“It’s a vintage performance by VINO RRRRRRROSSSSO!”
Larry Collmus’ exciting race call of the 36th Breeders’ Cup Classic may have been drowned out by 67,000 screaming fans but it was an impressive run by the 4-year-old colt by Curlin to storm to victory in $6,000,000 test at 1 1/4 miles.
Owned by the popular Mike Repole and trained by Todd Pletcher, Vino Rosso continued the amazing two year run for Vancouver’s JOHN GUNTHER and his daughter TANYA, who bred last year’s American Triple Crown winner Justify, a playmate of Vino Rosso’s.
This year’s Classic did not have any stand-out runners as in most years. MCKINZIE was the favourite with new rider Joel Rosario and top 3-year-old CODE OF HONOR, on a three-race winning streak came in from New York.
In fact, it was Code of Honor who lost by a nose to Vino Rosso in the important Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont in their last start, but the result was reversed by the stewards in a controversial call. Vino Rosso, with the talented jockey Irad Ortiz aboard, got his revenge with the Classic win.
It was the sixth victory in 15 races for Vino Rosso, who cost $410,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His dam is Mythical Bride by Street Cry (Ire).
McKinzie, trying to win at 10 furlongs for the first time, had somewhat of a botched journey. He tried to make an early move up the rail but lost that path and then chased front runner War of Will, trained by Mark Casse, to the final turn. The son of Street Sense charged to the lead in a brave run but tired and began swishing his tail. He held second over Higher Power, a son of Medaglia D’Oro while the super mare ELATE rallied for fourth. Charles Fipke, of Vancouver, watched his horse Seeking the Soul finish fifth.
MIKE REPOLE at the post-race press conference –
“I feel blessed right now. Like I had so much anxiety coming into this race, and having Vinnie as a partner and Teresa is so much fun. It’s a great partnership.
But I’ve been friends with Todd for 11 years now, and obviously even with Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty and Stopchargingmaria, this might be the most confident I’ve ever seen him with a horse.
So I wind up getting more nervous when he’s like that because I know it’s going to be something special. And then when you ask Irad, you hear the same thing; and you ask Martin, the groom, and Isabelle and Fernando, the exercise rider, and then you come out here on a Wednesday morning and you have 500 people tell you how great your horse is doing, like it was — it’s been a tough two days, to be honest with you.”
Sadly the two-days of Breeders’ Cup races, 14 events in all, ended on a tragic note as Grade 1 winner MONGOLIAN GROOM broke a hind ankle in the stretch run and was euthanized. Mongolian Groom had been supplemented to the Classic at a cost of $200,000.
VINO ROSSO is a foal – Glennwood Farm photo
Race 9: Classic
Win: Vino Rosso (4-1) (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.); $11.20, $5.80, $4.00; $3,300,000
Place: McKinzie (3-1) (Bob Baffert, Joel Rosario); $4.80, $3.60; $1,020,000
Show: Higher Power (6-1) (John W. Sadler, Flavien Prat); $6.00; $540,000
****
Race 1: Filly & Mare Sprint
Win: Covfefe (3-2) (Brad Cox, Joel Rosario); $5.00, $3.40, $3.00; $550,000
Place: Bellafina (9-2) (Simon Callaghan, Flavien Prat) x, $5.00, $3.60; $170,000
Show: Dawn The Destroyer (22-1) (Kiaran McLaughlin, Tyler Gaffalione) x, x, $6.60; $90,000
A filly named for a viral tweet that made fun of how President Donald Trump wrote the word coffee won the Filly & Mare Sprint.
And she’s a good one. COVFEFE, owned by LNL Foxwoods and trained by Brad Cox, won the seven furlong Grade 1 after a perfect trip under jockey Joel Rosario. The daughter of Into Mischief – Antics by Unbridled was the favourite from the first post. This was the sixth win in eight races for the $250,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase (2017) has earned over $1.1 million.
COVFEFE won the Filly & Mare Sprint – Cindy Pierson Dulay – horse-races.net
Race 2: Turf Sprint
Win: Belvoir Bay (14-1) (Peter Miller, Javier Castellano); $31.60, $14.40, $7.60; $550,000
Place: Om (15-1) (Peter Miller, Manuel Franco); x, $13.80, $9.40; $170,000
Show: Shekky Shebaz (5-1) (Jason Servis, Irad Ortiz Jr.); x, x, $5.60; $90,000
The 8-year-old mare BELVOIR BAY (GB) owned by Gary Barber and trained by Peter Miller led all the way to win the five furlong Turf Sprint, one of a litany of longshot winners during the Breeders’ Cup.
This mare was involved in the tragic San Luis Rey fire two years ago and was lost for some time after horses were let loose from the burning barns.
She was found safe and this lightly raced gal came into this event off a June layoff. Now a 12- time winner in 27 races, Belvoir Bay was at Woodbine last summer on a very hot Queen’s Plate day and finished fifth in the Highlander Stakes (G1) to Long On Value.
Belvoir Bay began her career in England and then came to the US owned by Barber and Team Valor. Barber became the sole owner this year. Javier Castellano rode the winner.
Race 3: Dirt Mile
Win: Spun to Run (9-1) (Juan Carlos Guerrero, Irad Ortiz Jr.); $20.20, $7.00, $4.80; $550,000
Place: Omaha Beach (even) (Richard Mandella, Mike Smith); x, $3.40, $2.40; $170,000
Show: Blue Chipper (16-1) (Kim Young-Kwan, Flavien Prat); x, x, $6.00; $90,000
Tears flowed in the winner’s circle after SPUN TO RUN, a son of Hard Spun – Yawkey Way by Grand Slam, led all the way to win the Dirt Mile. The 3-year-old was bought for just $64,000 at the Fasig Tipton Mid Atlanic 2-year-old sale last May (2018) by Ronald Donaldson. The colt, now 5 for 11 in his career, is trained by Juan Carlos Guerrero. Irad Ortiz rode, one of his 3 Cup winners.
Race 4: Filly & Mare Turf
Win: Iridessa (13-1) (Joseph O’Brien, Wayne Lordan); $28.40, $11.20, $5.00; $1,100,000
Place: Vasilika (9-2) (Dan Ward, Flavien Prat); x, $5.40, $3.20; $340,000
Show: Sistercharlie (4-5) (Chad Brown, John Velazquez); x, x, $2.20; $180,000
Joseph O’Brien became just the second person to ride and train a Breeders’ Cup winner as the 26-year-old saddled IRIDESSA (Ruler of the World – Senta’s Dream by Danehill) to win the Filly & Mare Turf. It was her 5th win in 12 starts and Wayne Lordan got the 3-year-old up to edge the hometown gal Vasilika.
Race 5: Sprint
Win: Mitole (9-5) (Steve Asmussen, Ricardo Santana Jr.); $5.60, $3.20, $2.60; $1,100,000
Place: Shancelot (3-2) (Jorge Navarro, Jose Ortiz); x, $3.20, $2.80; $340,000
Show: Whitmore (19-1) (Ron Moquett, Flavien Prat); x, x, $5.00; $180,000
The incredible MITOLE, originally a $20,000 purchase and then a $140,000 Ocala 2-year-old buy in 2017, won the Sprint for his sixth win this year in seven races. Winner of the Met Mile, the Forego and other stakes, the son of Eskendereya – Indian Miss by Indian Charlie was ridden by Ricardo Santana for owners Heiligbrodt and trainer Steve Asmussen.
Race 6: Mile
Win: Uni (7-2) (Chad Brown, Joel Rosario); $9.20, $4.80, $3.60; $1,100,000
Place: Got Stormy (3-1) (Mark E. Casse, Tyler Gaffalione); x, $4.80, $3.40; $340,000
Show: Without Parole (8-1) (Chad C. Brown, Irad Ortiz Jr.); x, x, $5.60; $180,000
The Chad Brown show continued (2 wins Saturday, 1 Friday) as the 5-year-old mare UNI (GB) flew from off a fast pace to win the Mile over another gal, Got Stormy. Uni (More Than Ready – Unaided by Dansilli) had only raced 3 times this year, won twice and had taken the First Lady (G1) at Keeneland last time with an amazing turn of foot. She is 10 for 18 now for Michael Dubb and Head of Plains and Joel Rosario rode.
It was a tough time for Canadian-bred EL TORMENTA who seemed to be too eager early in the race. He dueled through rapid fractions before fading to sixth, a decent finish considering how fast he went.
Race 7: Distaff
Win: Blue Prize (11-1) (Ignacio Correas IV, Joe Bravo); $19.80, $5.60, $4.20; $1,100,000
Place: Midnight Bisou (even) (Steven M. Asmussen, Mike E. Smith); x, $2.80, $2.20; $340,000
Show: Serengeti Empress (10-1) (Thomas M. Amoss, Flavien Prat); x, x, $6.00; $180,000
Midnight Bisou was the big favourite but it was BLUE PRIZE (ARG) who got the jump on the 4-year-old to win the Distaff. A 6-year-old by Pure Prize, the Merriebelle Stable mare is trained by Ignacio Correas and came off a win in the Spinster. She is 10 for 23 in her career and is up for sale next week at Fasig Tipton.
Race 8: Turf
Win: Bricks and Mortar (9-5) (Chad Brown, Irad Ortiz Jr.); $4.00, $3.20, $2.40; $2,200,000
Place: United (20-1) (Richard E. Mandella, Flavien Prat); x, $25.60, $13.00; $680,000
Show: Anthony Van Dyck (3-1) (Aiden P. O’Brien, Ryan Moore); x, x, $4.00; $360,000
For many, this race was one of the highlights of the 2-day Cup as the incredible turf horse BRICKS AND MORTAR won his first ever try at 12 furlongs with a determined rally. He had to work hard to beat longshot UNITED (who won at Woodbine last summer) but Irad Ortiz simply waved the whip at the son of Giant’s Causeway through the stretch run. The 5-year-old is now six for six year and a leading candidate for Horse of the Year. He was bred by George Srawbridge and is owned by Klaravich Stable and William Lawrence, trained by Chad Brown. This horse had stringhalt surgery in 2017 and missed almost a year of racing. He is 11 for 13 in his career with over six million in earnings.
Bricks and Mortar is from the mare Beyond the Waves by Ocan Crest.
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