Breeders' Cup Saturday: Peter Miller at the double as Roy H strikes again
Stormy Liberal gained back-to-back victories in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with a gutsy display in the five-and-a-half furlong Grade One at Churchill Downs.
Peter Miller's six-year-old gelding went head to head with long-time leader World Of Trouble in the straight and the 6/1 shot wore away at his rival to get the upper hand close home to score in the hands of Drayden Van Dyke.
British raider Havana Grey was smartly out of the stalls but Karl Burke's grey lost out to World Of Trouble, the 7/2 favourite, early on and could not get competitive after that.
Havana Grey's rider PJ McDonald said: "He broke great and I had a lovely pitch, but I was forced inside by the horse that finished second and after that my goose was cooked."
Burke said: "We were leading, but the second horse took us out. I'm sure he would have done better without that happening."
Disco Partner was third and Ruby Notion fourth while Aidan O'Brien's runner Lost Treasure made no show.
REPLAY: CITY OF LIGHT wins the #BC18 Dirt Mile at @ChurchillDowns! ✨@NBCSN #BreedersCup pic.twitter.com/8LX8IIsooF
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) November 3, 2018
Miller and Roy H double up
Peter Miller enjoyed a night to remember as Roy H ran out an impressive winner of the Breeders' Cup Sprint for a second year running.
Roy H had too many guns for Imperial Hint in this race at Del Mar 12 months ago but following a brilliant campaign that included victory in the Vosburgh Stakes last time, the latter was sent off favour to extract his revenge.
However, a tardy start put Imperial Hint on the back foot in the early stages and although he rallied late on for second, Roy H travelled supremely well throughout and put the race to bed when opening up a handy lead on turning for home.
He only had to be kept up to his work in the closing stages to give jockey Paco Lopez a first Breeders' Cup success.
REPLAY: ROY H defends his title and wins the @Twinspires Sprint at @ChurchillDowns! 🏆💫#BC18 #BreedersCup pic.twitter.com/mOfuiYFU1V
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) November 3, 2018
Monomoy Girl all class in Distaff
Monomoy Girl proved herself the outstanding three-year-old dirt filly of the season when landing the Breeders' Cup Distaff in fine style.
The Brad Cox-trained filly has carried all before her this term but was coming up against the classy Abel Tasman here, runner-up in the race last year and well backed in recent days.
However, a sluggish start put Abel Tasman on the back foot and despite Mike Smith's urgings, she was never travelling with any real fluency as Monomoy Girl cruised round under Florent Geroux.
Monomoy Girl took over moving powerfully with three furlongs to run and despite Wow Cat finishing strongly in the closing stages, she was still a length in arrears at the wire.
REPLAY: MONOMOY GIRL wins the $2M @LonginesEq Distaff at @ChurchillDowns! #BC18 #BreedersCup pic.twitter.com/EbC3LgqBKq
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) November 3, 2018
City and Rose light up Churchill
City Of Light powered to victory in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile under Javier Castellano.
Drawn in stall one, the 11/4 second-favourite barely saw another rival, setting solid fractions and pouring it on from the halfway stage.
A proven stayer, having beaten Classic winner Accelerate over 10 furlongs earlier in the season, Michael McCarthy's City Of Light was not for catching and passed the post with two and three-quarter lengths back to Seeking The Soul and a further two and a half to Bravazo.
Earlier, the first of nine Breeders' Cup races on the day - the Filly & Mare Sprint - went the way of 20/1 outsider Shamrock Rose for Mark Casse and Irad Ortiz.
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