2000 Breeders' Cup Results - Horse Racing

Horse Racing

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Horse Racing

Frank Stronach with his Filly and Mare Turf winner Perfect Sting.
Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf

Dateline: 11/04/00

Distaff

Juvenile Fillies

Mile

Sprint

F/M Turf

Juvenile

Turf

Classic

Misc. Photos

The Europeans were out again in full force for this 1 3/8 mile turf event, with the Prix de l'Opera winner Petrushka heavily backed at odds of 7-5. She was coming into the race with a three-race win streak, all of which were in Group 1 company. Second choice in the wagering was Frank Stronach's Perfect Sting at 5-1, who finished sixth in this event last year at Gulfstream Park and was coming into this race with 4 wins and 1 second in 5 starts for the year.

Maltese Superb leads the way by the first time with Collect the Cash and Tranquility Lake just behind.

Japanese invader Maltese Superb was first out of the gate under jockey Yutaka Take and set the initial fractions of 24.49 and 48.51 while duelling with Collect the Cash, before giving way to her after 6 furlongs, run in 1:12.41. Tranquility Lake had stalked those two early on, and surged to the front at the 3/8 pole, the mile run in 1:36.50, and remained a factor until the top of the stretch, steadily tiring thereafter. With the early speed burning out early, the race was setting up nicely for the closers. Perfect Sting had been unhurried early and well back behind horses most of the way until Jerry Bailey launched her rally four-wide exiting the far turn. Tout Charmant, who had settled in stalking position saving ground the whole way, angled between horses and closed steadily through the lane. German invader Catella was outrun early and was as far back as 10th, angled out at the top of the stretch and rallied down the center of the course. Perfect Sting accelerated to the front opening a clear advantage one furlong out, the 1 1/4 run in 2:00.93, and had to hold off Tout Charmant for the 3/4 length victory in a final time of 2:13.07. Catella gained 4 lengths in the final furlong to finish in third by a length and a half. Favorite Petrushka saved ground for the first 6 furlongs, went 6 wide on the far turn, raced in traffic through the stretch but lacked a late bid and finished a disappointing 5th, beaten 3 3/4 lengths.

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 8   Perfect Sting      Bailey          12.00    6.20  4.60
 2   Tout Charmant      McCarron                14.00  9.60
13   Catella            Desormeaux                     7.20

Winning Time:  2:13.07

$2 Exacta 8-2               127.80
$2 Trifecta 8-2-13        2,810.40
$1 Superfecta 8-2-13-9    8,076.80

Results Chart from Equibase

Perfect Sting heads to victory with Tout Charmant in close pursuit.

Trainer Joe Orseno congratulates Jerry Bailey on the ride. He said: "She's lovely to train. Mr. Stronach gave me the tools and all I had to do was manage her." He added that she will rest in Ocala and will be back next year.

Her owner Frank Stronach leading her to the winner's circle. He said: "Perfect Sting. It's an appropriate name. With this win today she deserves to be named champion turf mare in America. Today she proved she was the best filly. Joe [Orseno] has done a great job. I give Joe the horses and Joe does the job.".

The celebration in the winner's circle.

Trainer Joe Orseno taking Perfect Sting to the paddock for saddling.

Perfect Sting in the post parade. Her jockey Jerry Bailey said: "There was more speed than I thought and I didn't think she'd go a mile and three-eighths, but she sure proved it. I tried to save her for the extra furlong. She likes to win. That's why her record shows a lot of noses. Every time they came to her she gave me a little more."

Second place finisher Tout Charmant in the post parade. Her jockey Chris McCarron said: "Take [Maltese Superb's jockey] came out of the starting gate like a Quarter Horse. I would have been a fool to go with him. Jerry Bailey got the edge on me on the turn and went ahead." Trainer Ron McAnally added: "On the turn, if she had been able to get out in time she would have given the winner a run for their money. But that one got the jump on us, and that was the race."

Third place finisher Catella in the post parade. Her trainer Peter Schiergen said: "She had a good start and was running well, but at the 3/8 pole the jockey had to pull up. If not for that I think we would have been closer." Jockey Kent Desormeaux added: "I had to snatch her up (at the 3/8 pole) and she had plenty of momentum at the time. I think it cost me the race. As soon as her feet hit the ground after the incident she was flying at them again."

7-5 favorite Petrushka who finished fifth. Her jockey Johnny Murtagh said: "She was never really travelling well today. Usually she is very generous but she just never kicked it in today. She had no problems with the ground." Trainer Michael Stoute added, "She got slightly impeded in the straight but she just didn't quicken when she got the gap. She wouldn't have won."

The race was marred by tragedy as Spanish Fern was pulled up by jockey Victor Espinoza soon after the start and was vanned off. He said "She was good in the gate. As soon as it opened, she wanted to go fast, then I heard something crack in the left part of her back." She was taken to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, suffering from a fractured pelvis which ruptured an internal blood vessel, and died that evening despite efforts to stabilize her with intravenous fluid, blood volume replacement, and corticosteroids. Here she is heading to the paddock before the fatal race.