ARCADIA, Calif. – In the 25th year of the Breeders’ Cup, the new BC braintrust decided to roll the dice, and they made their point.
“Filly Friday” was a smashing success before a crowd of 31,257 at Santa Anita, culminating with perfection as the great racemare Zenyatta remained unbeaten with a dominating victory in the Ladies’ Classic.
LADIES’ CLASSIC
Zenyatta, a bargain $60,000 purchase as a yearling, rolled into this $2 million race, formerly called the Distaff, undefeated in eight starts, the last six Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes.
Trained by John Shirreffs, the strapping, 17-hand daughter of Street Cry went off at 1-2 but was away slowly, trailing the field as 70-1 Bear Now cruised loose on the lead.
As Bear Now led around the far turn, an upset briefly loomed. But then Mike Smith – whose two Breeders’ Cup races yesterday gave him 12 total, most by any current rider and third overall – turned Zenyatta loose. With massive strides, she swept into contention around the far turn and took command a furlong out, beating Cocoa Beach by 1 1/2 lengths, with Music Note third. Running the mile-and-an-eighth in 1:46.85, Zenyatta paid $3 topping a $13.40 exacta.
FILLY & MARE SPRINT
All week trainer Bobby Frankel was touting his 4-year-old filly, Ventura, to win the $1 million race. Those who listened to the Brooklyn-born Hall of Famer were rewarded with a $7.60 payoff as Ventura, ridden by Garrett Gomez, kicked off Filly Friday with a four-length victory over 9-5 favorite Indian Blessing.
Zaftig, 5-1 in her first start since June, was third. Ventura, who owned two stakes wins over synthetics but did most of her racing on turf, broke from post 12 in a field of 14 and was well back in the early going as Dearest Trickski carved out the pace (22.26 seconds, 44.02) tracked by Indian Blessing.
Turning for home, Indian Blessing pounced under John Velazquez. But Ventura was making a devastating run around the far turn, circling the field with a sustained burst. She collared Indian Blessing inside the final furlong and blew on by, blistering the seven furlongs in 1:19.90. The exacta returned $25.40.
FILLY & MARE TURF
Trainer Jonathan Sheppard was elected to the Racing Hall of Fame in 1990 based mostly on his success with steeplechasers.
Yesterday he won this $2 million race, notching his biggest win ever on the flats, saddling 9-2 Forever Together to beat a solid field under Julien Leparoux.
The early pace was slow over the sun-baked Santa Anita turf course as Folk Opera showed the way through splits of 25.46 and 50.02 seconds, tracked by Irish invader Halfway to Heaven, favored at 5-2, and 7-2 second choice Wait a While.
At the top of the stretch, Halfway to Heaven made her bid but could not sustain it, and Wait a While drove to the lead. Forever Together, likely to be voted female grass champion, charged down the center of the course with a relentless run, then held off 15-1 Sealy Hill, last year’s Canadian Horse of the Year, by a half-length, with Wait a While third. With a final time of 2:01.58, Forever Together paid $11.80. The exacta returned $449.20.
JUVENILE FILLIES
No doubt about it. Stardom Bound is the 2-year-old filly champion after crushing her 12 foes with a spectacular late run to capture the $2 million race.
There was a scramble for the early lead, with Be Smart pushing C.S. Silk through a first half-mile in 45.92 seconds over the Pro-Ride. Stardom Bound, favored at 8-5, was well off the pace down the backside under Mike Smith, but on the far turn she unleashed her patented charge, sweeping past the field like a big gray freight train.
The daughter of Tapit took command in mid-stretch and drew clear to score by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:40.99 for the mile-and-a-sixteenth. She paid $5.20.
JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
The first running of this $1 million mile race on turf was a nail-biter.
Laragh, the 5-2 favorite, dashed off to a daylight lead under Egdar Prado, rocketing through the first half in 45.82 seconds. But turning for home, the cavalry was closing in. In deep stretch, 11-1 Maram, unbeaten in two starts on turf including the Miss Grillo at Belmont, came like to shot to pass Laragh, and the 10-1 Irish filly Heart Shaped was gobbling up ground to her outside.
In the final jump, Maram won the bob by a nose, the mile in 1:35.15, to pay $24.20 topping a $350.20 exacta.