Dettori pilots Hootenanny to Juvenile Turf win

Dettori pilots Hootenanny to Juvenile Turf win

Hootenanny, ridden by Frankie Dettori, swept past tiring Luck of the Kitten to win the $1 million Juvenile Turf that opened the $25 million Breeders' Cup on Friday.

Lanfranco Dettori reacts to his win atop Hootenanny in front of Mike Smith and Lucky Kitten during the 2014 Breeder's Cup Juvenile Turf on October 31, 2014 in Arcadia, California

The triumph in the one mile race on Santa Anita's turf course continued the Coolmore-owned, US-based colt's sparkling season, which also included a victory in the Windsor Castle Stakes in a foray to Royal Ascot in June.

"This is what you dream about," said co-owner Michael Tabor. "To campaign a horse in Europe and America and then win the Breeders' Cup, it makes the game very international. That's what it’s all about."

It gave American trainer Wesley Ward a first victory in the Breeders' Cup, which this year features 13 races spread over two days worth some $25 million.

Friday's opening day featured four races, to be capped by the $2 million Distaff for fillies and mares.

In the Juvenile Turf, front-running Luck of the Kitten, also trained by Ward and ridden by Mike Smith, finished second, three-quarters of a length back with Daddy DT a close third.

War Envoy, trained by Ireland's Aidan O'Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, went off as the 3-1 favorite but was never a factor, finishing 12th in the field of 14.

Hootenanny was running third, several lengths behind Luck of the Kitten, before driving through the stretch under Dettori to catch the leader.

“It was my first time on him but I had seen him run in England, so I knew his style," said Dettori, who notched an 11th Breeders' Cup win. "He wasn’t pulling. I got him settled. When I turned him on, I knew I had the race.”

- Goldencents again -

Goldencents won the $1 million Dirt Mile for the second year running.

Sent off as the 3-5 favorite with Rafael Bejarano in the irons, Goldencents set a blistering early pace and held off Tapiture in the stretch to win by 1 1/4-lengths with Pants On Fire a distant third.

"I knew I was going fast and I had to find a way to give him a little break from the three-eighths to the quarter-pole," Bejarano said. "When the other horse started to come to me, I held onto him just a little bit before I turned him loose. When I turned him loose he fired big."

Leandro Mora saddled Goldencents, standing in for trainer Doug O'Neil who was barred from the Breeders' Cup as he serves a 45-day suspension.

Vicar's In Trouble pressed Goldencents early but faded and was later diagnosed with a left forelimb injury.

Lady Eli, ridden by Irad Ortiz jnr, kicked into high gear in the straight to win the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf going away.

Lady Eli, one of four horses in the one-mile race for two-year-olds trained by Chad Brown, stalked the pace set by the Ward-trained Sunset Glow, pulling even around the final turn and flying home to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

Osaila, trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Dettori, was third behind Sunset Glow.

"I got a perfect trip and can't complain," Ortiz said, adding that when he found gap inside Sunset Glow "my filly flew right through there.

"I was patient and waited like the trainer told me and it worked out good for us," he said.

The main day of Breeders' Cup action on Saturday will feature nine races, culminating with the $5 million 1 1/4-mile Classic.

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