The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mitole ends career with big win in Breeders’ Cup Sprint
Mitole closed out ARCADIA, CALIF. — his racing career in style, winning the $2 million Sprint at the Breeders’ Cup. The 4-year-old colt defeated 3-2 favorite Shancelot by 1¼ lengths at Santa Anita on Saturday, giving Mitole his sixth victory in seven starts this year. He’ll stand at stud next year.
Trainer Steve Asmussen earned his seventh career Cup win; it was the first for jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.
■ Mile: Uni won the $2 million Mile on the turf, giving trainer Chad Brown and jockey Joel Rosario their second victories in this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
It was a strong showing for the fillies as they finished 1-2 against the boys, with Uni beating 3-1 favorite Get Stormy by 1¼ lengths. Without Parole was third.
With the victory, Uni might have wrested the distaff turf championship from Sistercharlie, who earlier ran third in the Filly & Mare Turf.
Brown continues to climb the all-time Breeders’ Cup trainer standings with 14 wins, one behind second-place Bob Baffert. D. Wayne Lukas is the leader with 20.
■ Filly & Mare Turf: Iridessa won the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf, giving Europe its first victory in this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
Iridessa and jockey Wayne Lordan continued the string of upsets by edging Vasilika by a neck at 13-1.
It was a record-setting win for trainer Joseph O’Brien, too. He joins Freddie Head as the only person to train and ride a Breeders’ Cup winner. O’Brien guided Nicholas Abbey to victory in the 2011 Turf during his riding days.
■ Dirt Mile: Spun to Run won the $1 million Dirt Mile at 9-1 odds, upsetting even-money favorite Omaha Beach at the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Irad Ortiz Jr. guided Spun to Run down the middle of the track to a 2¾-length victory. The 3-year-old colt paid $20.20 to win.
Omaha Beach was this year’s Kentucky Derby favorite that was forced to scratch days before the race day.
Blue Chipper, the first South Korea-based horse to run in the Breeders’ Cup, finished third.
Trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero earned his first Cup win with just his second starter. Ortiz Jr. won the Juvenile Turf Sprint with Four Wheel Drive on Friday.
■ Turf Sprint: Belvoir Bay won the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in a 14-1 upset.
Breaking from the outside post in the 12-horse field, Belvoir Bay led all the way with Javier Castellano aboard to win by 1¼ lengths. She was the only female horse running against males in the race.
Trainer Peter Miller enjoyed a 1-2 finish as Om edged Shekky Shebaz by a nose for second. ■ Filly & Mare Sprint: Covfefe won the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint to kick off Day 2 of the Breeders’ Cup.
The 3-year-old filly broke poorly but rallied under Joel Rosario to win by three-quarters of a length.
Sent off as the 3-2 favorite with a late surge of money by bettors, Covfefe paid $5 to win. She ran 7 furlongs in 1:22.40.
Bellafina was second and Dawn the Destroyer took third.