Jockey Ryan Moore seemingly conjured open area within the stretch of the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, and Benvenuto Cellini surged late to assert victory within the Grade 1 1/2-mile centerpiece grass race of Breeders’ Cup weekend at Keeneland Race Course.
Coach Aidan O’Brien, who added three wins this 12 months so as to add to his file complete of Breeders’ Cup victories, stated days earlier than the Turf {that a} pair of off-the-board finishes in latest begins for Benvenuto Cellini have been higher efforts than what confirmed up on paper. Together with his late run Saturday, this 12 months’s Group 1 Irish Derby winner confirmed his greatest.
Benvenuto Cellini out-kicked longshot runner-up Map of Stars by three-quarters, whereas the O’Brien-trained 3-year-old filly Diamond Necklace completed one other three-quarters of a size again in third.
Benvenuto Cellini house owners Peter Brant and Coolmore-affiliated companions Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, and Westerberg thought the homebred would possibly enhance on agency floor in North America.
“The lads have been all the time very anxious for him to come back right here,” O’Brien stated. “He is a horse who all the time has proven an terrible lot of sophistication, at the same time as a 2-year-old. He is such a good looking mover. He loves his quick floor.”
Benvenuto Cellini, a son of Frankel, entered off of a ninth-place end within the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe the place Diamond Necklace completed third, however first-call rider Moore, who was aboard Benvenuto Cellini within the Arc, noticed sufficient to stay with him within the Breeders’ Cup.
“He was a bit of bit sluggish away within the Arc. He simply obtained trapped in, and did not actually get to gallop,” O’Brien stated. “However he got here house very properly.”
Within the Breeders’ Cup Turf, Moore and Benvenuto Cellini settled close to the again of the pack whereas saving floor behind a swift half-mile in :47.82 and thru a mile in 1:38.76. He was blocked when filled with run by the higher stretch till Moore started to discover a path. Moore’s deep-stretch magic discovered simply sufficient room for Benvenuto Cellini to surge between horses to victory.
Benvenuto Cellini accomplished 1 1/2 miles in 2:27.50 on agency turf. The winner returned $8.52 to win. Map of Stars, who’s skilled by Francis-Henri Graffard, rallied from final of 14 early to assert second underneath jockey James Doyle at 40-1 odds. Diamond Necklace rallied six large for third.
O’Brien secured his twenty fourth Breeders’ Cup win to pad his benefit because the main Breeders’ Cup coach by wins. Moore guided all three of O’Brien’s 2026 winners to victory, shifting into fourth on the Breeders’ Cup listing of winningest jockeys with 19 wins.
Kathynmarissa took on a star-studded worldwide solid at Keeneland and got here house a winner by three-quarters of a size after surging previous Gimme a Nother within the remaining phases of the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf Oct. 31 at Keeneland for house owners Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb.
Kathynmarissa, a 5-year-old daughter of American Pharoah, gave coach Chad Brown his fifth win within the Filly and Mare Turf. She is simply the second horse bred in the USA to win the race since Stephanie’s Kitten in 2015. Moira received in 2024.
The mare has been a champion within the making. She took the Grade 3 Modesty Stakes introduced by Veritas Prime at Churchill Downs, the Grade 1 Dunkin’ Diana Stakes at Saratoga, and the Grade 2 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park this 12 months earlier than successful the Filly and Mare Turf.
“She’s completed it on her personal so far as growth, her coronary heart, her need to win. She’s very aggressive,” Brown stated.
Jockey Jose Ortiz put Kathynmarissa within the excellent place for the 1 3/16-mile race.
“She broke alert and that helped me rather a lot,” Ortiz stated. “That was the plan (to be large within the stretch). I wished to (tuck) in on the primary flip and on the second flip, I wished to go outdoors. That is how she likes to run.”
Kathynmarissa traveled 2 1/2 lengths off opening fractions of :23.90, :47.76, and 1:11.85. Coming down the lengthy Keeneland stretch, it seemed like Gimme a Nother got here by clear to the lead up the within, however Kathynmarissa’s late cost proved too highly effective.
The ultimate time for the race was 1:53.75. Kathynmarissa paid $13.24 to win.
Gimme a Nother completed second, and half a size forward of Jancis in third. Costly Queen was fourth. Blue Bolt, who was despatched off because the even-money favourite, completed next-to-last in eleventh. – Olivia Newman
Already a scintillating group 1 winner in Europe, the American-trained Bacio confirmed Oct. 31 that he could merely be one of many quickest horses on the planet as he returned house to Keeneland and dominated the $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash.
In June, Bacio, the 3-year-old son of Maclean’s Music who has misplaced simply as soon as in his seven-race profession thus far, added to coach Wesley Ward‘s successes at Royal Ascot with a win within the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap. He then returned to England and received York Racecourse’s Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes.
The one factor he had left to do was show he may win at that stage towards the American-trained turf sprinters, who’ve received all however two editions because the Turf Dash’s inception in 2008. He checked that field with flying colours.
With intense velocity and being “agile like a cat,” as Ward stated, Bacio was pushed early by Miss Yechance. Beneath jockey Juan Hernandez, he fired off fractions of :21.23 and :43.86 and by no means seemed again, crusing to a remaining time of 1:02.11 whereas successful the 5 1/2-furlong contest by 2 lengths. He Paid $6.36 to win.
Bacio was adopted by 2025 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash winner Cy Honest in second and 2024 Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash winner Starlust in third.
“I knew there have been some velocity horses from inside and out of doors … I used to be planning to play the break,” stated Hernandez, who broke by for his first Breeders’ Cup victory after six runner-up finishes in previous years. “However the second bounce my horse was in entrance already, and after that he was making an attempt to go a bit of quicker than that, however I used to be saving the horse for the final half.”
The victory was Wesley Ward‘s second within the Turf Dash, and seventh general within the Breeders’ Cup.
Seemingly nonetheless reaching his peak, Ward has excessive aspirations with Bacio, referencing he would need to take a shot within the Group 1 Everest Stakes in Australia, the world’s richest turf race. – Sean Collins
Deterministic delivered many firsts together with his three-quarters of a size win within the Grade 1 $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile introduced by PDJF Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
Deterministic defeated final 12 months’s defending Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Notable Speech, and in so doing, the 5-year-old son of Liam’s Map gave first Breeders’ Cup victories to coach Miguel Clement, veteran jockey Kendrick Carmouche, and co-owner Ken Langone, who’s a companion with Vinnie Viola’s St Elias Steady, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Steady.
The emotional ties and rewards from Deterministic have been already deep, lengthy earlier than the Breeders’ Cup. He grew to become Clement’s first Grade 1 winner in final 12 months’s Resorts World On line casino Manhattan Stakes following the lack of his father, Christophe Clement, a Corridor of Fame coach who died in Might 2025. Following the Manhattan, Deterministic strung collectively 4 extra consecutive graded stakes wins for Miguel Clement.
“He is meant the world to us and given us nice happiness in a really darkish a part of our lives,” Clement stated. “So, it’s totally rewarding for us to have our first Breeders’ Cup win with him. He is been top-class for 2 seasons now. I assumed he was the perfect turf horse final 12 months and has been this 12 months, and I am delighted to drag it off at present.”
Deterministic confronted even-money favourite Notable Speech in his earlier race and ending second by 1 1/4 lengths within the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile Stakes.
Clement stated they have been a bit unfortunate at Woodbine, however the dynamics within the Mile at Keeneland made all of the distinction.
“It was an actual run race. There was tempo and a full discipline,” he stated. “We have been in a position to make use of his excessive cruising velocity and that was a distinction maker. At each stage of the race at present, I assumed he was in management and searching superb.”
Deterministic began out in a stalking place. After six furlongs, he took cost and by no means yielded. Notable Speech made a valiant run within the stretch however end shy by lower than a size on the wire. Longshot Lake Forest completed third. Deterministic paid $12.10 to win.
Carmouche stated he knew he was on the perfect horse within the Mile.
“Each step of the race, I assumed he was the winner,” Carmouche stated. “I’m grateful to be on this stage to indicate my expertise and let the horse flip the tables on such good European horses. He felt proper in my palms. He simply flew house.”
Carmouche made historical past, changing into the primary black jockey to win a Breeders’ Cup race. – Eric Mitchell
