Gun Runner races to easy Classic victory
DEL MAR (San Diego County) — There’s a new king in horse racing and it’s Gun Runner.
The 4-year-old colt won the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by 2¼ lengths Saturday, sending rival Arrogate to a third straight defeat at Del Mar.
Gun Runner ran 1¼ miles in 2:01.29 and paid $6.80, $4.40 and $3.20.
“At the quarter pole, it was just a two-horse race between me and Collected,” Gun Runner’s jockey Florent Geroux said. “We just went on and the best horse won the race.”
Collected returned $5.60 and $4, while West Coast was another 1¼ lengths back in third and paid $3.60.
In other Breeders’ Cup races Saturday:
Turf: Talismanic extended the run of long-shot victories, taking the $4 million Turf at 14-1 odds. Under Mickael Barzalona, Talismanic moved up on the inside on the far turn and overtook Beach Patrol in mid-stretch to win by a half-length in a course-record 2:26.14 for 1½ miles on Del Mar’s turf course. Juvenile: Good Magic jumped to the top of the 2-year-old division by making the $2 million Juvenile the first victory of his career. Bolt d’Oro, the 3-5 favorite, struggled to finish third after a terrible trip. Good Magic ran past Solomini entering the stretch and won by 4¼ lengths. Mile: World Approval restored order with a victory in the $2 million Mile. The 5-year-old gray won by 1¼ lengths as the 5-2 favorite after a string of upsets. Jockey John Velazquez earned his second Cup victory on the day. Trainer Mark Casse earned his fourth career victory. Sprint: Peter Miller is the first trainer to win two Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar. He saddled Roy H to a one-length victory in the $1.5 million Sprint at 9-2 odds. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Roy H ran six furlongs in 1:08.61 and paid $11.80, $5 and $3.60. Filly & Mare Turf: Wuheida triggered another upset in the $2 million race, winning at 11-1 odds. The Britain-bred 3-yearold filly and jockey William Buick had an ideal trip, sitting fourth while Zipessa set the pace. Wuheida took charge at the top of the stretch, surging past the tiring Zipessa. Turf Sprint: Trainer Peter Miller enjoyed a hometown advantage in the $1 million race, going 1-2 with a pair of long shots. Stormy Liberal, a 30-1 shot, edged 13-1 Richard’s Boy by a head, giving Miller his first Cup victory.
Juvenile Fillies: Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith rallied 17-1 shot Caledonia Road in the stretch to win the $2 million race by 3¼ lengths in the first of nine Cup races on Saturday at Del Mar.