Breeders' Cup 2019: Live tips, reports, reaction, replays and much more from Santa Anita Park

Breeders' Cup Saturday reports

• Filly & Mare Sprint - COVFEFE (2/1)
• Turf Sprint - BELVOIR BAY (16/1)
• Dirt Mile - SPUN TO RUN (8/1)
• Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf - IRIDESSA (8/1)
• Sprint - MITOLE (7/4)
• TVG Mile - UNI (9/2)
• Longines Distaff - BLUE PRIZE (9/1)
• Longines Turf - BRICKS AND MORTAR (11/8)
• Longines Classic - VINO ROSSO (4/1)

0102: RESULT – Vino Rosso wins the Breeders' Cup Classic!

Vino Rosso toughed it out to ultimately win the Classic in fine style.

It's a first Classic success for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and a first for Irad Ortiz who has enjoyed a sensational weekend on the turf as well as the main dirt circuit.

Mongolian Groom, who was prominent throughout, suffered an injury in the straight and was taken off the track in a horse ambulance for further examination.

0025: MORE TURF REACTION

Aidan O'Brien said of Anthony Van Dyck: "It looked like we were checked at a vital stage of the race, which impaired his momentum and in the circumstances he's run a very good race to finish third.

"Mount Everest was taking a big step up in class and will be a lovely horse next year."

Appleby said of Old Persian: "It's been a thread for the last two days that there's been no pace in the majority of the races, and he was further back than we would have liked. We'll just have to put a line through it, and he lives to fight another day."

Brown, who earlier took the Mile with Uni, said: "The mile and a half was the big question mark. He had trained so well it just came to me in the final weeks to make that decision.

"Irad rode a great race. It looked like he was losing a bit of ground on the final turn. I was quite worried he was not kicking on. I think the horse just needed a clear path and when he got in the clear he grabbed the bit again and ran on."

2358: 'NO BRAINER' FOR BROWN

Brown pretty adamant that Bricks And Mortar should be American Horse of the Year - with the defeats for Midnight Bisou and Omaha Beach, it appears his only danger now will be McKinzie who runs in the Classic.

2340: RESULT – Bricks And Mortar wins the Breeders' Cup Turf!

More woe for Europe and Aidan O'Brien especially, with Anthony Van Dyck forced to check at the top of the straight. To call him an unlucky loser would be going too far but he would have gone close with a clear run.

Credit to Chad Brown who gets Bricks And Mortar to win a Breeders' Cup race on his first try at the trip. Irad Ortiz Jr brilliant in the saddle and there's just no substitute for experience on these super-tight American tracks.

It's been a rough weekend for Ryan Moore.

2320: ANTHONY ON THE DRIFT

The money is pouring on Bricks And Mortar here at the track as Anthony Van Dyck drifts in the betting (currently showing 8s on the board). Old Persian is pushing him close for second-favouritism now.

I miss Enable.

2305: RESULT – Blue Prize wins the Breeders' Cup Distaff!

Heartbreak for Midnight Bisou backers as Blue Prize takes top spot for trainer Ignacio Correas IV and jockey Joe Bravo. Bisou's amazing winning run comes to an end, in the very race she last tasted defeat.

Mike Smith suffers another blow after Omaha Beach's second earlier on the card, and the nature of the defeats weren't too dissimilar.

Correas said: "I'm just stunned for this filly that she gets better with every race. It's very easy when you have a horse like that. It makes our job very easy.

"You always think about Midnight Bisou. We know she's a super filly, but I'm proud of this mare."

2250: I'LL BE BACK

Richard Fahey said of Space Traveller, who stuck to his guns despite finishing unplaced in the Mile: "I think it was all a little bit too much for him, he plugged on at the end.

"I wouldn't rule out bringing him to the States again, as he is a three-year-old with his future in front of him."

2240: NOT UP TO SCRATCH

Iridessa remains the only European winner at this year's Breeders' Cup and we only have the Turf to go to add to the tally. The fact of the matter is that we've not sent a particularly strong bunch this time around and while Circus Maximus has run well for fourth, nothing else really looked like getting a piece of the pie in the Mile.

O'Brien said of Circus Maximus: "He was a little bit slow into his stride, and then was beaten on the bob for third, but I was pleased with his run. He's run a solid race."

2225: RESULT – Uni wins the Breeders' Cup Mile!

The boys are defeated again and it's a one-two for the fillies in the Mile with Uni - who was supplemented into the race at significant cost - getting the better of Got Stormy.

2208: A RARE TALENT

Steve Asmussen on his Sprint hero, Mitole: "His elite ability only comes along very rarely. We laid out a path which we felt was highlighted by the Met Mile.

"After that he regrouped and showed he was the fastest horse in the world today."

2200: STORM BREWING

Got Stormy looks to be attracting plenty of money here at Santa Anita and it's not hard to see why. She's already won an open Grade One against the boys earlier this year and she looked the best horse at Woodbine last time despite finishing second. She just got there too soon and might be better suited to these tight turns.

I'd expect Got Stormy and Circus Maximus to both adopt prominent positions and that could give them the edge over Chad Brown's flying filly Uni and the likes of True Valour, Lord Glitters and Without Parole, who debuts for Brown having switched from John Gosden's yard.

I'm hoping Circus Maximus can given Aidan O'Brien his first win in the race.

2154: CONDON LOOKS TO FUTURE

Europe also represented by Trais Fluors here on his first start for Irish trainer Ken Condon. Ken was kind enough to spare us some time earlier in the week and discuss the strengths of the consistent five-year-old, formerly with Andre Fabre in France.

2150: SPACE MAN ON TRAVELS

Richard Fahey looks ahead to Space Traveller's bid for BC Mile glory in the very next race. He admits the horse is a different type to his previous contender Ribchester, but this colt has been aimed this way for a while it seems and he looked good on Thursday morning.

2144: RESULT – Mitole wins the Breeders' Cup Sprint!

Favourite-backers have one over the line in the Sprint as Mitole wears down front-running market rival Shancelot.

Gripping stuff. The dirt races have been fun so far, arguably more so than the turf where being on the pace seems to be so crucial.

2110: IRISH EYES SMILING

“We just wanted to get a nice posi early and she had the pace to get that. I thought Wayne (Lordan) gave her a fantastic ride," said the 26-year-old O'Brien.

"It was always the plan to finish her season here and we were fortunate to have a good draw and things worked out lovely under a great ride by Wayne.

"It's unbelievable. I've always got a much greater kick training a winner than riding a winner since I stated training.

"It's a dream, really, I've had a handful of Breeders' Cup runners, but for this to happen it's very special and it hasn't sunk in yet."

O’Brien also becomes just the second person in Breeders Cup history to win a race as both a jockey and a trainer (after Freddy Head).

2100: FINALLY!

Europe strikes at the Breeders’ Cup. Joseph O’Brien, already the youngest ever Breeders’ Cup-winning jockey and now the youngest Breeders’ Cup-winning trainer.

2058: RESULT – Iridessa wins the Filly & Mare Turf

Iridessa is a four-time top-class winner after edging out Vasilika in a thrilling finish - favourite Sistercharlie has to settle for third.

2045: MILLER TIME

Peter Miller has been sharing some of his training secrets following a third straight success in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, this time Belvoir Bay getting the job done.

He said in his post-race press conference: “Specifically coming off a five-month layoff, how do you get a horse sharp to win at the highest level after such a long break?

“I followed something similar that we did with Stormy Liberal two years ago when he came off the long layoff. And I keep my old charts, and I pulled up the old charts from two years ago and took a look and kind of wanted to mirror that similar programme.”

Job done, Peter, job well done.

2028: SISTER, SISTER?

Sistercharlie won the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf last year and has been perfect since. She’s got a huge amount in her favour here on ground that suits. She’s 4/5 in the local pools.

Iridessa represents Joseph O’Brien, who is already the youngest ever Breeders’ Cup winning jockey and would take up the mantle of youngest winning trainer too if his Matron Stakes heroine can do the business.

Fanny Logan, Billesdon Brook, Castle Lady and Villa Marina also represent the European challengers who still seek a first success at this year’s meeting.

2020: RESULT – Spun To Run wins Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile!

Take a bow Irad Ortiz Jr. Mike Smith, look away now…

Spun To Run was keen beforehand, almost bolted on the way to post and broke from the gate in awkward fashion. None of that stopped him as the 8/1 shot kept up the gallop to beat evens favourite Omaha Beach, who was left with too much to do.

Early indications suggest he was the slowest ever running of the Dirt Mile, barring the edition run over a marginally longer trip.

1945: EX-PAT IN THE MONEY

Some of you may remember Belvoir Bay, a six-year-old mare who was once in the care of Richard Hannon. I vaguely recall her beating Furiant in a Glorious Goodwood nursery in 2015 and she’s clearly still got plenty of zest for the game.

Stall 12 looked tricky on paper but Javier Castellano really shone on the Miller runner, bouncing her out of the gates and edging across before reigning back once in position at the head of affairs.

1910: RESULT - Belvoir Bay wins Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint!

Hang in there baby!’ shouts the guy close to the auxiliary press room on the ground floor at Santa Anita.

And hang in there she does. It’s a third straight win in the race for trainer Peter Miller who also saddled Stormy Liberal, the winner in 2017 and 2018.

The turf course rules seem quite clear: get to the front and don’t look back.

I hope Ryan Moore has got the memo.

1940: GOOD SENSATION?

Pure Sensation is the new favourite as they head to post for the Turf Sprint.

No downhill section of this famous feature this year, with that part of the track deemed unsafe so they’re on the oval circuit and he’s sharp and fast.

Imprimis is popular under Frankie Dettori while Eddie Haskell is another leading contender after his unlucky run over course and distance in a recent Grade Two.

1910: RESULT - Covfefe wins Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint!

Victory for Covfefe in the opening race on Breeders’ Cup Saturday. It’s a second of the weekend for trainer Brad Cox whose British Idiom showed heart and class to win the Juvenile Fillies yesterday.

Bellafina was really brave in defeat for local trainer Simon Callaghan, while market leader Come Dancing didn’t look in love with the surface and was well out of it.

It appears they’re loving or hating the deep dirt track here this weekend and it’s not easy to predict which way it’ll go.

1800: O'BRIEN LEFT BAFFLED

Aidan O'Brien has expressed his surprise at Fleeting's scratching from the Filly & Mare Turf.

"We were happy with her and felt she trotted up the way she always does," he told the Racing Post. "But the vets weren't happy with her and we respect their opinion. When you come to these jurisdictions you must abide by their rules."

1750: SETTING THE SCENE

Can you believe we had a few spots of rain on arriving at the track today? People were genuinely getting their phones out and taking video clips. Thankfully it's cleared up here now and we're set for a super day's racing.

1736: ANOTHER SCRATCHING

Take Bolo out of the TVG Mile, it's just been announced he's been scratched from the race.

That's quite significant for my own fancy here, Circus Maximus, who breaks from stall 9 but now Bolo (7) and Suedois (1) are out he's only got six horses on his inside. And there's a distinct lack of early pace among them. I make him the European nap of the night.

As for poor Suedois, who has an infection of the foot, trainer David O'Meara said: "If the race had been tomorrow, he'd have been fine. There's nothing much to it at all."

It's the second time Suedois has been scratched from a Breeders' Cup race having had to miss the 2016 running of the Sprint. O'Meara now relies on Queen Anne Stakes winner Lord Glitters.

Richard Fahey is quite keen on the claims of his challenger, Space Traveller, who was last seen winning the Boomerang Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend.

1728: MIDNIGHT TO RACE ON

Connections of Midnight Bisou announced this morning that she'd be pulled out of the auction and kept in training as a five-year-old. That's pretty exciting news given she's won her last seven starts and could possibly be the type of mare who could compete in next year's Classic.

It's a decade since Zenyatta won her Classic here and if 'Bisou' continues in here rich vein of form then she could be rocking up at Keeneland in 2020 on the kind of winning streak to rival the legendary mare.

1715: LIFE'S A BEACH

If you're backing Omaha Beach in the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile then I suspect you'll be beating the locals, with Richard Mandella's star sure to go off a skinny number on the boards here at Santa Anita.

He genuinely could have run in the Classic, or the Sprint for that matter, but the Mile looks an ideal next move following his six-furlong comeback win after the enforced layoff.

Of all the home bankers, he's the one I wouldn't want to be taking on. The 11/8 with the UK bookmakers looks perfectly fair all things considered.

1655: APPLEBY FIRES SINGLE BULLET

Line Of Duty's sad demise means Charlie Appleby has just the one runner at this year's Breeders' Cup and his record at the event is really quite impressive, claiming wins with Outstrip, Wuheida and the aforementioned Line Of Duty in last year's Juvenile Turf.

This year's it's all on Old Persian, who the trainer has been aiming towards Santa Anita for some time.

1620: IN-FORM LEVEY SWEET ON BROOK

You're going to be hearing a lot of Billesdon Brook in this feed today as I'm growing sweeter on her claims by the minute. Sistercharlie is a monster here in America but she only beat Wild Illusion narrowly in last year's renewal of this Filly & Mare Turf and Billesdon Brook looks capable of giving her a fright at least.

She's trying the trip for the first time but of all the places to try then this looks to be it and, being a daughter of Champs Elysees, it'd be a real surprise if she failed through a lack of stamina.

We caught up with her big-race jockey Sean Levey, who is looking for a little more 'icing on the cake' following his two Group One wins in Britain this year.

1600: PICK OF THE RAIDERS

Bit of a reliance on Aidan O'Brien when it comes to the strength of the European challengers today but there are chances elsewhere, with Space Traveller and Lord Glitters offering able support to Circus Maximus in the Mile and Billesdon Brook looks to hold a decent chance of playing a part in the Filly & Mare Turf.

Here are our profiles of all the runners from over the Pond.

1550: SATURDAY SCRATCHINGS

Two Euros and a big home hope taken out this morning.

1520: TRICK OR TREAT?

I'm fully aware that it's no longer Halloween and this video refers to a race run on Friday which technically makes it dated but Jonathon Kinchen's views on the four of today's races are well worth hearing. JK works for Fox Sports here in the States and also co-hosts the In The Money Players' Podcast alongside Peter Thomas Fornatale. So thanks to him for giving us some of his time earlier in the week.

And he's probably the coolest man I've ever met.

1515: THE WAGERING MENU

I just love that phrase.

So here's what's coming up - nine races, five on dirt and four on the turf course which is extremely sharp in nature on the inside of the main dirt track. The going is Fast and Firm respectively and said to be very spicy by one or two travelling jockeys following Friday's action.

We'll have all the latest result and reaction straight from the course here, plus video replay snippets and hopefully a spot of colour from what remains one of the finest settings for horse racing in the world.

1500: HOME ADVANTAGE COUNTS ON FRIDAY

Welcome to our live coverage of Breeders' Cup Saturday. I'm Matt Brocklebank and I've finally managed to shake off the jet-lag. The time in the bottom right-hand corner of my laptop hasn't been helping in that respect but I'll stick to GMT for the purposes of all you lovely people back in Britain and Ireland.

It is now 8am Pacific time and the shuttle bus to the racetrack awaits.

Before we get there, let's briefly sum up Future Stars Friday which was a bit of a bloodbath for the European runners.

Daahyeh did best of the raiders with her fine second in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, in which Albigna came from what appeared an impossible position to claim fourth. Both fillies sign off their two-year-old campaigns with a huge amount of credit.

Tom Dascombe's filly Dr Simpson ran well for fifth in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, while Arizona was the big disappointment in the Juvenile Turf but couldn't get into a challenging position following a moderate start from stall 12. Those attributing any sort of blame to Ryan Moore need their heads checking.

Related horse racing links

• Sky Bet's Breeders' Cup odds
• Breeders' Cup: Santa Anita pointers
• Breeders' Cup: What makes it great?
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