Pedulla’s Top Moments of the 2014 Breeders’ Cup

A year ago, John Velazquez suffered a life threatening injury at the Breeders' Cup but this year won the Breeders' Cup Turf on Main Sequence. (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
ARCADIA, Calif. – Tom Pedulla of America’s Best Racing recounts his top 10 moments from the 31st  running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park:
Rosie Future: Jockey Rosie Napravnik all but glowed after she became the first female jockey to win the Distaff, rallying for a 1 ¼-length decision aboard 3-year-old sensation Untapable. Her joy stemmed not only from the outcome but from the announcement she made. She is seven weeks pregnant and she and her husband, Joe Sharp, expect their first child next June. Racing’s most prominent female rider did not rule out a return. “I am not thinking about a comeback in 10 months,” she said, “but I cannot promise to stay off a horse forever.” 
Baffert breakthrough: Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert entered Saturday having won three Kentucky Derbies, five runnings of the Preakness, one Belmont Stakes and 10 Breeders’ Cup races, among other major events. But he had never won the Classic, leaving a considerable hole in his resume. That changed when Bayern stubbornly held off Toast of New York and California Chrome and withstood a stewards’ inquiry into the controversial start of the race. “I don’t think I was breathing the last 20 yards of this race,” Baffert said.
BAFFERT WITH HIS SON BODE

Johnny V!: One year after jockey John Velazquez was rushed to the hospital with internal bleeding that required emergency surgery to remove his spleen, he earned his third Bill Shoemaker Award as the leading rider at the Breeders’ Cup. Velazquez scored in the Turf with Main Sequence to go with a pair of runner-up finishes and two third-place showings. “A year ago on this day, I was in the hospital with Johnny and he was in really serious condition,” said Graham Motion, trainer of Main Sequence. “It’s a powerfully emotional day.”
Age-defying Lukas: D. Wayne Lukas, 79, earned his 20th Breeders’ Cup win when Take Charge Brandi indeed took charge of the Juvenile Fillies in a shocker. She returned $125.40 for a $2 win wager, the third-highest payoff in Cup history. Take Charge Brandi, a regally-bred filly that was purchased by Willis Horton for $435,000, was largely disappointing before her very big day. Lukas immediately began eyeing victory No. 21. “We’re not going to retire very quick,” he said. “I’m glad to get this one out of the way and we’re going to get another one.”
TAKE CHARGE BRANDI'S WIN WAS A BIG SHOCK 

Main man: Main Sequence made it 4-for-4 since he came to the U.S. when his bold rush allowed him to edge Flintshire by half a length in the $3-million Turf. He received an assist from injured jockey Rajiv Maragh, who suggested earlier this week that he join trainer Graham Motion and John Velazquez, his replacement, in a conference call to discuss the nuances of riding the 5-year-old gelding. Maragh suffered a broken arm on Sept. 27 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.
No hanging Chads: Chad Brown showed just how far his training operation has come in a short time when he won three races, taking the Juvenile Fillies Turf with Lady Eli on Friday before Dayatthespa and Stephanie’s Kitten placed one-two in the Filly & Mare Turf and Bobby's Kitten launched a tremendous rally to snag the Turf Sprint. Brown was effusive in praising his staff for “an unbelievable weekend” and said, “I’m just so happy for all of them and so proud of them.”
Golden again: Goldencents provided a fitting close to a dazzling career when he became the first horse to repeat in the Dirt Mile since it was added to the menu of races in 2007. The 4-year-old son of Into Mischief surpassed $3 million in earnings as he courageously fought off a determined run from Tapiture by 1 ¼ lengths. “When the other horse started to come to me, I held onto him just a little bit before I turned him loose,” said Rafael Bejarano, aboard for both Cup wins. “When I turned him loose, he fired big.”
GOLDENCENTS WON HIS SECOND BREEDERS' CUP DIRT MILE

Texas-sized bargain: Although Texas Red erupted for a stunning upset in the $2-million Juvenile, at least one person always believed in him. That would be Erich Brehm, who purchased him for $17,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. Keith Desmormeaux trained Texas Red; Kent, his younger brother, rode him. Kent Desormeaux recalled how they grew up with horses despite living in poverty. “I don’t know how my family fed them, but my education in horses all came together (in the Juvenile).”
Midwest marvel: Illinois-breds are not expected to win the Sprint, and jockeys are not likely to gain their first Grade 1 victories at the Breeders’ Cup. Tell that to Work All Week and jockey Florent Geroux. Work All Week, bred and owned by Midwest Thoroughbreds, withstood a stiff challenge from Secret Circle. Geroux, 28, the son of French jockey Dominique Geroux, succeeded with his first Breeders’ Cup mount. “To compete in these races and win on the first try is unbelievable,” Geroux said.
Uneasy flier: Just when you think you have seen it all – and I have covered every Breeders’ Cup since 1998 – something new comes along. Free as a Bird, a 5-year-old mare, failed to live up to her name when she decided that flying was not for her and had to be scratched from the Turf Sprint. According to trainer Ian Wilkes, Free as a Bird became extremely upset when the jet engines started to roar before her charter flight from Kentucky to the West Coast last Wednesday. The decision was made to have her de-plane rather than run any risk that she might injure herself.