2011 Breeders' Cup Classic

Thoroughbred horse race Dirt 28th Breeders' Cup Classic Breeders' Cup Classic Churchill Downs 2011 11 5 Drosselmeyer Mike E. Smith William I. Mott WinStar Farm fast 65,143 2010 2012 The 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 28th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2011 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 5, 2011, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky with a purse of $5,000,000. Drosselmeyer, a 15-1 longshot who was in tenth place with a quarter mile left in the race, closed rapidly and won by a length and a half over another longshot, Game On Dude. With none of the favorites finishing in the top three, the superfecta paid $41,631.80. 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: Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds: 122 lb Southern Hemisphere three-year-olds: 117 lb Four-year-olds and up: 126 lb Any fillies or mares receive a 3 lb allowance Contenders The field for the Classic lacked in star power, especially when compared to the 2010 running featuring Zenyatta and Blame. However, the field was very deep with most of the entries given a legitimate chance of winning. The leading contenders included:2011 Breeders' Cup Classic Preview http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/11/03/2011-breeders-cup-classic-preview/ minnesota.cbslocal.com 25 April 2017 2011-11-03 2017-10-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20171018013055/http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/11/03/2011-breeders-cup-classic-preview/ deadDoche Marc 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic Post Positions: Odds, Preview and More https://bleacherreport.com/articles/918887-2011-breeders-cup-classic-post-positions-odds-preview-and-more Bleacher Report 25 April 2017 Uncle Mo, who was the previous year's two-year-old champion but missed the Kentucky Derby due to illness. Recovered to win the Kelso Handicap in October and was the morning line favorite but had never raced at 1 1 4 miles Flat Out, who was the lukewarm post-time favorite for the race after winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup Havre de Grace, a highly regarded filly who had defeated Flat Out in the Woodward Stakes but had never won at 1 1 4 miles So You Think, a New Zealand-bred five-year-old with three European Group I wins in 2011 in but who had never raced on the dirt Game On Dude, winner of the Santa Anita Handicap and Goodwood Stakes. Ridden by Chantal Sutherland, who hoped to become the first woman jockey to win the Classic Stay Thirsty, winner of the Travers Stakes Drosselmeyer, winner of the 2010 Belmont Stakes and runner-up in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Race Description Game On Dude went to the lead but was challenged by Uncle Mo. The two set moderate early fractions, followed closely by a large pack of challengers. Turning into the stretch, Uncle Mo hit the lead but then faded, eventually finishing tenth. Game On Dude then repelled challenges from To Honor and Serve and So You Think, opening up a one length lead in mid-stretch. Meanwhile, Drosselmeyer had raced near the back of the field, over ten lengths behind the leaders. He started to make up ground around the far turn but was still in tenth place with a quarter of a mile remaining. Swinging wide, he put in a burst of speed and swept past Game On Dude in the final strides, winning by a length and a half.Chart of the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbPDFChartPlus.cfm?RACE=11&BorP=P&TID=CD&CTRY=USA&DT=11/05/2011&DAY=D&STYLE=EQB equibase.com 25 April 2017 One of the biggest stories after the race centered on the fact that Drosselmeyer's jockey Mike Smith had once been engaged to Sutherland on Game On Dude. Sutherland had thought she would win, only to see Smith move past her near the finish line. "I'm very proud of my horse, very proud of myself. I had an amazing time," she said after the race. "And I'm happy for Mike. But really? Really? Of all people."Pugmire Lance Breeders' Cup Classic is a heartbreaker https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2011-nov-05-la-sp-breeders-cup-20111106-story.html Los Angeles Times 25 April 2017 5 November 2011 For Smith, it was a "redemption" of sorts after the defeat of Zenyatta the year before. "Compared to last year, this is incredible. Last year still hurts like nothing ever before in my life," he said. "The key to this horse is you gotta' keep him moving, gotta' keep pedaling. He can run all day."Shinar Jack Smith Gets Classic Redemption on Drosselmeyer http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/133260/smith-gets-classic-redemption-on-drosselmeyer BloodHorse.com 25 April 2017 en It was Smith's fifteenth Breeders' Cup win, tying him for the all-time lead with Jerry Bailey. Drosselmeyer's trainer, Bill Mott, had previously won the Classic with Cigar in 1995. He also won the Ladies' Classic with Royal Delta on the Friday card. Results FinishProgramNumberMargin(lengths)HorseJockeyTrainerFinal OddsWinnings1st 3 1 1 2 lengths Drosselmeyer Mike Smith Bill Mott 14.802,700,000 2nd 8 1 length Game On Dude Chantal Sutherland Bob Baffert 14.20 900,000 3rd 4 1 2 Ruler On Ice Garrett Gomez Kelly Breen 17.20 495,000 4th 10 Head Havre de Grace Ramon Dominguez J. Larry Jones 4.10 300,000 5th 2 Neck Flat Out Alex Solis Charles Dickey 3.60 150,000 6th 5 Neck So You Think (NZ) Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 5.30 7th 13 1 2 To Honor and Serve Jose Lezcano William Mott 9.90 8th 6 1 1 4 Ice Box Corey Nakatani Nicholas Zito 30.60 9th 7 1 1 2 Rattlesnake Bridge Calvin Borel Kiaran McLaughlin 21.10 10th 12 Nose Uncle Mo John Velazquez Todd Pletcher 5.40 11th 9 3 4 Stay Thirsty Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 11.80 12th 11 Headache Paco Lopez Michael Maker 24.90 Source: Equibase Times: 1 4 – 0:23.61; 1 2 – 0:47.84; 3 4 – 1:12.82; mile – 1:38.27; final – 2:04.27. Fractional Splits: (:23.61) (:24.23) (:24.98) (:25.45) (:26.00) Payout Payout Schedule: ProgramNumberHorseWinPlaceShow3Drosselmeyer31.6013.208.308Game On Dude13.609.204Ruler On Ice9.80 $2 Exacta (3–8) Paid $444.80 $2 Trifecta (3–8–4) Paid $5,427.40 $2 Superfecta (3–8–4–10) Paid $47,631.80 References 30em Category:Breeders' Cup Classic Breeders' Cup Classic Breeders' Cup Classic Breeders' Cup Classic, 2011 Category:2011 in Louisville, Kentucky