Breeders' Cup: A Look at Saturday's First Few Races

The 2011 Breeders' Cup World Championships are over with some surprises. Two fillies were in the spotlight but the colts and geldings refused to let them keep it, putting in some big races nobody saw coming. But who hit the board in the first few Breeders' Cup races and what did the winners' connections have to say? Let's take a look.

Breeders' Cup Marathon

Afleet Again came into the Breeders' Cup Marathon with no wins on the season, although he did have three places in eight starts. However, none of that mattered on November 5 as he raced to the wire 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Birdrun. Donn winner Giant Oak got up for third, a head behind Birdrun and 3 1/4 in front of Pleasant Prince.  Last year's Marathon winner finished sixth.

Afleet Again has a record of four wins in 21 starts on dirt and has tried turf twice, which seemed to be a failed experiment. The connections realized the horse wanted longer and were rewarded ten-fold by that decision this weekend.

"Going back to last year with the Belmont, he made a nice run at the end of the year," Owner Bob Krangel said. "In the Haskell and the Travers, he always seemed like he would run up to the last group and kind of hang a little bit.  No real physical reason for it, but that's just his personality.  Very laid back.  He's kind of the ultimate plodder is what you call him."

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at one mile is a newer race on the Breeders' Cup schedule but with 14 horses running shows that it was needed badly. However, like other turf races on the big weekend, the Juvenile Turf looked to be one that could be dominated by non-American horses as five of the 14 had raced primarily outside of the United States.

The European domination fear came true when Aidan O'Brien-trained Wrote waited in the middle of the pack until the last second to make his move. There were no real challengers for the colt, who won by 2 1/4 lengths, but he did have to pass front runner (and Woodbine based) Excaper who put in a huge run during the race to finish second. Another European invader, Farraaj, finished third by a nose.

But like the day before, just because the horse was running in a shorter race didn't mean he wouldn't racde at a Classic distance later on in his career.

"Obviously, we'll talk with Derrick and John and Michael and us all, we'll discuss, and then the plan will be made," trainer Aidan O'Brien said. "Ryan said to Derrick thereafter that he hoped he would stay further.  I imagine that he could be horse trained for the tasks next year."

Wrote was bred by Speers Bloodstock and is by High Chaparral out of the Green Desert mare Desert Classic.

Breeders' Cup Sprint

Amazombie was extremely close to not making it to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The horse had to win a Win and You're In Race to get in or he would be running again in California for the rest of the year.

“If we hadn't won the Ancient Title, we were thinking about the Cal Cup. Winning the Ancient Title was big in getting here,” Co-owner Tom Sanford said.

Anazombie had stayed close to the pace, not going back any farther than fifth, showing the versatility he had shown in previous races in reading the pace with where to go. Euroears who had a fast breeze a week before the race flew through the first quarter in 21.12 with Giant Ryan only half a length behind him.

Force Freeze sat in third, flying past the horses as they tired and leading for most of the race until Amazombie made his move in the last few yards to nip Force Freeze by a neck. Jackson Bend, a horse many believed was better suited for the Dirt Mile, finished off the board 2 1/4 lengths behind the top two finishers.

Amazombie, trained by William Spawr, is a Northern Afleet son out of Wilshe Amaze and has a record of 9-5-1-3 for the year, with all but one race being in California (he has a record of 6-2-0-3 on synthetic surfaces).

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

The Turf Sprint proved to be a fun and drama-filled race, as the horses blazed the five furlong distance, even with half the field getting taken out wide when Hoofit blew the turn.

There was no catching favorite Regally Ready, as the four-year-old More Than Ready gelding led nearly wire to wire to win by 1 1/2 only giving up his lead for a second at the 3/16 pole.

Longshot Country Day helped shock the country again when he took second by 3/4 to Perfect Officer.

Regally Ready's connections have big plans for the gelding's future after his win in the Breeders' Cup race.

"We were hoping to go win the Breeders' Cup, and now we can say we did," owner Tom Ludt said. "We have great plans to travel the world with this horse.  We hope he takes us to many great places with victories."

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

Caleb's Posse may be best known this season for beating Uncle Mo in the G1 King's Bishop but now he can be known as a Breeders' Cup winner. The three-year-old Posse colt beat out eight other horses in the Dirt Mile, including Preakness winner Shackleford, who finished second by four. Longshot Tres Borrachos once again made the longshots stick out as he finished third.

But while the Dirt Mile victory was satisfying, some other accolades may be in Caleb's Posse's future as he entered the Three-Year-Old Eclipse, running with two G1s on the year, something no other three-year-old has. But his connections are talking about another Eclipse award.

"Well, he does have a couple of Grade 1 wins.  I think there's probably other people that decide that.  I think you can make a case that way.  I think you might be able to make a stronger case as champion sprinter.  So hopefully, there will be some people that feel the same way I do," co-owner Donnie K. Von Hemel said.

Caleb's Posse is by Posse and out of the Slewacide mare Abbey's Missy. His record stands at 10-5-1-1, showing him as one of the stronger three-year-olds of the season.