Baffert’s ‘ brilliant’ Gamine sets mark
After failing past drug tests, she wins Filly & Mare Sprint
As he walked up the tunnel heading toward the winner’s circle after the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert left his California cool behind him. For a few moments, he was going to let loose, to allow himself a release of emotion.
That’s because he watched sheer brilliance from his fast 3-year-old filly Gamine. She dominated the $1 million,
51⁄4 2- furlong race, winning by a whopping 61⁄ lengths.
And she did it in trackrecord time, covering the distance in 1 minute, 20.02 seconds. That mark eclipses the fastest time (1:21.32) at Keeneland for the distance, set by Taris in 2014.
Gamine was the evenmoney favorite and paid $4.20, $3 and $2.40.
“She is just brilliant,” said Baffert, who was downright giddy as he walked quickly to meet Gamine in the winner’s circle. “She is the fastest filly going one turn that I have ever trained. I wanted it bad for her.”
He wanted it bad because Gamine’s reputation — as well as Baffert’s — has been stained. The filly had positive drug tests following two races this year. In both incidents — following a third-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks on Sept. 4 and an allowance race at Oaklawn Park on May 2 — Gamine had regulated substances in her system.
“With everything she has gone through, she deserved it,” Baffert said. “This really means a lot. There is no doubt how brilliant she was.”
Turf
The start wasn’t good for Tarnawa in the $4 million Turf. The end was a lot better.
The European 4-yearold filly, one of four females in the field of 10, lost her footing at the start of the 11⁄ 2- mile marathon and fell back in the pack.
She found her best stride in the stretch and rolled to a length win over Magical, the 2-1 favorite. She was timed in 2:28.02.
Colin Keane was the winning rider and he got the mount because Christophe Soumillon, who was named to ride, had to be replaced when he tested positive for coronavirus.
Dirt Mile
Trainer Brad Cox won his third Breeders’ Cup race of the weekend when Knicks Go, the 9-5 favorite, led from start to finish to win the $1 million Dirt Mile in a track-record time of 1:33.85. The old record was 1:34.54, set by Liam’s Map in 2015.
Knicks Go, who was second in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at odds of 40-1, has now won his three starts this year by a combined 211⁄ lengths. He 4 was not even being considered for the Breeders’ Cup until he won his previous start, a 101⁄ 4- length victory in an allowance race at 11⁄ miles at Kee16 neland on Oct. 4, also in track-record time.
Sprint
The fourth time was the charm for the 7-year-old gelding Whitmore. After failing to win the $2 million Sprint in 2017 (eighth), 2018 (second) and 2019 (third), the old man came through when he spurted away in the stretch to win the sixfurlong race by 31⁄ 4 lengths at odds of 18-1.
Whitmore was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. The Sprint was the 38th start of Whitmore’s career and produced his 15th win.
Filly & Mare Turf
Mechanicville’s Chad Brown was denied his fifth win in the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf when 5-2 favorite Rushing Fall was caught at the wire by European invader Audarya, who won by a neck. The 5-year-old Rushing Fall, making her final career start, had won all three of her starts this year and was making her first try at the 13⁄ 16- mile distance.
“She has had an outstanding career,” Brown said. “She has definitely been a horse of a lifetime for anybody, including me. I’m sad to see her go because you’re not going to replace her easily, or if ever. Bottom line is I was super proud of her effort. She gave it all she had.”
Mile
Aidan O’brien, known as the best trainer in Europe, hasn’t had much success in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile. Before Saturday, he had an 0-for-24 record in the grass race. And his horses had lost their 57 previous starts in America.
That was all forgotten after O’brien, who did not make the trip to the Breeders’ Cup, ran first, second and third in the Mile. Those who kept the faith were rewarded because the winner was Order of Australia, who went off as the longest price in the field at 73-1.
Turf Sprint
The $1 million Turf Sprint fit for Glass Slippers, a 4-year-old filly that beat the boys. One of four females in the 14-horse field, Glass Slippers and jockey Tom Eaves split horses in mid-stretch and got to the lead. She then held off Wet Your Whistle and Jose Ortiz to win by a half-length.