It’s Bayern by nose in Classic
ARCADIA, Calif. — Bayern won the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by a nose, surviving a stewards’ inquiry prompted by multiple horses bumping near the start of the race.
The victory ended Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s 0-for-12 skid in North America’s richest race, and was his 11th career Cup win.
Third in April’s Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, Bayern ran 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.88 on Saturday at Santa Anita, leading a sweep of the first five places by 3-year-olds. He paid $14.20, $8 and $5.20.
Toast of New York returned $18 and $10.80. Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome paid $5.40 to show.
Shared Belief, the 5-2 favorite, lost for the first time in eight career starts. He was fourth.
Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist was fifth.
Sprint
ARCADIA, Calif. — Work All Week held off defending champion Secret Circle by a half-length in the $1.5 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
The 5-year- old gelding pulled a 19-1 upset on Saturday at Santa Anita in the Breeders’ Cup debuts for jockey Florent Geroux and Chicago-based trainer Roger Brueggermann. The time was 1:08.28 for six furlongs. Work All Week paid $40.20, $18.40 and $11. Secret Circle returned $6.40 and $4.60, while Private Zone paid $5.80 to show.
It was the biggest victory for the consistent Work All Week, who improved to 12 for 15. He won the Hot Springs Stakes in March at Oaklawn Park, where Secret Circle in 2012 won the Grade 2 Rebel and a division of the Grade 3 Southwest for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
Mile
ARCADIA, Calif. — Karakontie won the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile as European-based runners swept the first three positions.
A 3-year- old colt bred in Japan and trained in France by Jonathan Pease, Karakontie pulled a 30-1 upset against a strong international field on Saturday at Santa Anita. He beat Irish-bred Anodin by one length, with British-bred Trade Storm, win- ner of the Woodbine Mile in September, third by another length.
It was the third Breeders’ Cup win for Pease, and his first in the championships since Spinning World won the 1997 Mile.
Stephane Pasquier was aboard as Karakontie got his fifth win in nine starts. The time was 1:32.88 on the firm turf course.
Karakontie paid $62, $33 and $19.40. Anodin returned $12.60 and $7.20 while Trade Storm paid $12.80 to show.