders' Cup Friday Results - Friday was headlined by the $2 million Ladies Classic won by Stopchargingmaria. 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.
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: Finest City in the winner's circle. Jockey Mike Smith said, "I love going along on the turf, back to middle distance sprint on the dirt. I was able to get on her a few times for him, and she was really going into this race great. She jumped very well today. I was able to just kind of put my hands down. Once they go 1 1/8 they learn to relax. She was well within herself. I knew she had her air in her being that she was running the distance. So it was just a matter if we could hold them off, and she did a great job of doing that. Again, just happy that I was part of the team today.
Left:
Finest City in the post parade. Winning owner Tyler Seltzer said, "I went upstairs to my office in my house, and I found a mug from the first time I ever attended a Breeders' Cup when I was 11 years old. It was November 1st, 1986, 30 years ago here at Oak Tree at Santa Anita. And I came with my mom. My mom's no longer alive. And her initials are on the back of our silks. She's been deceased for about nine years now. But I fell in love with horseracing at a very young age. To be back here 30 years later at a place like this in a race like this, with people like this and a horse like that, is just beyond belief."
Left: Second place finisher Wavell Avenue heads out to the track before the race. Trainer Chad Brown said, "She ran huge. She showed she's a real Grade 1 performer and last year was no fluke. She's a real good horse, especially in the fall. I'm proud of her effort. She was just second best."
