DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) – Knicks Go set the tone and claimed a 2 3/4 victory in the $ 6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday at Del Mar.
Ridden by Joel Rosario, Knicks Go, 5, faced a trio of the best 3-year-olds – controversial Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, Belmont Stakes Essential Quality winner and hometown hero Hot Rod Charlie.
Sent off at 3-1 odds, Knicks Go paid $ 8.40 to win for coach Brad Cox. He also saddled the favorite Essential Quality 9-5, who was third.
Medina Spirit finished second for struggling coach Bob Baffert. The colt has failed a post-race drug test after the Derby and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission have yet to make a final decision based on its investigation.
Hot Rod Charlie finished fourth. Fans chanted “Let’s go Chuck! Before the race.
The Classic field was reduced to eight when the Express Train was scratched in the morning with swelling in the right shank, similar to an ankle.
In other races:
– Japan recorded a 0 for 13 slip in the Breeders’ Cup, with a stunning 45-1 surprise in the $ 2 million Distaff and a win in the $ 2 million Filly and Mare Turf.
Marche Lorraine edged out Dunbar Road by a nose after a photo of arrival in the distaff. The 5 year old mare ran 1 1/8 miles in 1: 47.67 and paid $ 101.80 to win under Irish jockey Oisín Murphy.
Letruska, the 8-5 favorite with ties to Mexico, finished 10th out of 11 horses.
Yoshito Yahagi coached the two Japanese champions. Loves Only You won the Filly & Mare Turf by a half length under Yuga Kawada. She did 1 3/8 miles in 2: 13.87 and paid $ 10.60 to win.
“I would like to say thank you to my horse. She did a great job, ”Yahagi said through a translator. “This is a dream come true for the Japanese horse racing industry. I would love to come back to the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland next year and do the same.
Yahagi didn’t have to wait that long. Three races later, he saddled Marche Lorraine en Queue.
War Like Goddess, the 2-1 favorite in the Filly & Mare Turf, was third. Defending champion Audarya finished fifth.
– British ranch Yibir won the $ 4million Turf by half length, giving trainer Charlie Appleby, jockey William Buick and owner Godolphin Stables their third victory of the weekend. Godolphin is the racing attire of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai. Yibir ran 1 1/2 miles in 2: 25.90 and paid $ 19 to win with odds of 8-1. The 3-year-old gelding beat a horse as he turned towards the house before charging outside and staggering Broome, who finished second. Tarnawa, the 2-1 favorite, was 11th.
The trio had previously teamed up to win the $ 2 million Mile with 2-1 frontrunner Space Blues and the $ 1 million Juvenile Turf on Friday with Modern Games.
– In the Mile, Irish-bred Space Blues won by half a length. He ran the distance on the turf in 1: 34.01 and paid $ 6.20 to win as a 2-1 favorite in his last race before retiring. Appleby’s other horse, Master of the Seas, was scratched at the starting grid after acting in the No.1 post. Neither horse nor jockey James Doyle were injured. It was similar to what happened on Friday, when Modern Games was mistakenly scratched by vets before being reinstated to race in the Juvenile Turf for purse money only. The Modern Games have won. “I’m getting used to that kind of talk now,” Appleby joked.
– Aloha West marked an upheaval by winning the $ 2 million Sprint by a nose. The 4-year-old colt, who started his racing career this year, finished sixth at the top of the stretch and edged Dr Schivel on the wire under Jose Ortiz, who won his second Cup race of the weekend. Coached by Wayne Catalano, Aloha West ran six stages in 1: 08.49 and paid $ 24.60 to win. Jackie’s Warrior, the 1-2 favorite, was sixth.
–This Ce won the $ 1 Million Filly & Mare Sprint by 2 1/2 lengths in an upset. The 6-1 shot paid $ 14.40 to win. Defending champion Gamine, the 2-5 favorite coached by Bob Baffert, finished third, ending her five-game winning streak. Victor Espinoza, 49, rode the winner. She ran seven stages in 1:21.
– Life Is Good took a 5-3 / 4 victory in the $ 1million Dirt Mile, giving jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. his third Cup victory of the weekend. The 3-year-old ran the distance in 1: 34.12 and paid $ 3.40 to win as a 3-5 favorite. Todd Pletcher coaches Life Is Good and claimed his 12th Cup victory. Ortiz has 14 career Cup wins.
– Golden Pal topped the $ 1 million Turf Sprint and won by 1 1/4 lengths under Irad Ortiz Jr. The 5-2 favorite ran 1 1/4 miles in 54.75 seconds and was paid $ 7 to win. Ortiz and coach Wesley Ward teamed up to win the Juvenile Turf on Friday with Twilight Gleaming.
– Jockey ET Baird was fined $ 5,000 by Del Mar stewards for breaking California Whip’s rules at the Juvenile Turf Sprint on Friday. He has been cited for using the whip more than six times during a race. His mount, One Timer, finished ninth.
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AP freelance writer Mike Farrell contributed to this report.
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