Battle of Midway outduels Sharp Azteca in BC Dirt Mile

DEL MAR, Calif. – Battle of Midway was purchased privately during the spring with the hope of winning the Kentucky Derby, but has ultimately found his niche as a world-class miler after surviving a stretch-long duel with a game Sharp Azteca to register a half-length triumph in Friday’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.

Battle of Midway was purchased from Rick Porter by the partnership of Don Alberto Stable and WinStar Farm shortly after the horse finished second in the Santa Anita Derby, the new ownership group making the decision to keep the horse with his original trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer.

Battle of Midway finished third after forcing the pace in the Derby, skipped the remaining two legs of the Triple Crown and had won two of four subsequent starts leading up to the Dirt Mile including the Shared Belief Stakes when trying a mile for the first time at Del Mar on August 26.

With his regular rider Flavien Prat aboard, Battle of Midway broke alertly and was rated about four lengths off the early leaders while wide around the opening turn, joined for command three wide into the stretch, stuck his head in front of Sharp Azteca near the furlong marker then held tenaciously to that short advantage under strong handling to the wire.

Sharp Azteca broke alertly and quickly struck the front from the inside, but was immediately joined by the 67-1 Gato Del Oro to contest the pace through splits of 22.94 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.95 for a half. Sharp Azteca was in the process of shaking off his early challenger when engaged by the ultimate winner leaving the quarter pole, fought on bravely through the stretch, but was not quite good enough while easily best of the others.

Awesome Slew moved to within striking distance in early stretch, but could never menace the top pair, finishing 4 1/4 lengths in front of Practical Joke. Mor Spirit was bumped at the start, then rushed up and was forwardly placed for five furlongs but had little left at that point, finishing eighth as the 2-1 post-time favorite.

Battle of Midway completed the distance in 1:35.20 over a fast track and returned $30.40. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 108.

“I wanted the horse to break well and he did,” said Hollendorfer. “That allowed Flavien to sit in a good spot behind the speed. Flavien rode a perfect race. He got him over to save a little bit of ground and the outside post helped us because he wasn’t pushed down inside with nowhere to go.”

Hollendorfer said he thought Battle of Midway ran well in the Derby, but really found himself when winning his one-mile debut at Del Mar in the Shared Belief.

“Flavien suggested we try some little blinkers on him because he wasn’t focusing on things the way we wanted him to, just little quarter-horse blinkers with a half inch cup,” explained Hollendorfer. “Just a little thing, but sometimes little things like that can turn into a big thing. After he won the race the first time here at Del Mar, we felt all along we could run him in the Dirt Mile with the idea he really liked the racetrack.”

Hollendorfer said he has no future plans mapped out for Battle of Midway at this time.

“This was the point race, so we’ll just enjoy this one for a while and see what…the owners want to do, but I’d sure like to run him as a 4-year-old,” said Hollendorfer.

The result of the Dirt Mile was reminiscent, for Sharp Azteca’s trainer Jorge Navarro, of the 2015 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland when his Private Zone was narrowly defeated by Runhappy in the Sprint. In Friday’s Dirt Mile, Navarro said he was most concerned about Gato Del Oro.

“There was no time for [Sharp Azteca] to get out of there and settle back,” said Navarro. “We were committed to the lead at that point. But he ran his heart out. I guess I just can’t win a race like this.”