Smith ties Bailey for All-Time Lead in Breeders’ Cup Wins

Mike Smith’s victory aboard Drosselmeyer in Saturday’s  Breeders’ Cup Classic, after guiding Amazombie to score in the Sprint earlier in the afternoon, brought his total number of wins in the Breeders’ Cup to 15 and bringing him into a tie atop that leaderboard with the retired Jerry Bailey.

John Velazquez rode two Breeders’ Cup winners Friday to bring his total to 11, ranking fifth behind Bailey, Smith and Pat Day and Garrett Gomez tied for third with 12 each.

Two trainers sent out two Breeders’ Cup winners. Bill Mott won the climactic events both days with Royal Delta capturing the Ladies’ Classic on Friday and Drosselmeyer the Classic on Saturday. Mott drew into a tie for third in all-time wins with Bob Baffert with eight each, trailing D. Wayne Lukas’ remarkable total of 18 and Shug McGaughey second with nine. Baffert won the inaugural Juvenile Sprint Friday with Secret Circle.

Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien also saddled two winners Saturday with Wrote taking the Juvenile Turf and St Nicholas Abbey the Turf, drawing into a five-way tie for most wins at six with Neil Drysdale, Richard Mandella, Bobby Frankel and Todd Pletcher.

Goldikova Gallant in TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile Defeat

Led by Wertheimer et Frere’s three-time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Goldikova, the 2011 Breeders’ Cup featured eight defending or former Breeders’ Cup champions. The 6yo homebred mare posted the best result of the group when finishing third as the 1.30-1 favorite in her attempt to win a fourth straight Mile.

Repole Stables’ 3yo colt Uncle Mo, who won the 2010 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs for trainer Todd Pletcher, finished 10^th in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, thwarting his attempt to become the first Juvenile winner to return to win the Classic.

Sagamore Farm’s Shared Account, a 46-1 upset winner of the 2010 Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, was denied a repeat bid in the 2011 edition of the race when finishing seventh, beaten 2 ½ lengths at 18-1 for trainer Graham Motion.

Juddmonte Farm’s Midday, winner of the 2009 Filly & Mare Turf and runner-up to Shared Account in the 2010 running of that race, opted for a start in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf this year in which the 5yo  mare finished sixth at 5-1.

Harold Queen’s Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Big Drama, who won the 2010 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint for trainer David Fawkes, finished seventh as the 3-1 second choice in the 2011 Sprint in just his third start of the year.

Carl Moore Management’s Chamberlain Bridge, winner of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs, and Hi Card Ranch’s California Flag, who won the Turf Sprint down the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in 2009, both returned for the 2011 Turf Sprint. Chamberlain Bridge finished eighth at 10-1 after breaking from post 14, while California Flag finished 12^th at 12-1.

E-Racing.Com and Kevin Jacobsen’s Eldaafer, whose 10.60-1 upset win in the 2010 Marathon allowed trainer Diane Alvarado to become the fourth female trainer to win a Breeders’ Cup race, finished sixth in the 2011 running at 12.80-1.   

More Odds and Ends

With victories by Drosselmeyer in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Royal Delta in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, trainer Bill Mott joined John Shirreffs as the only trainer to win both races in the same Championship weekend. Shirreffs accomplished the feat at Santa Anita in 2009 when Zenyatta won the Classic one day after Life Is Sweet prevailed in the Ladies’ Classic.

The all-Mott Classic/Ladies’ Classic Daily Double returned $84.00 while the all-Shirreffs Double in 2009 paid $92.60.

Jockey Joseph O’Brien, at 18 years 5 months, 13 days, became the youngest jockey to win a Breeders’ Cup race when prevailing with St Nicholas Abbey for his father, trainer Aidan O’Brien, in the Turf, surpassing Fernando Jara, who won the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic with Invasor at 18 years, 10 months, 18 days.

The victory by Spendthrift Farm LLC’s Court Vision at longshot odds of 64.80-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Mile provided the second largest win mutuel in the history of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships:

Arcangues $269.20 (1993 Classic)

Court Vision $131.60 (2011 Mile)

Spain $113.80 (2000 Distaff)

Lashkari $108.80 (1984 Turf)

One Dreamer $96.20 (1994 Distaff)

Four post-time favorites won Breeders’ Cup races this year. The winning favorites were (Friday) Secret Circle (.40-1 in Juvenile Sprint), My Miss Aurelia (2.10-1 in Juvenile Fillies), Royal Delta (2.20-1 in Ladies’ Classic), and (Saturday) Regally Ready (2.30-1 in Turf Sprint).

Juvenile Turf winner Wrote became the first Breeders’ Cup winner sired by 2002 and 2003 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner High Chaparral.

Breeders’ Cup World Championships Leading Jockeys (by earnings)

*Denotes Active Jockey

Breeders’ Cup World Championships Leading Jockeys (by win)

*Denotes Active Jockey

Breeders’ Cup World Championships Leading Trainers (by earnings)

*Denotes Active Trainer

Breeders’ Cup World Championships Leading Trainers (by win)

*Denotes Active Trainer

Jockeys Who Won Their First Breeders’ Cup World Championships race in 2011

*Denotes First Breeders’ Cup Mount

Trainers Who Won Their First Breeders’ Cup World Championships race in 2011

*Denotes First Breeders’ Cup Starter

The 29^th Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held Friday-Saturday, Nov. 2-3, 2012 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.