LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The latest on the Breeders’ Cup, in which Triple Crown winner American Pharoah races for the last time before retiring (all times EDT):
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3:17 p.m.
Runhappy held off Private Zone to win the $1.5 million Sprint by three-quarters of a length at the Breeders’ Cup.
Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado won his first Cup race since 2010. The 48-year-old is best known for riding Barbaro to victory in the 2006 Kentucky Derby before the colt was seriously injured in the Preakness and later had to be euthanized.
Runhappy covered six furlongs in a track-record time of 1:08.58 and paid $5.20, $3.40 and $2.80 at 8-5 odds. The 3-year-old colt is trained by Maria Borell.
Private Zone returned $4.20 and $3.80, while Favorite Tale was another length back in third and paid $10.80 to show.
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2:40 p.m.
Chad Brown is on a roll at the Breeders’ Cup.
The New York-based trainer has won a second straight race, with Stephanie’s Kitten rallying from last to win the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland on Saturday.
The 6-year-old mare made her move along the rail before splitting horses in deep stretch for her second Cup win. She captured the 2011 Juvenile Fillies Turf and ran second in this race last year.
One race earlier, Brown won the Filly & Mare Sprint with Wavell Avenue.
Stephanie’s Kitten and jockey Irah Ortiz Jr. beat 4-5 favorite Legatissimo, which was Europe’s best hope in the race, by 1 1/4 lengths.
She ran 1 3/16 miles in 1:56.22 and paid $17.60, $5.40 and $3.60.
It was a popular victory for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who live in Lexington.
Legatissimo returned $3 and $2.60, while Queen’s Jewel paid $6.80 to show.
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2 p.m.
Bon Jovi guitarist and singer Richie Sambora showed up at Keeneland just before the fifth race and navigated a small sea of fans in the Trophy Lounge.
After getting his program and Daily Racing Form, Sambora was stopped often for pictures and selfies, taking a brief glimpse at the buffet as he made his way through the room.
Just before arriving, Sambora tweeted his support to the camp of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah: “Heading to Breeders Cup to support my dear friends @jazz3162 @JustinZayat and the Champ @amer_pharoah … Grand Slam it!!!”
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1:45 p.m.
There’s been another upset at the Breeders’ Cup.
Wavell Avenue rallied to win the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint by 1 ¾ lengths at Keeneland on Saturday.
Ridden by Joel Rosario, Wavell Avenue ran seven furlongs in 1:22.39 and paid $22, $10.20 and $6.60 at 10-1 odds.
La Verdad returned $8 and $5.40, while Taris paid $4.80 to show.
Cavorting, the 3-1 favorite, finished fourth in the field of 14.
Trainer Chad Brown notched his first victory of the two-day world championships. He has a leading 14 horses entered.
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1:10 p.m.
It’s a first for Mongolia at the Breeders’ Cup.
The Asian country’s first representative in the 32-year history of the world championships won the $1 million Turf Sprint with the fittingly named Mongolian Saturday.
The winner’s circle was a colorful scene as the owners, dressed in traditional garb and headgear, accepted the trophy after the 15-1 upset.
Trained by Enebish Ganbat, Mongolian Saturday broke from post 14 on the far outside and immediately challenged Ready For Rye for the lead.
Mongolian Saturday won that duel at the top of the stretch and then needed an all-out drive to the wire to hold off filly Lady Shipman by a neck.
The 5-year-old gelding ridden by Florent Geroux ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.49.
Mongolian Saturday paid $33.80, $13.60 and $7.80.
Lady Shipman returned $5.40 and $4.60 while Green Mask paid $5.40 to show.
Undrafted, the 7-2 favorite owned by former NFL star receiver Wes Welker, finished fifth.
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12:20 p.m.
Songbird led all the way to win the $2 million Juvenile Fillies by 5 ¾ lengths as the first of nine Breeders’ Cup races began at Keeneland.
Ridden by Mike Smith, Songbird ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.73. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, the 2-year-old filly based in California paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10.
Smith extended his record as the all-time Cup-winning jockey to 22 victories. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer won his second career Cup race.
Rachel’s Valentina, a 2-year-old daughter of retired superstar Rachel Alexandra, returned $3.80 and $3.40. Dothraki Queen was another 1 ¼ lengths back in third and paid $5.80 to show.
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11:45 a.m.
More horses are out of the Breeders’ Cup.
Hard Not to Like and Talmada have been scratched from the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf.
Trainer Christophe Clement says Hard Not to Like coughed a few times after training on Saturday morning, so he’s not comfortable running the 10-1 shot.
Talmada was scratched by the Keeneland stewards for unauthorized administration of the anti-bleeding medication Lasix by a private veterinarian. The 4-year-old filly trained by Roger Varian was listed at 30-1 odds after getting into the field on Friday.
The race lost Bawina on Friday when she was scratched because of muscle cramping, leaving 10 horses to run in the Filly & Mare Turf.
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11:20 a.m.
Bourbon, Bloody Marys and champagne is flowing at Keeneland as fans settle in for a day of championship racing.
With cloudy skies and 50-degree temperatures in the heart of Kentucky bluegrass country, fans are dressed warmly yet fashionably. Women are wearing dresses and knee-high boots or heels, and men are in suits and ties befitting the historic racetrack set in the bucolic countryside.
It’s Halloween, too, so some fans are dressing for the occasion. A man wearing an orange suit decorated with black pumpkins is in the crowd and pumpkins are decorated with the Breeders’ Cup logo.
The Keeneland gift shop is jammed and there’s a line extending out the door. Customers are snapping up high-priced scarves, ties, and horse-related merchandise. The official Breeders’ Cup silk scarf costs $150.
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10:30 a.m.
Smooth Roller has been scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Classic, leaving seven horses to challenge Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
The 4-year-old gelding was scratched by the Keeneland stewards early Saturday on the advice of the Kentucky state veterinarian because of a tendon issue in Smooth Roller’s left front leg.
Smooth Roller has won three of his four career races, all in California. He was listed at 15-1 on the morning line for the $5 million Classic. He is trained by Victor Garcia and was to be ridden by Tyler Baze.
The Classic lost mare Beholder on Thursday when she dropped out because of a fever, spoiling the highly anticipated match-up between her and American Pharoah, who is running for the last time.
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9 a.m.
The race for prime viewing spots at the Breeders’ Cup began when the gates opened.
Neat lines of benches were quickly broken as fans slid them closer to the outside rail, with some spectators building small enclaves near the action. Others brought blankets, some for sitting on the paved grandstand as well as to keep warm.
Within an hour the rail was filled, and there figure to be few open spots in the area as the day progresses. Attendance near 45,000 is expected for the world championships.
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Source: businessinsider.com
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