It’s dark now at Keeneland but the memory of the moment when American Pharoah charged down the straight to victory will linger for a long time. It has been an extraordinary day but it is time to wrap things up, thanks for joining me and for all the tweets, emails and comments. This is Greg Wood at Keeneland, signing off after a truly memorable day at the track.
More from Ahmed Zayat:
American Pharoah has delivered everything that we have asked for. He did something that had not been done for 37 years with sheer ease. He is brilliantly fast but it’s how easy for him things are.
I am saddened that Beholder was not here because I am a huge fan of the sport and have huge respect for a champion. It took a bit of the race but it didn’t take any of American Pharoah.
Victor Espinoza on his armchair ride in the Classic:
Turning for home, I was gone, I was trying to open it up as much as I can. I wanted to cross that wire and get it over with. It was like all the Triple Crown races, the way he was running.
Bob Baffert on American Pharoah:
It was very emotional. I think this horse has brought so much to racing and it’s been a privilege to watch this horse train and breeze. He gave everyone what they came to see today, that’s what horse racing is about. That’s the beauty of the Breeders’ Cup, it’s tough to win and you’d better come with a good horse.
Ahmed Zayat on his colt of a lifetime:
I said it once and more than once that this race was only about American Pharoah, we wanted him to go out as a winner just for the horse. He had run so hard and brilliantly for such a long time. I doubt we will ever see a horse who is able to take what he has done in terms of shipping in and out and going to seven or eight different tracks. He doesn’t care about the surface or where he is sitting, he just does it all.
Long press conference with the Ahmed Zayat, Bob Baffert and Victor Espinoza, the owner, trainer and jockey of American Pharoah respectively. Pick of the quotes to follow.
It wasn’t much of a race, in fact it was more like a coronation procession, but that Classic was also one of the great moments in the history of American racing.
The stands here are already starting to empty rapidly though, possibly because there is a big college football game due to start on the other side of town at 7pm and a fair chunk of the 55,000 or so who were here are believed to have tickets. The sporting world moves on, but American Pharoah and his race here tonight will be remembered for a very long time to come.
Victor Espinoza, Bob Baffert and Ahmed Zayet, the owner of American Pharoah, are currently picking up their prizes, but will be in the post-race press conference shortly.
In terms of size, the crowd here was nothing like the one that acclaimed American Pharoah’s success in the Triple Crown back in June, but the noise from the compact grandstand was electrifying as Espinoza slowly walked back past the enclosure to unsaddle, quite rightly milking the moment for all it was worth.
Great scenes here as American Pharoah retires from racing in style. There was never much doubt about the result, Victor Espinoza had him out and into the lead in professional style and though Efinex tried to lie up with him, he couldn’t. As soon as American Pharoah turned in with a healthy lead and still going well, it was only ever a question of how far he would win by, the answer proving to be six-and-a-half lengths
Breeders' Cup Classic result
1. American Pharoah, 2. Efinex, 3. Honor Code. He’s done it, the Grand Slam!
Not long now, this promises to be epic ...
On-track betting: 3-5 American Pharoah, 9-2 Honor Code, 6-1 Tonalist, 10-1 Gleneagles.
He is on the track.
Excitement continues to build here at Keeneland with American Pharoah now in the paddock, but back in Europe, confidence seems to be growing that Gleneagles might give him a race.
Previous message re 15 minutes to post time was based on the track programme, which clearly lists the Classic as being due at 17.35 local time. However, since, they barely have the saddle on American Pharoah as yet, I’m guessing that will be a little optimistic. Must have missed an announcement somewhere, it’s all been a little hectic.
American punters seem to have woken up to the fact that Aidan O’Brien also has a runner in the Classic...
Enter an all-American hero to save the day? We shall find out in about 15 minutes.
So, the first of the “Big Two” at the end of the card has fluffed his lines somewhat, though without losing anything in defeat. Golden Horn was one of the very best Derby winners of recent years, and one of very few to add the Arc to his record too. His first two-year-olds, due on the course in 2019, will be eagerly anticipated.
Anthony Oppenheimer, the owner of Golden Horn, was interviewed on NBC too:
I talked to Frankie Dettori and he said it was just too soft. We were very lucky in the Arc, we had the right ground, but today it just wasn’t quite right for us. But full marks to the filly that beat us, she’s had a fantastic career and we knew she was the danger. He ran a very good, tough, honest race.
Aidan O’Brien was interviewed by Nick Luck immediately afterwards:
She’s an amazing filly and Ryan gave her a great ride. A lot of people have put a lot of hard work into her to get her here. We trained her for the Arc and she didn’t have much luck in the Arc, but I couldn’t be happier. All credit to the lads [Found’s owners] who said to let her go if she was well.
Another great ride by Ryan Moore there to win the Turf by half a length. Frankie Dettori had Golden Horn settled in a perfect position towards the front of the chasing pack as Shining Copper, as expected, set a suicidal pace. But Moore was well positioned on Found too, and she gave her all, despite two races at the highest level already this month, to drive past the Derby and Arc winner in the stretch.
Found, who had no luck in running behind Golden Horn in the Arc, has become the ninth horse to be beaten in the Longchamp showpiece and then come on to American to win the Turf. Golden Horn is the sixth Arc winner to fail in the Turf, and the seventh in all to be beaten at the Breeders’ Cup.
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Breeders' Cup Turf result
1. Found 5.4-1, 2. Golden Horn 4-5 fav, 3. Big Blue Kitten 4.8-1.
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Golden Horn looks calm and relaxed as he pads around towards the starting stalls. Not long now.
As a reporter, I should be objective about the result of the Turf, but on this occasion, I say: journalistic detachment, shmournalistic detachment. Come on Golden Horn! Let’s Go Frankie!
Golden Horn let out a long whinny as he was led into the throng of people in the pre-parade ring. They got the message and a path was cleared for the soon-to-be-retired Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner.
He is 3-5 favourite in the early betting here. Found is a 5-1 chance along with The Pizza Man, Big Blue Kitten is 7-1 and it is double-figure prices the rest.
And here, in case I don’t get time later, is a three-in-one of American Pharoah’s Triple Crown wins.
While you enjoy those, I’m going to head to the paddock to say cheerio to Golden Horn.
Racing UK, irritatingly, have blocked embedding of British race videos on YouTube, but here’s a couple of Golden Horn’s great hits overseas.
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Ok, it’s been fun so far but this is when it starts to get really serious too. First, the Turf. Then, the Classic. Time to say goodbye to a couple of outstanding racehorses, and hopefully both with an extra “1” on their form.
Waterloo Bridge ran fairly well there without ever threatening to produce a repeat of Johannesburg.
Nyquist is 20-1 for next year’s Kentucky Derby with Coral.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile result
1. Nyquist, 2. Swipe, 3. Brody’s Cause.
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There is also a runner in the Juvenile for Aidan O’Brien, who sends Waterloo Bridge into battle with Ryan Moore in a race that gave him his first Breeders’ Cup winner with Johannesburg. Can’t seem to find a video of his win in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot though.
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And this is another Juvenile contender, Nyquist:
This is Brody’s Cause winning here at Keeneland and beating Exaggerator in the process:
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Here’s Greenpointcrusader in winning form....
The Turf and Classic are starting to loom large up ahead, but first the runners are coming out for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Greenpointcrusader, Brody’s Cause and Exaggerator are among the leading fancies in what looks a wide-open race.
That was as strong a European challenge for a Breeders’ Cup Mile as I can remember in terms of numbers and depth, but Tepin ran away from them all in the straight. Mondialiste, David O’Meara’s first Breeders’ Cup winner, emerged from the pack to finish a very creditable second.
Starting to feel like a long day for the Europeans, though there is still Golden Horn to come ...
Breeders' Cup Mile result:
1. Tepin, 2. Mondialiste, 3. Grand Arch. Won by 2 1/4 lengths.
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Frankie Dettori, meanwhile, rides Mshawish for the home team.
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The horses are starting to come out for the Mile, with Europe still looking for its first winner on the main card, but it’s hard to believe that will still be the case in 10 minutes’ time. Make Believe, Esoterique, Karakontie, Time Test, Impassable and Mondialiste all in the running, while Tepin, at 4-1, is the only local with a shout according to the betting.
You’ll be familiar with most of the Euros, so here is Tepin winning at Churchill Downs.
And owner Jim McIngvale on their stand against raceday drugs:
If we’re going to talk the talk, we need to walk the walk, so no Lasix for us.
The connections of Runhappy are in the interview room. Here’s Maria Borell on her horse’s urgent need to lead:
Even when he’s got a lead pony at home, he wants to be in front. It’s how his mind goes, he always want to be in the lead. Even when he’s got a lead pony at home, he wants to be in front.
Also should have said that Runhappy is that huge rarity, an American-trained horse that does not run on Lasix.
That is a great story in the Sprint. Runhappy is the first runner at the Breeders’ Cup for 32-year-old trainer Maria Borell, who trains the gelding for Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, who sells mattresses as his nickname implies. Borell only has about half a dozen horses in her stable, and also boasts a very impressive tattoo of Sunday Silence on her back.
Breeders' Cup Sprint result
1. Runhappy, 2. Private Zone, 3. Favorite Tale.
Excitement is building ahead of American Pharoah’s attempt to add the Breeders’ Cup Classic to his Triple Crown.
Here’s Private Zone winning earlier this season:
The Sprint will be off here in about five minutes, Runhappy and Private Zone are the leading contenders:
And since Ken Ramsey mentioned it, and thanks to the wonders of Google and YouTube, here is that call by Tom Durkan on Roses In May’s victory in the 2004 Whitney Handicap.
Ken Ramsey, the owner of Stephanie’s Kitten, is in the interview room.
I was a bit concerned when I saw her back that far, but it was a great ride from her jockey. She went out in a blaze of glory and we’re very proud of her.
I’d say this is right up there with the Dubai World Cup [in 2005] and the Whitney Stakes [in 2004] when we won with Roses In May and [commentator] Tom Durkan gave one of the best calls ever heard.
Will have reactions from the leading players in the Filly & Mare Turf when I can, though any reporter bold enough to ask Ryan Moore for his thoughts is unlikely to have got much that was fit to print.
Result of the Filly & Mare Turf is now official.
Having had another look at the closing stages in the Filly & Mare Turf, it will be a big surprise if there is any change to the result. Stephanie’s Kitten did come off the rail a little under Irad Ortiz, but she was clear of Legatissimo at the time and it made no difference to the result.
Ryan Moore did not have much luck in running. Legatissimo stumbled in the stalls - she was almost on her nose, in fact - and then settled in mid-division on the rail, much like Alice Springs in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf yesterday.
Moore decided to come around the field from the home turn, but while he made up a lot of ground in the straight, Stephanie’s Kitten was gone beyond recall.
Queen’s Jewel was third in the Filly & Mare Turf, but the result remains unofficial.
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf result
1. Stephanie’s Kitten, 2. Legatissimo, 3. Queen’s Jewel. Won by 1 1/4 lengths.
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Going in for the Filly & Mare Turf...
Two minutes to post time for the Filly & Mare Turf, and Legatissimo is narrowly odds-on here at 4-5. Dacita is 6-1, Miss France 9-1, and Secret Gesture 8-1.
Enebish Ganbat, the trainer of Mongolian Saturday, whose success caused quite a stir here at Keeneland, was in the interview room earlier:
I was expecting the horse to run well. I thought he could come first or second. Here, he’s been doing very, very well. We came to win a Breeders’ Cup and we did.
Think it deserves to be pointed out that Florent Geroux, who won the Turf Sprint on Mongolian Saturday and will be aboard Secret Gesture in the next, now has two wins at the Breeders’ Cup ... from just three rides.
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And Queen’s Jewel in action too:
This is Dacita winning at Saratoga earlier in the year:
The 2015 Beverley D Stakes, from which Secret Gesture was disqualified after crossing the line in front:
This is Miss France at Newmarket last year:
Three races have gone by without European interest bar a handful of the jockeys, but transatlantic head-to-head gets serious from the next, the Filly & Mare Turf. Legatissimo, David Wachman’s 1,000 Guineas winner, will be a strong favourite here with Ryan Moore aboard, while Queen’s Jewel, for Freddy Head, and Andre Fabre’s Miss France, with Frankie Dettori in the saddle, are also prominent in the betting. Secret Gesture, from the Classic-winning stable of Ralph Beckett, is another raider with a big chance, while Chad C Brown’s Dacita could be the best of the home contingent. Herewith some videos of some of them in action (though not the 1,000 Guineas, because Racing UK have disabled it for embedding).
Frankie’s mount Judy The Beauty was another slow starter there, and never threatened to get involved.
Objection to the result here at Keeneland but it won’t affect the winner. Gary Stevens, the rider of Taris, has lodged an objection to the runner-up La Verdad, ridden by Jose Ortiz.
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint result
1. Wavell Avenue 10-1, 2. La Verdad 6-1, 3. Taris 5-1. Won by 1 3/4 lengths. After objection, result stands.
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They are at the gate for the Filly & Mare Sprint. Cavorting is favourite at 3-1 to become the third consecutive winner from the outside stall.
And finally a mention for the outsider Fioretti, seen here winning a Grade Two event last time out, who will be ridden by British jockey Sophie Doyle.
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Cavorting is another of the favourites for the Filly & Mare Sprint, this is a win at Saratoga last year.
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La Verdad is expected to be a major rival, here she is in action:
Next up here is the Filly & Mare Sprint, runners include last year’s winner, Judy The Beauty, ridden today by Frankie Dettori. This is last year’s success:
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Earlier tweet didn’t embed properly, this is the pic of the connections of Mongolian Saturday in the interview room.
Mongolian Saturday is likely to head for Hong Kong in December next, but the possibility has also been floated of a run at Royal Ascot.
Winning connections from Mongolian Stable, the owners of Mongolian Saturday, are in the interview room here at Keeneland.
That was the first significant outsider to win at this year’s Breeders’ Cup, and the punters will be pleased that the Turf Sprint did not feature in the Pick6 bet, which starts with the sixth race, the Filly & Mare Turf, and end at the top of the card with the Classic.
Undrafted and Frankie Dettori were doomed from the start there, as Undrafted was second-last within a few strides. It was fast and furious up front, and very congested heading into the turn on the tight turf course too, then Mongolian Saturday - who, like Songbird, had the widest draw - emerged with a lead at the top of the stretch and made the best of his way home. Lady Shipman tried to chase him down but was never quite going to get there.
Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint result:
1. Mongolian Saturday 15-1, 2. Lady Shipman, 3. Green Mask. Won by a neck.
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Going in for the Turf Sprint.
The runners are on the track for the Turf Sprint, which looks an impossible one to sort out. Six minutes to post. Ryan Moore joins Frankie Dettori in the field here, riding The Great War for Wesley Ward. Here he is winning the Blenheim Stakes last year when trained by Aidan O’Brien.
Songbird and Mike Smith gallop to an easy success in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies:
May not get the chance to track this chap down, but top effort anyway.
And finally Bobby’s Kitten, winning this race at Santa Anita last year.
This is Green Mask winning last season ...
Here’s the second-favourite Lady Shipman, winning at Saratoga in August.
Next up on the card here is the Turf Sprint, which includes Frankie Dettori riding Undrafted, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes winner, for Wesley Ward. Here is that success via Jockey-cam:
A ruthless performance by Songbird and Mike Smith to win the Juvenile Fillies’. She was drawn widest of all in stall 10, but Smith had her out in an instant and on the lead by the first turn.
From there it was plain sailing. “The ones in behind are all popping, and she’s still cruising” someone said here as Songbird turned for home, which summed it up. She was gone beyond recall without being asked for maximum effort, and eased home by nearly six lengths.
Songbird is the second Breeders’ Cup winner of Jerry Hollendorfer’s training career, and the 22nd for Mike Smith, the most successful jockey in Breeders’ Cup history by some distance.
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Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' official result
1. Songbird 3-5, 2. Rachel’s Valentina 5-1, 3. Dothraki Queen 25-1. Won by 5 3/4 lengths.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ result: 1. Songbird, 2. Rachel’s Valentina, 3. Dothraki Queen. (unofficial)
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Going in for the Juvenile Fillies’, good luck to all over the next few hours...
The runners are on the track for the first Breeders’ Cup race of the day, the Juvenile Fillies’. Songbird is showing as favourite on the local tote at a very cramped 1-2. Rachel’s Valentina (5-1) and Tap To It (7-1) are the only ones attracting much support against her.
News re a later non-runner: Roger Varian’s Talmada, who only scraped into the Filly & Mare Turf when another runner was scratched yesterday, will miss the race due to mix-up with administration of raceday medication.
It seems she was given an injection of Lasix by a vet who was licensed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, but not, as is required by the rules, an employee of the KHRC.
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Just noticed that the link to my tipping preview of the card did not work earlier. It’s here if you feel the need.
About 15 minutes to post time in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’, here’s the Keeneland bugler to sound the call ....
The official going here at Keeneland for day two of the Breeders’ Cup is good on the turf course - which has not felt a drop of rain for nearly three days now - and fast on the dirt.
Frankie Dettori has just ridden his first - but hopefully not last - winner of the day in the card’s second race, the$100,000 Juvenile Dirt Sprint. He was on Sheikh Of Sheikhs, who just missed out on a run in the Juvenile Turf here on Friday.
Apologies for the slight break in transmission, but John McCririck decided to perch on the end of the table where I’m working in the #Keeneland press room and ...er... it collapsed.
No harm done, though, to Big Mac or little ol’ me.
And finally Nickname winning the Grade One Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park, beating Jeremy Noseda’s Nemoralia, who ran very well to finish third in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf here yesterday.
Here’s Rachel’s Valentina, another leading contender for the Juvenile Fillies’, winning the Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga.
The first Breeders’ Cup race here is the Juvenile Fillies’, due off in 55 minutes. Songbird is expected to start favourite, here she is winning the Grade One Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita.
Preamble
Hello from Kentucky, where the first of nine Breeders’ Cup races on the main card at this year’s meeting will get underway in about an hour. The first four races yesterday were excellent, with a couple of outstanding riding performances too from Ryan Moore and Javier Castellano, but that was the taster menu. Today, it gets super-sized.
Best of all, the action builds towards a natural climax in the Turf and Classic, when Golden Horn, the winner of the Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and American Pharoah, the first Triple Crown winner for 37 years, will engage in a head-to-head in two parts.
It is, of course, a little frustrating that both horses are here, both are in rude health and both will go into the same set of starting stalls today, just not at the same time. But a chance to bid farewell to both, in a racing sense at least, on one of the sport’s great stages is a strong second-best behind actually seeing them race each other - and another plus is that you can back them both in a double.
The double remains odds-against too, even after the news that Smooth Roller, perhaps the one remaining pace threat to American Pharoah in the Classic, will not line up later. Paddy Power both offer 10-11 about American Pharoah and 4-6 about Golden Horn in the Turf 35 minutes earlier, which comes out at a fraction above 2-1 (always assuming, of course, that they will let you get on). We have a chance to say goodbye to a couple of outstanding racehorses, and more than double our money to ease the pain of parting.
Elsewhere on the card, the Europeans will be astonished if they fail to win the Mile and the Filly & Mare Turf, while Frankie Dettori, who rides Golden Horn, will be chasing wins on Undrafted and Judy The Beauty in the Turf Sprint and Filly & Mare Sprint respectively. A full tipping preview of today’s card is here, while as for the weather, it is very much like yesterday: a little grey and overcast, but dry and apparently staying that way.
The 32nd Breeders’ Cup is going to be dramatic, frenetic and, as the shadows start to lengthen, just a little bit emotional. I’ll be aiming to get results up here within a few seconds of the horses crossing the line, post YouTube videos of some of the major contenders, live pictures as soon as they are available and as much from the interview room as possible. All your comments, emails and tweets about the action are very welcome, while updates on how Brighton are getting on at Reading would also be much appreciated.
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