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Halfbridled caps a perfect season with a win in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies. Her jockey, Julie Krone, became the first female rider to win a Breeders' Cup race.

"I had a great concern," Mandella said, before pointing to the crown of the Santa Anita main track. "She isn't far from that outside dip. I was afraid if anybody bumped her, it might have looked like a skiing accident, sliding down that hill and hitting that fence or something."

Two jumps out of the gate, there were no more worries. Halfbridled "leapt" out of the starting gate, said her rider, Julie Krone. She positioned herself a comfortable four wide entering the first turn, and went on to dominate the $1 million Juvenile Fillies by 2 1/2 lengths Saturday at steamy Santa Anita.

Ashado, a stalking presence the entire way, got past Victory U. S. A., near the pace the entire way, by a neck for second. It was 9 1/4 lengths back to the rest of the field.

Krone became the first female rider to win a Breeders' Cup race on the flat. She had been 0 for 14 in the Breeders' Cup and had not ridden in the event since 1995. Krone is also the only woman to have won a Triple Crown race, taking the 1993 Belmont Stakes with Colonial Affair.

For Krone, 40, the victory comes less than a year after she returned from a 3 1/2-year retirement. She is the only woman rider in racing's Hall of Fame.

"To win, it is very, very satisfying," Krone said Sunday. "It's such an intense day."

The victory capped a 4-for-4 campaign and a certain Eclipse Award for Halfbridled, a homebred daughter of Unbridled owned by the Wertheimer Farm of Alain and Gerard Wertheimer. The victory also kicked off a memorable day for trainer Richard Mandella, who went on to win the Juvenile, Turf, and Classic to become the first trainer to win four Breeders' Cup races on one card.

Ever since Mandella answered his first question about Halfbridled, he has used the word "special" to describe her. So far, there has been no reason to find another word.

"She is special, I mean, seriously," Mandella said Sunday morning. "A lot of horses wouldn't have done that."

Halfbridled's quickness away from the gate enabled her to get a tenable position entering the first turn. She was four wide when Forest Music set a blistering pace of 22.88 seconds and 46.82 while being chased by Victory U. S. A., Ashado, and Vino Tinto.

"I was very happy to be four wide," Krone said. "From then on I can honestly say I did a lot more pulling than I did pushing."

Halfbridled was third entering the far turn and emerged with the lead approaching the quarter pole. Ashado was to Halfbridled's outside under John Velazquez, and Victory U. S. A. was to Halfbridled's inside under Jerry Bailey. Halfbridled pricked her ears turning for home, but she got serious when it mattered and drew away late. She returned $6.60 as the favorite.

Her brilliance in winning the Juvenile Fillies and her time of 1:42.75 for 1 1/16 miles - .87 seconds faster than Action This Day's winning time in the Juvenile - have many wondering if Halfbridled could be a candidate for next year's Kentucky Derby?

"I hope she's so good next year I have to really worry about it, but that's as far as I'm going today," Mandella said.

Bob Baffert, the trainer of Victory U. S. A. and Class Above (7th), had nothing but praise for Halfbridled.

"If they were to run the Kentucky Derby in January, she'd win it," Baffert said. "I haven't seen a filly like that in a long time."

Mandella said Halfbridled would get a nice rest and probably wouldn't start training until the start of 2004.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said he was pleased with how Ashado ran, but "Halfbridled was too good on the day. We needed her to stub her toe, and she got a good trip. That's to her credit. Good horses produce good trips for themselves."

Pletcher also said Ashado may run again this year, in the Demoiselle at Aqueduct on Nov. 29.

Baffert said Victory U. S. A. would probably run in the Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park on Dec. 13, and that Class Above emerged from the race with mucus in her throat.