Vino Rosso captures tragedy-marred Classic
ARCADIA, Calif. — A victory by Vino Rosso in the Breeders’ Cup Classic was overshadowed by a fatal injury to a 15-1 long shot in the $6 million race at Santa Anita on Saturday night.
Cup officials said in a statement about two hours after the race that Mongolian Groom had been euthanized after sustaining a serious fracture to his left hind leg.
It’s the 37th horse death at Santa Anita since December and it occurred in the season-ending championships in front of 67,811 fans and a national prime-time television audience.
Mongolian Groom was part of the early pace in the 1¼-mile race. But jockey Abel Cedillo sharply pulled up the 4-year-old gelding near the eighth pole. Vino Rosso won by 4¼ lengths, drawing away from 5-2 favorite McKinzie down the stretch.
The biggest upset was by 14-1 shot Belvoir Bay in the $1 million Turf Sprint.
Ireland’s Joseph O’Brien made history. At 26, he became the youngest trainer to win a Cup race with Iridessa’s neck victory in the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf. In other races:
• Mitole closed out his racing career in style, winning the $2 million Sprint. The 4-year-old colt defeated 3-2 favorite Shancelot by 1¼ lengths, giving trainer Steve Asmussen his seventh career Cup win.
• Bricks and Mortar won the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf to complete a perfect season and move solidly into contention for Horse of the Year honors.
• Blue Prize rallied on the backstretch to win the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff by 1½ lengths, upsetting even-money favorite Midnight Bisou,
• Uni won the $2 million Mile on the turf. Uni might have wrested the distaff turf championship from Sistercharlie, who earlier ran third in the Filly & Mare Turf won by Iridessa,
• Covfefe won the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint and Spun to Run won the $1 million Dirt Mile, upsetting favored Omaha Beach.