Saturday at the Breeders’ Cup Part 1

Jockey Joel Rosario and trainer Brad Cox (right) celebrates with Knicks Go after winning the Classic

Breeders’ Cup
World Championships Results

Date: 11/6/2021

The 2021 Breeders’ Cup World Championships ended on Saturday at Del Mar Race Course near San Diego with nine races, all with year-end championship implications, five of which were conducted over the 1 mile main track. Similar to Friday, conditions were cool with partly cloudy skies, minimal wind, and temperatures in the mid 60’s, with the track rated fast.

Despite the limited number of fans in attendance (47,089 over the 2 days), a new record Breeders’ Cup handle of $182.9 million went through the tote system, a 4.7% increase over the 2019 event at Santa Anita. Breeders’ Cup CEO Drew Fleming said, “We had an extraordinary two days of racing showcasing the best Thoroughbreds from around the world and we want to thank our partners here at Del Mar, who did an amazing job, and the greater San Diego community, our gracious hosts this week. The Breeders’ Cup is a truly global event with winners this weekend bred, raised, and raced on three different continents.”

Full results with several photos will be available for each race at the link below the pay-off chart as they are finished.

• Part 2 of Saturday’s results and photos, the turf races, are available here.
• Friday’s results and photos are available here.
  

Knicks Go wins the Classic

The $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) featured a field of 8 older horses (after Express Train scratched) going 1 1/4 miles on the main track in a race that heavily influences Eclipse Award voting for Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year. Belmont (G1), Jim Dandy (G2), and Travers Stakes (G1) winner Essential Quality was sent off as the 9-5 favorite over two horses with identical 3-1 odds, Knicks Go, winner of the Whitney (G1), and Hot Rod Charlie, disqualified from the win in the Haskell (G1) before winning the Pennsylvania Derby (G1).

Jockey Joel Rosario sent Knicks Go to a clear lead first time by and he set fractions of 23.16, 45.77, and 1:10.04 while pressed by 10-1 Art Collector and stalked by 13-2 fourth choice Medina Spirit. Turning for home after 1 mile in 1:35.28, Knicks Go, wide around both turns, drew off late to win by 2 3/4 lengths over Medina Spirit in 1:59.57, just 46/100 off Candy Ride’s track record. It was another 3/4 length back to late-running favorite Essential Quality third.

Pgm  Horse               Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 5   Knicks Go           Rosario          8.40    6.20  4.00
 8   Medina Spirit       Velazquez                6.60  4.00
 4   Essential Quality   Saez                           2.80

Winning Time:  1:59.57

$1 Exacta 5-8                             32.60
$1 Trifecta 5-8-4                         83.90
$1 Superfecta 5-8-4-3                    170.10
$1 Super High Five 5-8-4-3-7           3,299.90

Left: Knicks Go heads back to the barn. Winning trainer Brad Cox said, “He ran a tremendous race. Obviously, the race went really well. He broke, was able to establish position early. Once he was able to do that, he’s a hard horse to catch. I’m very proud of him. It was a big race today. I think the final time was good, too.”

Right: Knicks Go in the post parade. Winning jockey Joel Rosario said, “We had a beautiful trip. He does exactly what he wants to do. I tried to save as much as I could, because we had a mile and one quarter to go. But he was going easy. At the quarter pole he just took off again. He’s just an amazing horse.”

Marche Lorraine (outside) wins the Distaff

The $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) featured a field of 11 older fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the main track. Personal Ensign (G1) and Spinster (G1) winner Letruska was sent off as the 8-5 favorite over 7-2 second choice Malathaat, winner of the Alabama (G1) after just missing in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), and 5-1 third choice Royal Flag, winner of the Beldame Invitational (G2).

Jockey Flavien Prat sent 11-1 Private Mission to the lead first time by through fractions of 21.84, 44.97, and 1:09.70 while pressed by Letruska and stalked by 17-2 Shedaresthedevil and 32-1 As Time Goes By. Turning for home the pacesetters tired, as 50-1 Marche Lorraine, 9th early under Oisin Murphy, came out 5 wide to sweep to the front through 1 mile in 1:35.28. 12-1 Dunbar Road put in a strong late rally from 8th but Marche Lorraine held her off to win by a nose in 1:47.67. It was another 1/2 length back to late-running Malathaat third, while favorite Letruska faded to finish 10th beaten 32 lengths.

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
10   Marche Lorraine    Murphy          101.80  41.00 18.80
11   Dunbar Road        Ortiz                   11.60  6.80
 3   Malathaat          Velazquez                      3.80

Winning Time:  1:47.67
  
$1 Exacta 10-11                      513.30
$1 Trifecta 10-11-3                4,010.00
$1 Superfecta 10-11-3-5           22,455.20

Left: Marche Lorraine heads out for the post parade. Winning jockey Oisin Murphy said, “An amazing day, I couldn’t be happier. I sat on her during the week in morning exercise and she felt good. They went very fast on the front end which helped me. I’m very grateful to the owners for putting me up. I love riding in Japan so to have a Japanese winner at the Breeders Cup, it couldn’t be better.”

Right: Marche Lorraine heads back to the barn. Murphy added, “I just followed Jose Ortiz. He has a lot more experience on dirt than I have.When he wasn’t going early I knew the fractions were very fast. To be honest, I could have waited a little longer going into the turn. But, I thought that if I waited longer then I’m going to be pushed wider going into the turn. So, if I could kind of get on the back of the Qatar filly, Shedaresthedevil, that’s what I did so I didn’t have a super wide trip going into the straight.”

Aloha West (outside) wins the Sprint

The $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) featured a field of 9 older sprinters going 6 furlongs. Allen Jerkens (G1) and Gallant Bob Stakes (G2) winner Jackie’s Warrior was sent off as the 1-2 favorite over 4-1 Dr. Schivel, winner of the Bing Crosby (G1) and Santa Anita Sprint (G2), and 10-1 Special Reserve, winner of the Phoenix (G2).

Jockey Joel Rosario sent Jackie’s Warrior to the front out of the chute through fractions of 21.91 and 44.11 while pressed by Special Reserve and stalked by Dr. Schivel. Turning for home Dr. Schivel gained a short lead through 5f in 56.05 but 11-1 fourth choice Aloha West, 6th early under Jose Ortiz, rallied to just get up by a nose in 1:08.49. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Following Sea third.

Pgm  Horse               Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 5   Aloha West           Ortiz   .       24.60    8.20  6.00
 9   Dr. Schivel          Prat                     5.00  4.20
 1   Following Sea        Velazquez                      9.60

Winning Time:  1:08.49

$1 Exacta 5-9                             49.60
$1 Trifecta 5-9-1                        422.50
$1 Superfecta 5-9-1-8                  1,432.70

Left: Aloha West in the post parade.

Right: Aloha West heads back to the barn. Winning trainer Wayne Catalano said, “I liked where we were at early in the race and the head-bob wasa tough one. But you know when the results come this way we’re happy. Right now, it’s a good time to win a race like this. We are low on horses and have been around a long, long time. I have been reinventing myself so many times. Fifty years and counting. I just want to settle down and have a handful of nice ones in one spot and enjoy my life with my three grandkids and one more on the way.”

Life is Good wins the Dirt Mile

The $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) is for older horses going 1 mile, 1 full lap of the main track. Allen Jerkens (G1) runner-up and Kelso Handicap (G2) winner Life is Good was sent off as the 7-10 favorite in the field of 8 over 3-1 second choice Silver State, winner of the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and Parx Dirt Mile, and 9-2 third choice Ginobili, winner of the Pat O’Brien (G2).

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. sent Life is Good to the lead first time by and he set fractions of 21.88, 44.94, and 1:08.76 while pressed by 15-1 Eight Rings and stalked by 59-1 longest shot Jasper Prince. Turning for home, Life is Good left the rest of the field in his wake, opening up by 4 lengths midstretch through 7f in 1:21.06 and finishing up 5 3/4 lengths ahead of Ginobili in 1:34.12. It was another 3/4 length back to Restrainedvengence third.

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
  5   Life is Good       Ortiz Jr.         3.40   2.60  2.20
  3   Ginobili           Van Dyke                 4.00  3.40
  6   Restrainedvengence Maldonado    .                 7.20

Winning Time:  1:34.12                     

$1 Exacta 5-3                          6.10  
$1 Trifecta 5-3-6                     67.50
$1 Superfecta 5-3-6-8                244.50

Left: Irad Ortiz Jr. heads out for the post parade. Winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said, “I had a perfect trip. He broke out of there running, he relaxed for me. I wasn’t worried about those other runners early in the race, because I knew he was so fast. When we got to the quarter pole, he re-broke for me. What a nice horse to ride.”

Right: Life is Good heads back to the barn. Winning trainer Todd Pletcher said, “We were hoping for that, expecting that based on the way that he’s been training, but it’s always great to see it actually happen. He took it to them. Just too much horse.”

Ce Ce wins the Filly and Mare Sprint

Kicking off Championship Saturday, the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) featured a short field of just 5 older fillies and mares (after Estilo Talentoso scratched) sprinting 7 furlongs on the main track. Defending champion Gamine was sent off as the 2-5 favorite off her Ballerina Handicap (G1) win at Saratoga. In to challenge her included 5-2 second choice Bella Sofia, winner of the Test (G1) and Gallant Bloom (G2), and 6-1 third choice Ce Ce, winner of the Chillingworth Stakes (G3).

Jockey John Velazquez sent Gamine to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 22.31 and 44.92 while pressed by Bella Sofia and stalked by 16-1 Edgeway. Turning for home, Ce Ce, 4th early under Victor Espinoza, bumped into Bella Sofia at the 3/16 pole then rallied by the pacesetters to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Edgeway in 1:21.00. It was another 3/4 length back to favorite and pacesetter Gamine third.

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 4   Ce Ce              Espinoza         14.40   5.20  2.40
 3   Edgeway            Rosario                  9.60  3.20
 5   Gamine             Velazquez                      2.10

Winning Time:  1:21.00                    

$1 Exacta 4-3                         55.50
$1 Trifecta 4-3-5                    119.20
$1 Superfecta 4-3-5-6                139.30

Left: Ce Ce heads out for the post parade. Espinoza said, “It was the right race at the right time for this filly. Mike McCarthy did an amazing job training her up to this race. I had a lot of horse. She bounced out of the gate, but I decided to sit back and she was nice and relaxed. When I shook the reins at her at the 5/8s pole, I got a little excited. I wanted to go inside, but that spot was taken. But it worked out pretty fine.”

Right: Ce Ce heads back to the barn. Winning trainer Mike McCarthy said, “Around the turn she put in her run and she was very good. It’s a proud moment for (Bo Hirsch and I). I wish I would have shaved a little more this morning. Such a fantastic day and fantastic event. Just happy for everybody.She’s been very consistent. I think last year I decided that this year we would go one turn with her. She’s been touting herself this week that she was going to run a big one. I’m just glad she did on a stage like today.”

Part 2 of Saturday’s results and photos are available here.
Results and photos for the four Breeders’ Cup races on Friday are available here.

Breeders’ Cup quick links:

• 2021 Breeders’ Cup Entries – Final entries have closed for the 2021 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar and post positions have been drawn.
• Official Program – view online, download, or print the offical programs with past performances for both days from Breeder’s Cup
• Breeders’ Cup Free Past Performances – for all 13 races from BRISnet.com
• Breeders’ Cup Weather – Check out the latest weather forecasts for the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar
• Breeders’ Cup Hits and Near Misses – Who has won multiple times or just missed a second win plus winners who are parents of winners.
• Breeders’ Cup Field Selection Rules – how they decide who gets in if a Championship race is oversubscribed at pre-entry time.
• 2020 Breeders’ Cup Saturday Results – The feature race was the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic won by Authentic. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 9 races here.
• 2020 Breeders’ Cup Friday Results – Friday was headlined by the $2 million Juvenile won by Essential Quality. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 5 races here.
• Satellite photo of Del Mar from Google Maps
• The Breeders’ Cup Championship Day – The official page for the Breeders’ Cup championship races. Just about anything you need to know about it: results, video clips, and race calls for past years, and eventually nominations, entries, and results.
• Free Prep Replays – for major prep races in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge.
• Breeders’ Cup Challenge – all the win and you’re in races with results.
• Points Standings – from the Breeders’ Cup
• Breeders’ Cup Postcards – Breeders’ Cup theme virtual postcards to send your friends including many past winners
• Breeders’ Cup Supplemental Entries – The old official policy on supplemental entries plus all the supplemental entries and how they fared, mostly it was a losing proposition. There are no more supplements now, only late nominations making it impossible to track since the change.
• America’s Best Racing Breeders’ Cup Special – News, lifestyle, and more
• Blood Horse Breeders’ Cup Special – Entries, news, history and more
• Daily Racing Form coverage – Full coverage with lots of news, stats, and other info. Also news for each division is available here.
• A History of Dosage in the Breeders’ Cup – from Chef-de-Race.com including dosage and pedigree info.
• European News – the latest on the Euro Entries from Sporting Life
• Send this page to a friend – know someone who would like to see this page? Click here to send them the URL.

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