ARCADIA, Calif. -- At opposite ends of Los Angeles on Sunday, the victors and the vanquished in the 25th Breeders Cup at Santa Anitas Oak Tree meeting were assessing their futures.
No specific plans were announced for Curlin, Ravens Pass, or Zenyatta, though it seemed Zenyatta was the likeliest to remain in training.
ARCADIA, Calif. - When Raven's Pass roared past Curlin in upper stretch and galloped to a 1 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita, it capped an unprecedented five-win day in the series for the European contingent.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Perhaps it was fitting that Conduit won Saturday's $3,195,000 Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita, the richest race in the United States over 1 1/2 miles on turf.
He had already conquered England's longest classic race for 3-year-olds this year, the Group 1 St. Leger at Doncaster over 1 11/16 miles on Sept. 13.
Not surprisingly for a true stayer, Conduit was outstanding through the stretch run of the BC Turf, rallying from fourth through the final furlong to catch Eagle Mountain and win by 1 1/2 lengths. Conduit ($13.60) ran the distance in 2:23.42.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Bob Baffert called Midshipman a "basket case" when he was training in Del Mar earlier this summer. Now, Bob Baffert hopes he can call Midshipman a champion.
Midshipman's maturation continued Saturday at Santa Anita with a front-running victory in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile, a victory that may just earn him an Eclipse Award as the nation's top 2-year-old colt. Midshipman, under Garrett Gomez, won by 1 1/4 lengths over Square Eddie, who finished a half-length ahead of Street Hero.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Donativum, the bad boy of the spring, has become Donativum, the star racehorse of the fall.
Back in June, Donativum was gelded after he displayed unruly behavior at trainer John Gosden's stable in England. Since then, he is unbeaten in three starts, the latest of which was Saturday's $1,130,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita.
Donativum wore down Westphalia in the final sixteenth to win by a half-length.
"In a two-turn mile, you do need luck," Gosden said. "It's never a race you can take for granted."
ARCADIA, Calif. - It was like a French magic trick. At the eighth pole in the 25th Breeders' Cup Mile, the blue and white silks of Alain and Gerard Wertheimer were blocked behind a wall of horses. And then, voila! In an instant, they were two lengths in front. And with that brilliant turn of foot, Goldikova won the Mile by 1 1/4 lengths over defending champion Kip Deville, and raised even higher the reputation of her trainer, Freddie Head.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Zenyatta, whose winning performance in the $2 million Ladies' Classic at Santa Anita on Friday stole the show on the first of two days of the 25th Breeders' Cup championships, was back home at Hollywood Park and feeling her usual chipper self on Saturday.
"All is well," said John Shirreffs, who trains Zenyatta for owners Jerry and Ann Moss. "I could run her again today if I wanted to."
If and when Zenyatta will run next is the big question after the undefeated filly sewed up a division title with her ninth consecutive victory in the Ladies Classic.