Champion mare Zenyatta came from last to win the 26th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic to conclude the two-day $25.5 million Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park on Saturday.
Undefeated in 14 career starts, Zenyatta was taking on male horses for the first time in the 1 1/4 mile climactic race. Zenyatta won last year's Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic on her way to becoming 2008 champion older female.
She was entered in the Classic this year in an effort to have her voted 2009 Horse of the Year. Three-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra did not run in the Breeders' Cup races because of Santa Anita's synthetic track.
The start of the Classic was delayed when Florida Derby winner Quality Road refused to go into the starting gate and then became very agitated once he was loaded. The colt was scratched from the race leaving a field of 12 to compete.
Regal Ransom set the pace with Rip Van Winkle in second while Zenyatta was racing last. Around the final turn jockey Mike Smith moved Zenyatta off the rail and into the middle of the track. The mare was six wide down the stretch.
Zenyatta, trained by John Shirreffs, recorded a one-length victory over Arlington Million winner Gio Ponti with Twice Over finishing third.
"There are tears coming to my eyes," Shirreffs said immediately following the win. "I can't believe it. She is a great, great filly. She is all heart. The way the crowd took to her was just amazing. They cheered for her, they clapped for her, they love her. What a wonderful relationship."
Belmont Stakes champ Summer Bird was fourth followed by Colonel John, Richard's Kid, Awesome Gem, Regal Ransom, Mine That Bird, Rip Van Winkle, Einstein and Girolamo.
The time for the Classic was 2:00.62.
Zenyatta, owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, pockets $2.7 million with the historic victory. The Eclipse Award winner now has lifetime earnings of more than $4.4 million.
Zenyatta, the 5-2 favorite, returned $7.60, $5.60 and $3.80. Gio Ponti paid $9.20 and $6.60, Twice Over paid $7.00 to show.
In the first Breeders' Cup event of the day, post-time favorite Pounced rallied down the stretch to capture the $1 million Juvenile Turf.
Setting the pace in the one-mile turf event was Bridgetown with Becky's Kitten, Interactif and King Ledley close behind. Racing in the second flight of horses was Pounced and jockey Frankie Dettori.
Around the turn for home Bridgetown still had the lead as the field began to draw closer to the front. At the top of the stretch the leader was joined by Interactif on the outside with Pounced charging on the inside.
Pounced hit the wire three-quarters of a length in front of Bridgetown with Interactif in third and Awesome Act finishing fourth in the 12 horse field.
Rounding out the order of finish was Buzzword, Dean's Kitten, Gallant Gent, Viscount Nelson, Becky's Kitten, King Ledley, Zip Quik and Codoy.
The time for the mile was 1:35.47 on a firm turf course.
Pounced was making just his fourth career start for owner Lady Serena Rothschild and trainer John Gosden. The win was worth $540,000 to bring the colt's earnings to $668,454. The two-year-old has won two of his four starts.
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