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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The last triumph of the winner of the game included bumps en route.
The colt shook them before shaking the peloton to stay perfect and make him the best defender of the year.
The winner of the game overcame an early bump to hit the course, then moved away from the long Knicks Go strike after another boost to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Friday by 2 lengths at Churchill Downs. That gave coach Bob Baffert one of Kentucky Derby's favorites just five months after winning his second Triple Crown with Justify.
But not without fears for the coach and co-owners of the Hall of Fame, Gary and Mary West.
"It's a huge win for me," said Baffert, who guessed himself at the winner's bad start before his student recovered.
"Any other horse would have been done. It's so good his horse.
TO PLAYLISTING: Videos on Saturday's Breeder's Cup races at Churchill Downs.
The race favorite was hit after leaving position # 9 and found late in the middle of the 13 horse pack before pushing out and arguing at the top of the race . Game Winner and Knicks Go were close to each other before the horse broke up to win the match. Signalman was a third length.
"He likes Churchill Downs, and that's a good sign," Baffert told NBCSN. "These races are hard to win. I have an excellent crew and an excellent team and we have succeeded.
The thrilling arrival of the $ 2 million first-year run culminated with a first day for 2-year-olds at the end-of-season world championships. Game Winner has also become one of the best juveniles of the year.
Ridden by Joel Rosario, the winner of the match traveled 1 1/16 miles in 1: 43.67 and paid $ 4, $ 3.20 and $ 2.80. Knicks Go returned $ 21.40 and $ 11.20, and Signalman paid $ 15.80.
"He got off to a good start, but it seemed to me that they had taken my place and I had to take the lead," said Rosario, who owns eight Breeders' Cup titles after winning two victories on Friday. He also led Jaywalk to an end-to-end victory in five half-lengths in Juvenile Fillies.
"It seemed like it did not bother him … Returning home, the more I rode him, the more he gave it to me.
The winner of the game offended the irony of Baffert, who had not raced Justify at the age of 2, but won the gold medal last spring when the colt became the 13th overall winner. the race, the runner. An ankle problem forced Justify to retire without defeat in July, leaving the iconic Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday without the most outstanding horse in the discipline.
In the future, the name of the winner of the game will be the next possible star.
His third victory in rank 1 comes a little over a month after winning the American title Pharoah, named in honor of the winner of the 2015 Triple Crown Baffert who also formed. This required more work before 42 249 work on a sunny day on a fast track after two days of heavy rain.
Baffert is looking for his fourth Classic Cup victory in five years Saturday with West Coast and McKinzie in the marquee of nine races at stake.
Other winners of the Breeders' Cup:
■ Line of Duty survived a lengthy post-race review before the stewards maintained their half-win over Uncle Benny in the $ 1 million Juvenile Turf. Line of Duty charged from outside in the extension to overtake Somelikeithotbrown and hold Uncle Benny in a three-width finish, giving the Irish colt his third consecutive win after two seconds.
■ Newspaperof Record won another dominant victory, claiming a 6 de win over East in the $ 1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Irish breed has improved to 3-0 for life, winning each time by at least six lengths.
■ Bulletin opened the Breeders' Cup with a 2-win win over the Chelsea Cloisters in the first $ 1 million Turf Clint juvenile sprint. He gave his co-owners Winstar Farm and China Horse Farm another important victory six months after claiming the Derby with Justify.
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