erfect Shirl’s upset win in the Filly and Mare Turf was just one Breeders’ Cup result on Friday that had the European contingent needing to regroup for the big day on Saturday.
Perfect Shirl, trained in Canada by Roger Attfield, went off at 27-1 and gave John Velazquez his second winner in six races on the day.
Saturday will see nine more, highlighted by fantastic French mare Goldikova’s bid for a fourth straight Mile triumph.
The $US5 million Classic will cap the $US26 million program under the floodlights Saturday evening (Sunday AEDT) at Churchill Downs.
In the Friday finale, 2-1 favourite Royal Delta left it late but won the $US2 million Ladies’ Classic.
Under Jose Lezcano, Royal Delta surged ahead in the final furlong (200m) to give trainer Bill Mott his second straight win and fourth overall in the Ladies’ Classic.
It’s Tricky finished second and Pachattack was third, another two lengths back.
“I started to get a little worried because the speed seemed to be carrying very well,” Mott said of Royal Delta.
“About the time I started to worry, I saw her starting to gain momentum.”
Attfield, who was born in Britain but has trained in Canada since 1970, admitted the softness of the Churchill turf course after Thursday’s rain had dimmed his otherwise bright hopes for Perfect Shirl.
“I was very worried about the turf, actually,” Attfield said.
“You know, when she’s run on good, yielding turf before, she’s never really travelled very well.
“So I was concerned because I wanted her to run her best race. I knew she was sitting on a big race. On firm turf, I knew she was going to give me that.
“As soon as I saw her come down the lane the first time there, she was travelling so well. I thought, `Oh, my God, now we’ve got a chance to show what we’ve got’.”
Nahrain, trained in England by Roger Varian and ridden by Frankie Dettori, captured second in a photo from the Aidan O’Brien-trained Misty For Me, who stumbled out of the outside 12th post but rallied under Ryan Moore.
With favourite Stacelita hemmed in and unable to make a move, Dettori had Nahrain in front at the top of the stretch.
But Perfect Shirl produced a strong late run up the middle and passed Nahrain in the final furlong.
“No excuses,” said Dettori, who won’t get another chance this Breeders’ Cup as he begins serving a suspension on Saturday.
“I had the perfect trip and was just beaten by a better filly.”
Velazquez also rode 6-1 Stephanie’s Kitten to a win in the $US1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf, while Juan Leyva, on his first Breeders’ Cup mount, guided 20-1 shot Musical Romance to victory in the Filly and Mare Sprint.
My Miss Aurelia remained unbeaten in four starts with a three-length victory in the $2 million Juvenile Fillies as the 2-1 favourite.
The day opened with the first running of the $US500,000 Juvenile Sprint, in which odds-on favourite Secret Circle duly delivered an eighth Breeders’ Cup victory for Bob Baffert.
AFP AAP TURF
