The Latest on the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita (all times local):
4:25 p.m.
Storm the Court scored the day’s biggest upset at the Breeders’ Cup, winning the $2 million Juvenile by a neck at 45-1 odds.
Ridden by Flavien Prat, Storm the Court paid $93.80 to win. That puts the 2-year-old colt into the conversation as a favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby.
Anneau d’Or finished second and Wrecking Crew was third.
Trained by Peter Eurton, Storm the Court ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.93.
Dennis’ Moment stumbled out of the starting gate and trailed the field early. The 4-5 favorite ended up last.
Trainer Bob Baffert’s entry, Eight Rings, finished sixth.
European horses were shut out Friday in five Cup races featuring 2-year-olds.
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3:35 p.m.
Sharing pulled a 13-1 upset in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf.
She rallied to beat 7-2 favorite Daahyeh by 1 ¼ lengths with Sweet Melania third.
Trainer Graham Motion took Sharing out of the spotlight following her maiden win at Saratoga. She captured a low-profile stakes at Laurel as her Breeders’ Cup prep, leading bettors to overlook her chances.
Manny Franco was aboard as Sharing paid $29.60 to win.
The time was 1:34.59 for the mile.
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3:10 p.m.
British Idiom edged 2-1 favorite Donna Veloce by a neck in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
The two waged an intense duel through most of the lane. Donna Veloce got the first jump by grabbing the lead turning for home. British Idiom quickly took up the chase and they raced side-by-side from midstretch to the finish line.
It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to Bast in third.
British Idiom improved to 3-for-3 for the team of jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Brad Cox. She paid $7.40 to win as the 5-2 second choice.
The time was 1:47.07 for 1 1/16 miles.
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3:06 p.m.
It’s already been a great Breeders’ Cup for the Ortiz brothers.
One race after Irad Ortiz Jr. got opening day of the world championships underway with a victory aboard Four Wheel Drive in the Juvenile Turf, Jose wound up in the winner’s circle with Structor in the $1 million Juvenile Turf.
Structor, buried in heavy traffic on the final turn, sprung free late for a three-quarters of a length victory over 50-1 shot Billy Batts. Gear Jockey was third.
Structor improved to 3-for-3 for Chad Brown, the nation’s leading trainer this year with over $25 million in earnings. It was Brown’s 13th Cup win.
Structor paid $12.60 to win. He ran a mile in 1:35.11.
Arizona, the 2-1 favorite, finished fifth.
There was a scary moment when Graceful Kitten, the tiring pacesetter, ducked to his left in the stretch and appeared to brush the rail. He finished the race apparently uninjured.
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1:40 p.m.
The Breeders’ Cup got off to a formful start as 3-2 favorite Four Wheel Drive captured the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. guided the son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah right to the front in the five-furlong race Friday. They were in control throughout, holding off a late run by Chimney Rock by three-quarters of a length with Another Miracle third.
Four Wheel Drive improved to 3-for-3. He paid $5 to win as one of three runners in the race for trainer Wesley Ward. Kimari was fourth and Cambria finished ninth for Ward.
The time was 55.66 seconds over the firm course
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1:15 p.m.
Fans are streaming into Santa Anita for opening day of the Breeders’ Cup.
A handful of protesters urging the end of horse racing in California toted signs outside one of the track’s gates, but they were outnumbered by a larger group of racing industry workers carrying signs supporting horses and their livelihood at a nearby gate.
Santa Anita has been the site of 36 horse deaths since December.
Bettors waited in lines under blue skies and temperatures in the upper 70s with no sign of smoke from wildfires that have plagued Southern California in recent days.
There are five Breeders’ Cup races on Friday, highlighted by the $2 million Juvenile.
Another nine races will be run Saturday.
