Breeders’ Cup Dirt

Mile (Grade 1)

IN the final race of his career Goldencents displayed courage that will be remembered for years to come in winning the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, becoming the first horse in the championship’s history to win the race two years in a row.

Sent off as the 3/5 favourite, Goldencents seized the lead along the rail in the first turn but was hounded by the speedy Vicar’s In Trouble through a half-mile in an impressive 44.80secs.

Goldencents put that one away through six-furlongs in an incredible 1m 09.27secs, but Grade 2 winner Tapiture had launched his move at that point, then three lengths behind Goldencents.

Tapiture steadily closed in on Goldencents and cut the lead in half by midstretch, but the tired Goldencents dug in, angling in and out to hold off Tapiture by a length and a quarter.

With the victory, the four-year-old son of Into Mischief passed $3 million in career earnings. He will stand next season at the same home as his sire, Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.

Jockey Rafael Bejarano guided Goldencents to victory for a second straight year as the Southern California-based rider earned his fifth career Breeders’ Cup victory. The winning trainer was Leandro Mora, assistant to Goldencents’ suspended regular trainer Doug O’Neill.

“When Tapiture started coming up, I started to sweat cold again, but then it was all over,” said Mora of his first Breeders’ Cup victory. “But I had so much confidence in this horse this whole week. He’s been so kind, so great...so grateful to everything.”

For a second straight year, Goldencents led the race through a sub :45 half-mile and delivered a clear victory.

“Okay, well, first of all, it’s guts. That’s him,” Mora said, noting that he maintains his breathing through fast races. “He’s an old pro.”