The 26th Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park is now history. This was the second year in a row the event was increased to 14 races spread over two days held at Santa Anita, although this year it was split to six on Friday and eight on Saturday. It was also the second time the main track races were run over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface, which did feel a bit different from last year with less bounce.
There were a record 10 previous winners of Breeders' Cup races who were trying for a second victory, and three were successful. Zenyatta, winner of the Ladies' Classic last year, became the first horse to win two different Breeders' Cup races with her impressive victory over males in the Classic. Conduit won the Turf for the second time and Goldikova repeated her win against males in the Mile. Goldikova's win made her trainer, Freddie Head who won the Mile twice as a jockey aboard Miesque, the first person to win the same Breeders' Cup race twice as both a trainer and a jockey. The other previous winners back this year were: 2008 Turf Sprint winner Desert Code (13th in the Turf Sprint), 2006 Turf winner Red Rocks (5th in the Turf), 2008 Filly and Mare Turf winner Forever Together (3rd in the F/M Turf), 2008 Filly and Mare Sprint winner Ventura (2nd in the F/M Sprint), 2008 Marathon winner Muhannak (5th in the Marathon), 2008 Juvenile winner Midshipman (3rd in the Dirt Mile), 2008 Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Maram (6th in the F/M Turf).
Last year at Santa Anita, the European horses showed a liking not just for the turf but also the synthetic main track with wins in the Classic and Marathon as well as the Turf, Mile, and Juvenile Turf on the grass. Once again they showed a strong liking for California with wins on Friday by Midday in the Filly and Mare Turf and Man of Iron in the Marathon. They got four wins on Saturday with Conduit in the Turf, Goldikova in the Mile, Vale of York in the Juvenile, and Pounced in the Juvenile Turf.
Julien Leparoux was the top jockey for the weekend, winning three of the 14 Breeders' Cup races: Informed Decision (Filly & Mare Sprint), She Be Wild (Juvenile Fillies), and Furthest Land (Dirt Mile). He was the only jockey to win more than one race this year and was given the Bill Shoemaker Award as the outstanding rider in this year's Breeders' Cup.
Four jockeys won their first Breeders' Cup race this weekend: Ahmed Ajtebi aboard Vale of York (Juvenile), Joel Rosario aboard Dancing in Silks (Sprint), Joe Talamo aboard California Flag (Turf Sprint), and Thomas Queally aboard Midday (Filly and Mare Turf).
Five trainers won their first Breeders' Cup race over the weekend: Brian Koriner with California Flag (Turf Sprint), Carla Gaines with Dancing in Silks (Sprint), Mike Maker with Furthest Land (Dirt Mile), Dale Romans with Tapitsfly (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Henry Cecil with Midday (Filly and Mare Turf).
Beautiful sunny weather and mild temperatures brought out larger crowds, helped along by $10 general admission, down from $20 last year, and lower reserved seat ticket prices. Attendance on Friday was 37,651, up from 31,257 last year, and on Saturday was 58,845, up from 51,331 last year, for a total of 96,496 over the two days, an increase of 16%.
A total of $150,205,639 was wagered on the 14 races of the Championships and five additional races on the cards one race less than this year. "The combined handle was actually four percent higher for the corresponding 19 races scheduled over the two days in 2008," said Kenneth Kirchner, of Falkirk, wagering consultants to Breeders' Cup Ltd. "International separate pool handle is up by more than $3 million over 2008." Kirchner also noted that $2,172,266 was refunded to patrons that had wagered on Quality Road, who was scratched at the gate in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The Pick 6 handle rose significantly from 2008, helped by the move of the Marathon to Friday to make two all-Breeders' Cup pick six wagers for the weekend. Friday’s Pick 6 handle was $1,371,372, up 36% from 2009. The Saturday Pick 6 handle increased 15% to $3,313,224. The sole winning ticket on Saturday was worth $1,838,305 for the 6 of 6 correct selections and was a $48 ticket that was wagered through Royal River Racing. The winning ticket singled Goldikova and Conduit.
The 27th Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held on Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6, 2010 at Churchill Downs.
