Friday's four race card of championship races was the shortest in recent years. Formful could be the word that best described the races Friday evening. Europeans still hold a stranglehold on the Juvenile Turf for the colts when Hootenanny stretched out to a mile and a sixteenth and scored at 6-1 for absent trainer; Wesley Ward. Ward was in Florida watching his teenage son compete in a state cross-country tournament and missed both days of the action. The $14.00 win mutual for this son of Quality Road was the biggest payout of day one. The next three races had solid favorites win impressively with a repeat champion, a highly talented two year old filly on the weeds and a three year old miss with a storybook ending to her sophomore season.
Goldencents won his second Breeder's Cup Mile in wire to wire fashion much like he did last year. Lady Eli is a filly with a huge future especially on grass with a dominating victory in the Juvenile Filly Turf. But the highlight of day one was the victory of Untapable in the Distaff for the ladies. This three year gal faced older foes for the first time and was impressive in winning capping a great three year old season. After her victory was the surprise announcement from her jockey; Rosie Napravink that she was retiring from the sport and starting a family with her husband; trainer Joe Sharp. What a way to cap off the Friday festivities. What could top that announcement, drama wise for this year's Breeder's Cup? Stick around for late Saturday evening to see!
While Friday was somewhat "chalky" in the results, the first race on Saturday produced a huge $125.40 payout when the longshot in the Juvenile Fillies, Take Charge Brandi won for Hall of Fame trainer; D.Wayne Lukas. In the wide open Filly and Mare Turf, the classy N.Y. bred; Dayatthespa took them wire to wire for Mechanicville native trainer Chad Brown. The only favorite of the nine race card (and lukewarm at 3-1) was Judy the Beauty and she was victorious in the Filly & Mare Sprint. In the Breeder's Cup Turf Sprint going down the hill course at Santa Anita, produced the highest post time favorite of the card at 7-2 and was won with the incredible late close of Bobby's Kitten, once again for the Chad Brown barn.
Longshots would go on a tear in the next five races with a surprise impressive Juvenile winner; Texas Red over big favorite; Carpe Diem. The overlay of the day, Main Sequence in the Turf winning a fourth straight grade I race since shipping over from Europe, Work All Week, who shipped in from the Midwest and now is 10 for 10 on dirt winning the Sprint at 19-1. He rounded the parade of longshots with a 30-1 winner from the far outside post by the name of Karakonite in the turf mile.
In the Breeder's Cup Classic, it was a three year old that was victorious. But, not the one I expected would win. It was the speedy Bayern, who took a sharp left turn of out of the starting gate and impeded favorite; Shared Belief (which cost him all chance) and held off European import; Toast of New York and Kentucky Derby & Preakness champion; California Chrome at the wire as the winner and surviving a stewards inquiry. The chain reaction at the start also affected the other speed; Moreno who ended up dead last. After looking at the start of the race, the California stewards said that Bayern's actions did not affect the outcome of the race, based on past practices when handling similar events at California tracks. A unpopular decision by many, including myself who have my top four selections finish second through fifth in the race. This was a controversial ending to the Breeder's Cup which took a little away from the overall event and the non-D.Q. which most will remember about the day. It made a tough Breeder's Cup for myself and also for others I'm sure. With the switch of venue next year to Keeneland racetrack, just maybe the Breeder's Cup will produce some different results and not the same old, same old!
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