Early upset in Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
Battle of Midway puts away Sharp Azteca late, Forever Unbridled wins Distaff
DEL MAR, CALIF. » Longshot Battle of Midway prevailed by a halflength after dueling with Sharp Azteca through the stretch in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar Friday.
A 14-1 shot ridden by Flavien Prat, Battle of Midway collared the frontrunning Sharp Azteca at the top of the stretch but was able to get the better of that one in the final strides to return $30.40, $11.40 and $8.20.
The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred colt trained by Jerry Hollendorfer won for the fifth time in 10 starts this year, covering the distance in 1:35.20. Battle of Midway finished third in the Kentucky Derby in May.
The season-ending world championships worth over $28 million opened with four races Friday under partly sunny skies in 68-degree conditions near the Pacific Ocean.
The race proved a rocky start to the weekend for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. His two horses — 2-1 favorite Mor Spirit and Cupid — finished eighth and last in the field of 10.
The victory was Prat’s second in a Cup race. Hollendorfer now has three career Cup victories.
Sharp Azteca returned $4.80 and $4. Awesome Slew was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $7 to show.
Distaff
Forever Unbridled, with jockey John Velazquez up, made a bid around the far turn to take the lead then held off a closing Abel Tasman to win the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Juvenile Turf
The strongest of European connections has prevailed in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf as Mendelssohn rallied after a rail-skimming trip to outsprint 13 rivals and win by a length.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Mendelssohn went off a tepid 9-2 favorite and paid $11.60, $8.40 and $5.60. He ran one mile on turf in 1:35.97 under jockey Ryan Moore on Friday at Del Mar.
It was Mendelssohn’s first U.S. race after posting a win and a second in four starts in England and Ireland.
For O’Brien, the victory was his 12th in the Breeders’ Cup. Moore earned his ninth Cup victory.
In a race featuring six 2-year-old fillies hailing from Europe and eight from the U.S., Mendelssohn wrestled the lead from Sands of Mali just past the eighth pole and drew clear late.
U.S.-based Untamed Domain came widest of all into the stretch to finish second, a half-length ahead of Voting Control. Untamed Domain paid $11 and $7 and Voting Control returned $6.20.
Juvenile Fillies Turf
Rushing Fall has won the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf by three-quarters of a length to begin Breeders’ Cup weekend at Del Mar.
Sent off at 3-1 odds, Rushing Fall ran one mile on turf in 1:36.09 and paid $8, $4.60 and $3.40. Trainer Chad Brown won the race for the second straight year. It was his ninth career Cup victory.