BREEDERS’ CUP TURF SPRINT (GRADE 1)
and TWINSPIRES BREEDERS’ CUP SPRINT
(GRADE 1)
CALIFORNIA-based trainer Peter Miller shocked the world with a Breeders’ Cup double, sending out Stormy Liberal to upset the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Miller finished 1-2) and, three races later, win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint with Roy H.
Stormy Liberal, claimed by Miller and Rockingham Ranch for $40,000 earlier this year, and jockey Joel Rosario nailed stablemate Richard’s Boy in the final strides of the Turf Sprint.
“It’s just a surreal experience to see Richard’s Boy look like he was going to win. And I’ve watching Joel, and I’m rooting for Joel, and I’m like just one of you win, just one of you win. Somebody win, you know?” Miller said. “And to run one-two here for my first Breeders’ Cup and here at home, I live 10 minutes away in Encinitas, is special.”
Three races later, it got more special as Roy H won the Sprint. Owned by Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen, tracked the leader Imperial Hint before drawing off to one length score.
“I feel like Chad Brown. You know, I feel like Bob Baffert, one of those guys. It’s unbelievable. It’s just a dream come true,” Miller said. “You know, you never think you’re going to win a Breeders’ Cup race. There are just too many good horses and too many things can happen. But anyone that asked me about my horses today, I said they’re all live.”
breeders cup JUVENILE FILLIES (GRADE 1) (2YO FILLIES)
“I LIKED her at Saratoga, liked her this fall and then, wow, what she did in the couple of weeks leading to this…”
That’s how Ralph Nicks described Caledonia Road who upset the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with a long, sweeping move to score by three and a quarter lengths over Alluring Star and Blonde Bomber.
“She keeps going forward,” Nicks said. “I don’t know what the ceiling is. What can you say? She’s a Breeders’ Cup champion now. A two-year-old champion, right?”
Right. Owned by Zoom and Fish Stable, Charlie Spiring and Newtown Anner Stud, the daughter of Quality Road relished her first trip around two turns to win easily, providing Nicks, son of a trainer, a one-time jocks’ agent and longtime assistant to Bill Mott, with his first Breeders’ Cup win.
“Well, it’s one of the dreams,” Nicks said just before a long pause and a stifled cry. “Coming up the way I did, to be on this stage, amazing.”
SENTIENT JET BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE
(GRADE 1)
NOTHING like breaking your maiden in a Grade 1 stakes. Good Magic, winless but impressive in two starts, graduated in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stable.
Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz, the well-bred son of Curlin sat in fourth before unleashing a powerful kick to drive clear by four and a half lengths over Solomini and favorite Bolt d’Oro.
The latter, undefeated in three starts, suffered a wide trip from an outside draw.
Bred by Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Good Magic wound up racing in partnership with Bob Edwards’ e Five Racing after selling for $1 million at Keeneland September Sales in 2015.
“Both camps got together. We’re familiar with one another. All our babies go to Stonestreet. They get broke there,” Edwards said.
“So we’re together quite a bit. It just kind of worked out that Barbara had something special, and we were part of it. And, well, we’re here today.”
BREEDERS’ CUP FILLY & MARE SPRINT
(GRADE 1)
JOHN Kimmel had experimented all year with Bar Of Gold, sending the New York-bred daughter of Medaglia d’Oro around two turns on the dirt, two turns on the turf, one turn on the synthetic and everything else in between. Going back to what she does best, Bar Of Gold shocked rivals and bettors in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, rocketing from 13th to win the seven-furlong stakes by a nose. She paid a cool $135.40.
“We knew it was in there somewhere,” Kimmel said. “She pulled it out at the right moment. She’s brushed on greatness a few times, and she’s gotten better as the years have gone on.”
Owned and bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Bar Of Gold won for the seventh time in her career.