Trainer Ralph Beckett added, "He got the perfect trip. Pat (Smullen) just said they were crawling. We worked it out beforehand that he had to be running going into the bend. Whether that meant he hit the front too soon or not, he had to be rolling going into the bend. He got that part of it right. I felt that he was just idling a little bit there the last 50 yards, but maybe he was running on empty. He's trained very well all week. He's not an easy horse to train. A big, big part of this is the team at home because he hasn't been easy."
2008 Breeders' Cup World Championships Saturday Part 2
By Cindy Pierson Dulay, About.com Guide
10 of 10
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Muhannak in the winner's circle
Muhannak in the winner's circle after winning the 2008 Breeders' Cup Marathon at Santa Anita
© Cindy Pierson Dulay
Winning jockey Patrick Smullen said, "Everything went to plan. As I anticipated, there wasn't a lot of early pace. I wanted to put myself in the position that I could go on the back turn. It worked out beautifully. The horse fought all the way to the wire. Great credit goes to the trainer. He's improved this horse unbelievably over the last six months. I'm just privileged to have the ride on him. It's a dream come true to win a Breeders' Cup. It's something I've wanted to do since I was a kid. To win a Breeders' Cup race, I can't explain it."
Prev
- Midshipman wins the 2008 Breeders' Cup Juvenile
- Midshipman with his flowers
- Goldikova wins the 2008 Breeders' Cup Mile
- Goldikova in the winner's circle
- Albertus Maximus wins the 2008 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile
- Albertus Maximus parades with his flowers
- Desert Code wins the 2008 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint
- Desert Code with trainer David Hofmans
- Muhannak wins the 2008 Breeders' Cup Marathon
- Muhannak in the winner's circle
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