2018 Breeders' Cup Classic

Last updated
35th Breeders' Cup Classic
Breeders' Cup Classic
DSC 3437Accelerate.jpg
Accelerate, winner of the 2018 Breeders' Cup Classic
Location Churchill Downs
DateNovember 3, 2018 (2018-11-03)
Winning horse Accelerate
Winning time2:02.93
Jockey Joel Rosario
Trainer John Sadler
OwnerHronis Racing
Conditions Fast [1]
SurfaceDirt
Attendance70,423 [2]
←  2017
2019  →

The 2018 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 35th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2018 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 3, 2018, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky with a purse of $6,000,000. It was won by Accelerate, who earned his fifth Grade I win of the year.

Contents

The race was broadcast on NBC with a scheduled post time of 5:44 PM (EDT). [3]

The Classic is run on dirt at one mile and one-quarter (approximately 2000 m). It is run under weight-for-age conditions, with entrants carrying the following weights:

Contenders

Pre-entries for the 2018 Classic were announced on October 24 [4] with the post position draw held on October 29. [5]

The field for the 2018 Classic was weakened when the likely Horse of the Year, Justify, was retired in July. Justify won the American Triple Crown and his connections were hoping to complete the Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing by also winning the Classic. However, a slight injury derailed those plans. [6] Good Magic, winner of the Haskell Invitational and the 2017 champion two-year-old, was also retired due to injury. [7] The connections of another leading contender, Whitney Stakes winner Diversify, opted to bypass the Classic when his trainer, Rick Violette, became ill [8] and subsequently died. [9]

In their absence, the race was considered highly competitive. Nineteen horses were pre-entered on October 24, though several of those had first preference in other races on the Breeders' Cup card. The leading contenders included: [4] [5] [10] [11]

Race description

On the rail, Mendelssohn takes the early lead from McKinzie with West Coast in third. Accelerate (#14) lies in fifth DSC 3450ClassicFirstTurn.jpg
On the rail, Mendelssohn takes the early lead from McKinzie with West Coast in third. Accelerate (#14) lies in fifth

A poor start resulted in the horses with inside posts (Thunder Snow, Roaring Lion, Catholic Boy, Gunnevera) all being bumped and losing position. Yoshida and Lone Sailor also broke poorly and settled at the back of the pack. On the other hand, Mendelssohn broke well from post position nine and worked his way to the rail. He took the lead going into the first turn over McKinzie, with West Coast and Thunder Snow close behind. [1]

Accelerate, who broke from the outside post position, was urged by jockey Joel Rosario to get early position, then rated in fifth place around the first turn and down the backstretch. After starting his move down the far turn, he drew by Mendelssohn at the top of the stretch, then turned back a bid from Thunder Snow. Gunnevera mounted a late charge to take second place, a length behind Accelerate. [1] [12]

Accelerate returning to the winner's circle DSC 3478Accelerate.jpg
Accelerate returning to the winner's circle

Accelerate's trainer John Sadler earned his first win at the Breeders' Cup in 45 attempts spread out over 30 years. "I'm thrilled", said Sadler. "In order to get the big one, you couldn't ask for a better day." [12]

With the win, Accelerate solidified his chances to win the Eclipse Award for Champion Older Male Dirt Horse, and sparked a debate in the Horse of the Year category. Accelerate won five Grade I races over the year, compared to four such wins for Justify. Justify's wins included the American Triple Crown, while Accelerate became the first horse to win the Santa Anita Handicap, Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Pacific Classic and Awesome Again, in addition to the Breeders' Cup Classic. [13] "This horse (Accelerate) is special. He's showed up every time. He's danced every dance. He's been solid", said his owner Kosta Hronis. "This is Horse of the Year. It's a body of work, and what he has done in the last 12 months, I think he's well deserved to be of that honor. There's no doubt." [12]

Antonio Sano was equally proud of his trainee, Gunnevera. "He ran second and had lost a couple lengths at the start", he pointed out. "They sandwiched my horse. Every time we are closer and closer to winning a grade 1. He's going to race in 2019 and will point to the Pegasus." That race is also under consideration for Accelerate, who will then head off to stud. [12]

Results

FinishProgram
Number		HorseJockeyTrainerOddsMarginWinnings
114Accelerate Joel Rosario John Sadler 2.70$3,300,000
24Gunnevera Irad Ortiz Jr. Antonio Sano 30.801 length$1,020,000
31Thunder Snow (IRE) Christophe Soumillon Saeed bin Suroor 14.501+3⁄4 lengths$540,000
410Yoshida (JPN) José Ortiz William Mott 14.501+3⁄4 lengths$300,000
59Mendelssohn Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 13.304 lengths$180,000
65Lone Sailor James Graham Thomas Amoss 90.905+1⁄2 lengths$60,000
77West Coast John Velazquez Bob Baffert 6.607+1⁄4 lengths$60,000
813Discreet Lover Manuel Franco Uriah St. Lewis 53.307+1⁄2 lengths$60,000
912Axelrod Joe Bravo Michael McCarthy 51.708 lengths
108Pavel Mario Gutierrez Doug O'Neill 39.709 lengths
1111Mind Your Biscuits Tyler Gaffalione Chad Summers 9.1030+3⁄4 lengths
126McKinzie Mike Smith Bob Baffert 3.9031 lengths
133Catholic Boy Javier Castellano Jonathan Thomas 5.1034+3⁄4 lengths
142Roaring Lion Oisin Murphy John Gosden 19.7060+1⁄4 lengths

Times:1⁄4 – 0:22.68; 1⁄2 – 0:46.46; 3⁄4 – 1:10.61; mile – 1:35.90; final – 2:02.93.
Fractional Splits: (:22.68) (:23.78) (:24.15) (:25.29) (:27.03)

Source: Equibase Chart [1]

Payout

Payout Schedule: [1]

Program
Number		HorseWinPlaceShow
14Accelerate7.406.004.40
4Gunnevera21.8011.80
1Thunder Snow (IRE)8.00

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chart for the 2018 Breeders' Cup Classic". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  2. ↑ "Handle Down for 2018 Breeders' Cup". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  3. ↑ "Classic | Breeders' Cup". www.breederscup.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Collected on Outside Looking in for BC Classic". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  5. 1 2 Frakes, Jason. "5 storylines as the 2018 Breeders' Cup approaches at Churchill Downs". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  6. ↑ "Triple Crown Winner Justify Retired From Racing". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  7. ↑ "Champion Good Magic Retired to Hill 'n' Dale Farms". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  8. ↑ "Diversify Will Not Run in 2018 Breeders' Cup". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  9. ↑ "Respected New York Trainer Rick Violette Dies". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  10. ↑ Haskin, Steve. "Classical Grass". cs.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  11. ↑ Frakes, Jason. "Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs: Meet the top contenders". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Angst, Frank. "Accelerate Finds Top Gear to Win Breeders' Cup Classic". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  13. ↑ "Accelerate wins Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs". AP NEWS. 4 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
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