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.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The venues were 115 miles apart, but the outcome was familiar.

Owner Bob Edwards, trainer Chad Brown and jockey Javier Castellano won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at a California track for the second consecutive year Friday.

Last year, New Money Honey proved best at Santa Anita. On Friday, Rushing Fall closed from ninth to win the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf to remain unbeaten after three starts.

“Wow,” Edwards said, reflecting on his success. “It’s really impressive.

“She’s a turf rocket.”

Here’s a look at the $1 million-guaranteed pick four sequence on the Breeders’ Cup Saturday card, consisting of races 5-8.

RACE 5 – TURF SPRINT

If there are no issues, LADY AURELIA (3) could put on a show in this year’s Turf Sprint. While she lost overseas in her most recent start, she’s proven herself at the five-eighths distance and she should love getting back to firm going. Wesley Ward has had the Breeders’ Cup circled for quite some time, and anything less than her best will be viewed as a disappointment.

World Approval, by Northern Afleet
Last 3 Beyers: 108-108-102

* 22.68 seconds – that was how fast World Approval ran his second quarter-mile in the Woodbine Mile. That’s a really demanding split, but World Approval still rattled off an excellent 22.79 final quarter two win easily over Lancaster Bomber while giving that rival 12 pounds.

Unique Bella, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 96-97-99

* This imposing gray filly has been the talk of the backstretches of Santa Anita and Del Mar over the last couple of weeks, and if she can get away cleanly enough from her favorable outside post, she should have every chance to become the first-ever 3-year-old winner in 11 runnings of the Filly and Mare Sprint.

Skye Diamonds, by First Dude
Last 3 Beyers: 97-99-95

:: See Kenny Peck’s pick four play in DRF TicketMaker and bet it with DRF Bets

RACE 6: BEST PERFORMANCE was closing well in the late stages of the Miss Grillo despite some slow splits up front. HAPPILY has won four of her last five and she has the best Timeform figures of the Europeans. CAPLA TEMPTRESS overcame trouble to win the Natalma. RUSHING FALL has the top Beyers of the American fillies, and she's the main stretch threat here.

A's: 1, 2

Moonshine Memories, by Malibu Moon (Last 3 Beyers: 86-82-83)

* Simon Callaghan-trained filly has done absolutely nothing wrong in her three starts and is a deserving favorite here for a number of reasons, including her superior Beyers and tractable speed.

Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon (Last 3 Beyers: 80-78-52)

Even the humblest horse at a reputable Thoroughbred auction is afforded the dignity of a black and white sticker on its hip to designate its lot number.

Dignity was one of many things on short supply for Meetmeontime in the summer of 2009, when the Marion County Humane Society found her among 33 neglected horses on the Ocala, Fla. farm of Lope Gonzalez. A year and a half after going through the auction ring as Hip 718, the mare was identified by the Humane Society with a sickly green “29” painted on her neck.

Del Mar
Weather: Cloudy
Temp.: 65
Main track: Fast
Turf: Firm

DEL MAR, Calif. – After seeing an endless stream of Chad Brown and Bob Baffert-trained Breeders’ Cup contenders out on the track at Del Mar the previous couple of mornings, along came Team O’Brien to join them on Thursday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Dan Hendricks grew up just inland from Del Mar racetrack and has been a trainer on this circuit for 30 years after being an assistant before that, so he has seen Del Mar itself, and the area around here, grow exponentially over the years.

Back when Hendricks first started going to the races here, Del Mar had its original grandstand, which was built by cofounders Bing Crosby and Pat O’Brien for the small crowds and population of greater San Diego in 1937.