Vino Rosso gets redemption in winning Breeders' Cup Classic
Vino Rosso shipped from the east, but he sported an earlier win over this course and at the distance of the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The 4-year-old colt made the most of that experience Saturday when returning to Santa Anita Park to make his career finale a winning one.
Under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., the Todd Pletcher-trained son of Curlin pulled alongside favored McKinzie at the top of the stretch, then proceeded to cross under the wire in a final time of 2:02.80.
An on-call veterinarian confirmed after the race that Grade 1 winner Mongolian Groom suffered a left-hind injury and was vanned off to cap what was an otherwise safely run Breeders' Cup. The gelding appeared to take a bad step and was pulled up by jockey Abel Cedillo.
RELATED: The latest on Mongolian Groom's status
Vino Rosso had shipped west earlier this season to win the Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1). In his last start, he beat the 3-year-old Code of Honor in Belmont Park’s Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) to the wire only to be disqualified.
“Justice has been served,” so co-owner Mike Repole, who campaigns Vino Rosso with Vinny Viola.
McKinzie ran 4 ½ lengths back in second, Higher Power third and the mare, Elate, fourth in the Classic field of 11.
Bound to stand at stud next season, the chestnut Vino Rosso made it a solid sendoff. He entered the day with more than $1.5 million collected through 14 starts, then added $3.3 million to that with his Breeders’ Cup Classic score.
The 9-2 third betting choice, Vino Rosso returned $11.20 to win and gave Pletcher his 11th career Breeders’ Cup victory, but first in the Classic.
“It’s one thing I was missing that I was wanting,” Pletcher said. “It feels great.”
5-2 favorite McKinzie ran Saturday under jockey Joel Rosario for the first time after trainer Bob Baffert made a rider switch from Mike Smith.
Under his new jockey, McKinzie ran second in a Santa Anita stakes for the fourth time during his 4-year-old season. He was also runner-up over the same track in the San Pasqual Stakes (G2), Santa Anita Handicap (G1) and Awesome Again Stakes (G1).
The Street Sense colt came up short Saturday, though his second-place run was a dramatic improvement on his 12th-place effort in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
"He ran his race. Joel rode him well," Baffert said of McKinzie. "I told him to make sure he’s in front turning for home, that’s the way he likes it. But, Vino Rosso, after watching his last race I knew he’s been getting better and better and he won here going a mile and a quarter. He was sitting there just perfect and I knew he was going to have a lot of horse left."
Third-place Higher Power punctuated a 4-year-old campaign that started in allowance optional claiming company and ended facing racing’s best dirt routers.
The John Sadler trainee established himself as a player in the older male dirt division with an upset victory this summer in Del Mar’s Pacific Classic (G1). He was third in the Awesome Again, then third again – 8 ½ lengths back of Vino Rosso – in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“We were really happy with his race," Sadler said. "He wasn’t as good out of the gate as I would have hoped and he got away a little poorly, but I was pleased overall with his race. He ran a good race. I think with a little better luck he could have been second.
But, congrats to the winner today. The winner was the winner. He was very impressive."