ARCADIA, Calif. - Although he had two other horses in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile field who were more accomplished, trainer Richard Mandella had been touting Action This Day all week to anyone who would listen. Those who heeded his advice received a more than generous payoff.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Michael Stoute fretted all week about what effects the long trip and unseasonably warm weather might have on his filly Islington on Breeders' Cup Day. But those fears proved unfounded after Islington led a one, two, three finish for the European invaders with a hard fought triumph over trainer Aidan O'Brien's pair uncoupled of L'Ancresse and Yesterday in Saturday's $1,060,000 Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The milestones arrived in bunches when High Chaparral and Johar finished in a dead heat in Saturday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita.
The result was the first dead heat for a win in the 20-year history of the Breeders' Cup; High Chaparral became the first horse to win two runnings of the Turf; and it was trainer Richard Mandella's third victory on a day when he set a Breeders' Cup record scoring four wins on a single Breeders' Cup day. D. Wayne Lukas held the previous record with three wins in 1988.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Patrick Valenzuela was wearing the dark blue silks of owners John and Jerry Amerman in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Distaff, but he forgot to add a ski mask. Valenzuela made like a bank robber, stealing the Distaff with Adoration with a front-running upset to begin the 20th Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Santa Anita.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Cajun Beat was given little respect by bettors, but the 3-year-old gelding left no doubt who the best sprinter in the country was Saturday. Shipping from Kentucky to Santa Anita, Cajun Beat scored a $47.60 upset with a dominating win in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Overcoming the treacherous 14 post at Santa Anita, Halfbridled capped an undefeated season (4 for 4) and cemented a division championship by rolling to a 2 1/2-length victory in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Ashado rallied past Victory U. S. A. in the final strides to get second by a neck.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Only when she was ready did Six Perfections show why she has been one of the top milers in Europe this year.
After briefly refusing to load, Six Perfections unleashed an explosive rally in the stretch to win Saturday's $1,375,000 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. The only 3-year-old filly in the field of 13, Six Perfections outfinished Touch of the Blues by three-quarters of a length. Century City, a 39-1 shot, finished third.
Sarafan, a winner of $2.3 million in his career, was scratched from Saturday's $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita after a poor blood test, trainer Neil Drysdale said.
"He was a little dull," Drysdale said. "He's got a low blood count."
Owned by Gary Tanaka, Sarafan finished second in the Grade 2 Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile on Oct. 5, losing by a half-length to Designed for Luck, a top contender for the BC Mile.
ARCADIA, Calif. - They seem like the unlikeliest of pairs, the calm, cerebral jockey, and the brash, often emotional trainer. But when Jerry Bailey and Bobby Frankel team up, they meld perfectly, like pouring chocolate sauce over vanilla ice cream.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Richard Mandella does not have to look far for reminders of the last Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita.
At home in Pasadena, trophies commemorating his two wins that day sit prominently on the fireplace mantel. At his office at Santa Anita, a framed collage hangs on the wall near his desk, a reminder of Phone Chatter's performance in the Juvenile Fillies and Kotashaan's in the Turf.
