By Brad Telias
ARCADIA, Calif. -- America's richest horse wasn't able to win America's richest race.
Curlin, racing's top money winner with $10.2 million in earnings and considered the world's best horse racing on dirt, was upset by the 13-1 English invader Raven's Pass in one of the biggest upsets in Breeders' Cup history.
Curlin upset by Raven's Pass in Breeders' Cup Classic....
By JOE DRAPE
ARCADIA, Calif. — Rival trainers marvel at Curlin. John Gosden calls him a machine. Aidan O’Brien believes he can run on any surface, even glass. The Hall of Famers Bobby Frankel and Bill Mott concede he has earned his title as the best horse in the world. So why are they taking a shot at Curlin, the reigning horse of the year, on Saturday?
They believe in their own horses and are convinced that this may be the deepest field in the 25-year history of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a race worth $5 million. In fact, they barely miss the Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, who hogged all the pre-Breeders’ Cup headlines until he injured his right front hoof and was retired two weeks ago.
“We’ve got to beat everybody, not only Curlin,” said Mott, who won the 1995 Classic with Cigar and will saddle Go Between, the 8-1 third choice in the morning line. “He’s a very good horse, there’s no question about that. They’re lining up a number of good horses. It’s certainly not a one-horse race.”
Curlin May Be Best, but Now He Can Prove It....
ARCADIA, Calif. — The US$2 million Ladies' Classic was billed as one of the glamour matchups of this year's Breeders' Cup, pitting the undefeated Zenyatta against Ginger Punch, last year's champion, along with six other quality opponents.
It turned into a one-horse show as Zenyatta roared to victory with a scintillating last-to-first sweep to extend her winning streak to nine.
"This is a star filly they ran behind," said trainer Saeed bin Suroor, whose two fillies, Cocoa Beach and Music Note, finished second and third, respectively. "It's hard to beat a horse like that."
Impossible, as it turned out.
"I was following horses all the way around and I was happy with my spot," said Javier Castellano, Music Note's jockey. "I wanted to get the jump on the field and I did, but then I saw the big filly go by. She just went. She was much the best."
Ginger Punch, who won last year at New Jersey's Monmouth Park when it was called the Distaff, was never a factor, finishing sixth.
Rafael Bejarano felt Ginger Punch was never comfortable on Santa Anita's new synthetic surface.
"She didn't like the track at all," the rider said. "There's nothing wrong with her. She had her head cocked like she wanted to go outside and was just very uncomfortable."
Run, filly, run: no one catches perfect Zenyatta....
Elmont, NY (Sports Network) - Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown has suffered an injury and will not race in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita this month.
The communications office at Belmont Park confirmed that the three-year-old injured his right front leg Monday morning while training at Aqueduct.
Big Brown injured, out of Breeders' Cup....
By JEROME PUGMIRE
LONGCHAMP, France (AP) — Zarkava won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday with a powerful stretch run and became the first filly in 15 years to win the race.
Zarkava was behind early but as the 16-horse field turned for home, jockey Christophe Soumillon urged on his unbeaten filly and she finished two lengths ahead of Youmzain. The last filly to win was Urban Sea in 1993.
Wind and light rain softened the track on Europe's major middle-distance race over 1 1/2 miles.
Soumillion thumped his chest and blew kisses to the home crowd after winning.
Zarkava wins Arc de Triomphe....
