NEWS
Furthest Land, Leparoux win Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
Posted: Saturday, November 07, 2009 5:22 PM
FURTHEST LAND
Benoit & Associates photo
For video of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, click here.
by Steve Myrick
Furthest Land, a 21.30-to-1 outsider, shocked heavy favorite Mastercraftsman (Ire) and eight other opponents in the $909,000 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and provided jockey Julian Leparoux his third victory in the World Championships.
“I sat on the rail right behind the leader [Midshipman],” Leparoux said. “It opened up at the quarter pole. I found room to strike and that was it.”
Owner Ken Ramsey claimed Furthest Land for $35,000 last October at Churchill Downs, and reaped a huge reward when the Smart Strike gelding prevailed by three-quarters of a length over Ready’s Echo in the Dirt Mile.
The winner came into the race off a victory in the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (G2) on September 26 at Turfway Park. After that, the synthetic specialist needed a place to race.
“There was no place for him on synthetics, unless we took him to California,” said trainer Mike Maker. “That was incredible. He has trained as well as he ever has. He gave me a lot of confidence and his synthetic record speaks for itself.”
Mastercraftsman, who left the gate under Johnny Murtagh at 7-to-5 odds, saved ground along the rail, racing in sixth position through the first turn. As the field entered the home stretch, Murtagh had no way through and swung his mount hard to the outside for running room. But he was forced back to the inside, flatened out, and finished fourth.
Ready's Echo, another long shot at 24.40-1, outfinished Godolphin Racing's 2008 Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Midshipman for third.
Furthest Land, who improved to eight wins in 16 career starts and earnings of $869,689, is out of the Rahy mare Flagrant. He was bred in Kentucky by Catherine Wills.
Furthest Land's connections indicated they will not lessen their expectations of the former claimer. When asked about the gelding's future, Maker summed it up in one word.
“Dubai,” he said.
“I'll second the motion,” Ramsey said. “Maybe one way or another, we can finagle an invitation from Sheikh Mohammed [bin rashid al Maktoum].”
For an Equibase chart, click here.
For video of winning trainer Mike Maker, click here.
For video of winning owner Ken Ramsey, click here.
For quotes, click here.
Steve Myrick is a Massachusetts-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
