LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Dangerous Midge had at the top of his résumé one lonely Group 3 win as he came to Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup Turf. But his trainer, Brian Meehan, had long considered the 4-year-old top-class material, and Dangerous Midge rewarded Meehan's confidence with a 1 1/4-length victory in the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf.
Meehan knew what it would take to win: He trained Red Rocks to victory the last time the BC Turf was held at Churchill Downs, in 2006.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Christophe Clement had just lost the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Gio Ponti had finished second in the Classic in 2009, and now he had been second-best in the 2010 Mile. But Christophe Clement was smiling. Everyone at Churchill Downs seemed to be smiling. Smiles, goosebumps – the products of a Goldikova masterpiece.
“She’s a freak,” Clement said. “She’s the best miler we’ve seen in a long, long time.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Any lingering disappointment trainer Jerry Hollendorfer may have felt after Blind Luck lost Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic was eradicated when his longshot Dakota Phone powered down the center of the Churchill Downs stretch to run down Morning Line and win the $1 million Dirt Mile by a head.
“Our horse yesterday gave her best, and she didn’t just quite get there,” said Hollendorfer, referring to Blind Luck. “We were happy to win this though to make up for it a little bit.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It takes something special to make trainer Todd Pletcher emotional. Uncle Mo confirmed Saturday that he is indeed something special.
Uncle Mo not only crowned himself the 2-year-old champion but also stamped himself the winter-book favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby with a dominant 4 1/4-length victory over Boys At Tosconova in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. It was six lengths back to Rogue Romance in third.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Goldikova a made history Saturday at Churchill Downs, becoming the first horse to win three Breeders' Cup races after surging through the stretch to a convincing 1 3/4-length victory over two-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile.
Goldikova, an Irish-bred daughter of Anabaa, had captured the 2008 and 2009 editions of the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Now 5, she is trained by Freddy Head for the partnership of Alain and Gerard Werthheimer.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It takes something special to make trainer Todd Pletcher emotional. Uncle Mo confirmed Saturday that he is indeed something special.
Uncle Mo not only crowned himself the 2-year-old champion but also stamped himself the winter-book favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby with a dominant 4 1/4-length victory over Boys At Tosconova in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. It was six lengths back to Rogue Romance in third.
Television viewers were unable to watch the Breeders' Cup broadcast on ESPN from 3:30 p.m. Eastern until 3:52 because a college football game went into overtime.
During the 22-minute blackout, the broadcast was available on ESPN360.com, a website run by the network. The blackout affected the entire prerace coverage of the Juvenile, the fourth of eight Breeders' Cup races on the day and the second leg of the pick six.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bret Calhoun kept downplaying the foot abscess that threatened to prevent Chamberlain Bridge from starting as one of the favorites in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. And after the 6-year-old gelding stormed to victory Saturday in the five-furlong race, giving Calhoun and jockey Jamie Theriot their second BC victory in as many days, the 46-year-old trainer proved just how right he was.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer David Fawkes did his homework. Jockey Eibar Coa followed his instructions perfectly. And Big Drama did the rest.
Racing on the lead but well off the rail, Big Drama led throughout to register a 1 1/2-length victory over the 23-1 outsider Hamazing Destiny in Saturday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint. Smiling Tiger pressed the pace and outlasted the fast-closing Supreme Summit for third.
