Goldencents Gutsy on Breeders’ Cup Friday

Goldencents scored a repeat win in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on Friday at Santa Anita Park. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
Goldencents was full of heart when holding off Tapiture to win the $920,000 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Friday at Santa Anita Park, becoming the first horse to win that race twice.
Goldencents dueled with Vicar’s in Trouble through lightning-fast opening fractions, but as Vicar’s in Trouble faded near the end of the backstretch, Goldencents continued gamely. Tapiture made a huge move around the turn and closed in on Goldencents in the stretch, forcing the victor to dig down for everything ounce of stamina he had in reserve in order to maintain the lead.
Goldencents drifted out in the stretch under jockey Rafael Bejarano but held on to win by 1 1/4 lengths with Pants On Fire amother 5 lengths behind the pair.
“I knew I was going fast and I had to find a way to give him a little break from the three-eighths to the quarter-pole. I was able to do that,” Bejarano said. “When the other horse started to come to me, I held onto him just a little bit before I turned him loose. When I turned him loose, he fired big.”
DIRT MILE WINNER'S CIRCLE

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Goldencents covered one mile in 1:35.16 as the 7-to-10 favorite, paying $3.40 to win for trainer Leandro Mora and owner W C Racing.
“This is very exciting. When I saw Tapiture coming, I started to sweat,” Mora said. “But, Goldencents kept trying and I started to relax. I felt fine. He wasn’t going to let anyone beat him today.” 
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Photo of Lady Eli winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf by Eclipse Sportswire
Putting her owners in the winner’s circle with their first Breeders’ Cup runner, Lady Eli was impressive in winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Settling in fourth behind the leaders quickly out of the gate, Lady Eli raced in that spot for most of the one-mile race. While she looked like she was ready to move around the far, Lady Eli was stuck behind horses and couldn’t move until the field straightened up in the stretch.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. asked her to go through a hole that opened inside of pacesetter Sunset Glow at the top of the stretch, and she responded powerfully. lady Eli was multiple lengths in front in the blink of an eye.
Sunset Glow attempted to re-rally and chased the new leader, but Lady Eli was too good. European invader Osalia finished third.
Lady Eli was the first Breeders’ Cup starter for Sheep Pond Partners, who were inspired to get into racing after watching Zenyatta race. Lady Eli is trained by Chad Brown and is undefeated in three starts. 
“I’m so proud of her to see her run like this today,” Brown said. “We developed these babies from scratch, and I remember the first time I saw her breeze on the turf. It took my breath away. I told these guys [owners] she was something special and she proved out to be. It all worked out. Very proud and happy.”
Lady Eli went off at odds of 2.40-1 and paid $6.80 to win.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
Proving he isn’t just a sprinter, Hootenanny easily stretched out to a mile for the first time to win the $920,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, the first race of 2014 Breeders’ Cup weekend.
After pulling jockey Frankie Detorri down the stretch for the first time, Hootenanny settled in third, a few lengths behind fellow Wesley Ward trainee Luck of the Kitten as they raced around the first turn. Luck of the Kitten was a few lengths in front of the field along the backstretch, but as they entered the far turn the gap between Luck of the Kitten and the field closed. Dettori asked Hootenanny to start his move half-way around the turn and by midstretch Hootenanny had seized the lead.
Hootenanny pulled way to win by three-quarters of a length with Luck of the Kitten battling bravely for second. The one-two finish gave Ward his first Breeders’ Cup winner in addition to the exacta in the race.
Daddy D T closed out the trifecta when he won a five-horse photo finish for third.
Hootenanny won a stakes at Royal Ascot earlier this year before finishing second in the Group 1 Prix Morny in August. Owned by the Coolmore group of Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, and Susan Magnier, he is the first Breeders’ Cup winner for freshman sire Quality Road.
“This is what you dream about. To campaign a horse in Europe and America and then win the Breeders’ Cup, it makes the game very international. That’s what it’s all about,” Tabor said. “[Trainer Wesley Ward] has been around for a while, and we find him easy to relate to. He’s not afraid to send horses to Europe. He obviously knows how to train. To do what this horse has done is a fantastic performance.” 
Sent off at odds of 6-1, Hootenanny paid $14 to win.
For Equibase charts, click here.
FRANKIE DETTORI PERFORMS HIS FLYING DISMOUNT AFTER GUIDING HOOTENANNY TO VICTORY IN THE JUVENILE TURF

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire