DEL MAR (Calif.) Corniche won Friday's $2 million Breeders Cup Juvenile by 1 1/4 lengths at Del Mar. This placed the colt as an early favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. His trainer, Bob Baffert has been banned.
Corniche was the 7-5 favorite and ran to the lead under 56-year old jockey Mike Smith. The bay colt, 2 years old, ran 1/16 miles in 1;42.50.
Smith, who is the Breeders Cup's leader in career money, said that "there's something about it, that for whatever reason...it just takes me to another dimension." "I'm 18 again, and it's a blast.
Corniche won for $4.80. Pappacap came in second and Giant Game was third. Baffert also had two runners: Pinehurt, dead-heated for fifth, and Barossa for seventh.
Jack Christopher, an early 9-5 favorite was scratched off by the veterinarian due to a left shin problem.
The 10 races were led by five Cup races for 2-year olds. They raced on a foggy, unusually cool 60-degree (15 Celsius) day at San Diego's seaside track.
Albahr, a 2-year-old gelding who flipped in the start gate, was removed from the Juvenile Turf's final race. Initialy, the crowd was informed that Modern Games, the crowd's favorite 2-1, was also being scratched. After several minutes of delay, Modern Games announced that it was only running for purse money and no wagering.
Modern Games won, and all bettors who placed wagers on them would get their money back. The horses returned to the grandstand and fans cheered. Charlie Appleby trains both horses.
All 14 races of the two-day world championships will be run without any race-day medication for the first time.
Baffert was permitted to enter horses. However, the money-leading trainer of the event had to comply with certain conditions. These included stricter out-of competition testing of his horses as well as greater security at his barn. Baffert agreed to extra scrutiny, and had to pay for it from his own pocket.
Churchill Downs banned Baffert from the 2022 and 2023 Kentucky Derbies. This was after Medina Spirit placed first in this year's race and then failed a postrace drug test. Although the medication is permitted in Kentucky, it is not allowed on race day. Five failed drug tests have been administered to Baffert's horses in the past year.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is yet to issue a final ruling regarding Medina Spirit.
Baffert stated that Corniche is still a ways away. We'll see how it turns out. There are still many things happening. There are many things that can be done between now and then.
Peter Fluor, the winning owner, said that he and K.C. Weiner of Speedway Stables has never thought about moving Corniche. Baffert has had clients leave him due to his legal troubles.
Fluor stated, "Bob is doing a great Job." "We are enjoying the moment, and down the line we'll be focusing on that."
Trainer Christophe Clement snapped a 0-for-41 slump at the Breeders Cup when 9-2 shot Pizza Bianca was first in the $1 Million Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Pizza Bianca was owned and bred in celebrity chef Bobby Flay's kennel. She ran a mile in 1 minute 36.08 and won $21.80. Jose Ortiz, jockey, had a stop-and-start trip. He threaded the filly of 2 years through narrow openings made by traffic from a 14-horse field.
Racing resumes Saturday, with nine Cup races and the $6 million Classic.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., and trainer Wesley Ward maintained their dominance in the Juvenile Turf Sprint. Twilight Gleaming was the leader at every step of the first Cup race.
Ward and Ortiz won the $1 million race for the third time in a row as a team. Ward won his fifth Cup victory and Ortiz was celebrating his 12th win.
Ward was joined by two runners in the 12-horse field. Averly Jane (previously undefeated) finished fifth.
Twilight Gleaming took control and beat Go Bears Go half-length. Kaufymaker, who was also trained by Ward, came in third.
For Stonestreet Stables' Barbara Banke who was recently appointed the first woman to chair the Breeders Cup board of directors, the filly ran against colts for the 3rd straight time.
Twilight Gleaming won a $12.40 prize and ran five furlongs at 56.24 seconds.
Echo Zulu was the early favourite for the 2022 Kentucky Oaks after a dominant win at the $2 million Juvenile Fillies.
Echo Zulu was the first to take control of the start gate. She was never in danger. She won by 5 1/4 lengths over Juju's Map. To win the 4-5 favourite, she ran 1/16 miles in 3:42.24 and $3.60.
Echo Zulu went 4-for-4 in this year's Cup run, while Rosario won his 14th Cup title.
The victory was Steve Asmussen's eighth Cup win. Four years ago, he trained Echo Zulu's sire Gun Runner to a victory at Del Mar in the Classic.
