by Steve Bailey
Day One of the 2008 Breeders' Cup World Championships was called Filly Friday. Day Two forever will be known as Euro Saturday.
English Group 1 winner Raven's Pass rallied from near the back of the field, overtook Horse of the Year Curlin in the stretch, and drove to a 1 3/4-length victory in the $4,580,000 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), capping a day in which European-based horses won five of the nine championship races at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park.
The crowd of 51,331 roared its approval when Curlin made his patented sweeping move on the turn and took command at the head of the stretch. From out of nowhere, Raven's Pass came charging up the center of the track, followed closely on Curlin's inside by fellow foreign invader Henrythenavigator, and shot past the American champion, driving with determination to the line and covering 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.27 on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface.
The victory was the third consecutive win for the three-year-old Elusive Quality colt out of the Lord At War (Arg) mare Ascutney following wins in the Totesport.com Celebration Mile (Eng-G2) on August 23 at Goodwood and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-G1) on September 27 at Ascot.
Henrythenavigator closed gamely to finish second—as he did in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes—followed another three-quarters of a length back by Grade 1 winner Tiago and then Curlin another neck behind.
The European contingent, which flocked to Santa Anita to run on the synthetic track, was strong all day long as Muhannak (Ire) won the inaugural Breeders' Cup Marathon, Goldikova (Ire) captured the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1), Donativum (GB) won the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, and Conduit (Ire) won the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) heading into North America's most lucrative race.
Jockey Frankie Dettori won his seventh and eighth career Breeders' Cup races and his first-ever Classic after coming close with a second aboard Sakhee in 2001. Dettori captured the Juvenile Turf aboard Donativum earlier on the card.
"It was something I dreamed about last night; one of those things you just don't think can happen," Dettori said. "Brilliant, just brilliant. A dream come true."
Trainer John Gosden, who was based in Southern California in the 1980s before shifting his operation to Europe, also won two races on the day. He sent out Donativum, his first Breeders’ Cup winner since Royal Heroine (Ire) won the inaugural Mile in 1984 at Hollywood Park.
"I was delighted the way he was able to relax and settle and the way he rallied back [in the stretch]," Gosden said of Raven's Pass.
"What a day to cherish. Santa Anita is our home away from home. I was very confident we'd be in the top three. He's been improving over the fall. He's been training better and better and mentally he's more mature. Sometimes, things just go right."
Peter Pan winner Casino Drive went immediately to the lead and took the 12-horse field through a half-mile in :47.60 and six furlongs in 1:11.64. Duke of Marmalade (Ire), a five-time Group 1 winner, briefly held the lead before Curlin made his signature sweeping move midway through the turn under jockey Robby Albarado.
Cheers from the crowd swelled as the horses hit the stretch and Curlin appeared to be pulling away to his second consecutive Classic victory—and likely second straight Horse of the Year title.
Instead, Dettori came charging up on the outside of Curlin as Henrythenavigator made his bid on the inside. Curlin could just not keep up as the two sprinted gamely to the line.
"He ran well," a dejected Albarado said. "Maybe he's not a turf specialist; I don't know. … Raven's Pass is an exceptional horse who ran an exceptional time. Curlin's been in that position turning for home and he's never lost.
"I was content with where I was. Curlin did what he does, going by horses, and he made his run but got a little late in the stretch. He ran hard. I'm disappointed he lost, but obviously he's done enough for us and our careers. He's the all-time American horse, so we can never knock him."
Trainer Steve Asmussen said the synthetic surface, which almost kept Curlin from competing in the race, played a major factor in his defeat.
"It was a turf race," he said. "It was absolutely the Pro-Ride surface [that beat him]. He ran his heart out and gave it all he had. He's a great horse. He's made over $10-million."
The order of finish was completed by Go Between, Colonel John, Smooth Air, Champs Elysees (GB), Duke of Marmalade (Ire), Fairbanks, Student Council, and Casino Drive.
Bred in Kentucky by Stonerside Stable and owned by Princess Haya of Jordan, who also owns Donativum, Raven's Pass has six victories and four second-place finishes in 12 career starts and $3,658,556 in earnings.
For a video replay of the Breeders' Cup Classic, click here.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Steve Bailey is deputy news editor of Thoroughbred Times