LEXINGTON, Ky. — Even-money favorite Monomoy Girl blew by the leaders around the final turn and held off a challenge by 14-1 shot Valiance to win her second 1 1/8-mile Distaff at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course.
The star 5-year-old won for the 13th time in 15th races, giving trainer Brad Cox his fourth win at this Breeders’ Cup to tie the record.
“I thought she was better than she’d ever been coming into this, I really, really did, and I think she proved that,” Cox said. “Just a tremendous filly. She’s a champion.”
Two years after winning the race in 1:49.79 at Churchill Downs, Monomoy Girl won Saturday in 1:47.84, paying $4.00 to win, $3.00 to place and $2.40 to show. Valiance was second and Dunbar Road third.
Preakness winner Swiss Skydiver didn’t finish in the top three after stumbling out of the starting gate. Trainer Kenny McPeek chose to run Swiss Skydiver against older fillies and mares in the Distaff rather than going against the colts in the Classic and knew this was still a possibility.
“She’s got a ladder to climb against older fillies and mares,” McPeek said. “Monomoy Girl’s a great filly. She deserves Hall of Fame status.”
This is likely Monomoy Girl’s last race before she becomes a broodmare.
Mile features massive upset
Order of Australia, a 73-1 longshot only in the race following a scratch and with a substitute rider aboard, won the $2 million Mile by a neck over Circus Maximus.
The Irish-bred colt entered the 15-horse field after One Master was scratched.
Jockey Pierre Charles Boudot was riding in place of Christophe Soumillon, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.
Order of Australia started from the far post and quickly moved into contention before running second entering the stretch. He overtook Halladay and held off charging Circus Maximus for the win, with Lope Y Fernandez third to complete a 1-2-3 sweep of entries for trainer Aiden O’Brien.
Gamine glides to record finish
Even-money favorite Gamine kicked off the day with a record-setting performance in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
Jockey John Velazquez led the 3-year-old daughter of Into Mischief to a seven-furlong finish in 1:20.20, eclipsing the mark of 1:21.32 set by Taris in 2014.
The Bob Baffert trainee tracked down Serengeti Empress and pulled away after at the sixteenth pole.
Gamine paid $4.20, $3, and $2.40. Serengeti Empress held off Bell’s the One for second by a nose.
Tarnawa storms from behind in Turf
Tarnawa made a stirring rally from the back of the pack, racing to the front from the outside to win the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf.
A 9-2 third choice, the 4-year-old Shamardal filly was facing males for the first time and saddled by replacement rider Colin Keane, who took the mount in place Soumillon.
The victory, in 2:28.02 over 1 1/2 miles, gave trainer Dermot Weld his first Breeders’ Cup win and paid $11.40, $5.40 and $4.
Fourth scores for 7-year-old Whitmore
After coming up short the past three years in the Sprint, the fourth time proved to be the charm for Whitmore as he rallied to finally win the $2 million race.
The 7-year-old Pleasantly Perfect gelding showed a burst down the stretch and won by five lengths in his 38th career start. He finished the six furlongs in 1:08.61 under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., giving trainer Ron Moquett his first Breeders’ Cup victory.
Whitmore, who started at 17-1, paid $38.80, $13.80 and $7.60. C Z Rocket came in second followed by Firenze Fire in third.
Audarya amazes in Filly & Mare Turf
Audarya, a 17-1 longshot, tracked down race favorite Rushing Fall to win the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf.
The 4-year-old Wootton Bassett filly gave trainer James Fanshawe and Boudot – who assumed the ride for the COVID-stricken Soumillon – their first Breeders’ Cup victories.
Rushing Fall, who started at 5-2 odds, had overtaken Mean Mary before Audarya seized the lead in the final furlong, winning by a neck.
Audarya finished the 1 3/16-mile event in 1:52.72, paying $37.60, $16.00 and $10.20.
More records for Knicks Go
Knicks Go shot out to an early lead and had more than enough at the end, claiming the $1 million Dirt Mile in record time.
Cox picked up his third Breeders’ Cup win of the weekend as the 4-year-old son of Paynter – already the Keeneland record-holder for 1 1/16 miles on dirt – finished in 1:33.85, erasing Liam’s Map’s Breeders’ Cup standard of 1:34.54 from 2015.The 9-5 favorite, ridden by Joel Rosario, paid $5.60, $5 and $3.80.
Glass Slippers makes history
Glass Slippers scored a 10-1 upset to become the first European-based horse to win the $1 million Turf Sprint in the race’s 13-year history.
The 4-year-old daughter of Dream Ahead, trained by Kevin Ryan, covered 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01.53 and paid $22.40, $10.60 and $6.60.
Jockey Tom Eaves pushed Glass Slippers between horses down the stretch before holding off Wet Your Whistle to win by a half-length.
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