Racing:Royal Delta outstayed her rivals to lift the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic last night, the feature race on the first day of the meeting at Churchill Downs. Plum Pretty put the pace to the race, as expected, and it appeared Rafael Bejarano had got his fractions spot on as she was the last one off the bridle.
However, her stamina began to give way, allowing Godolphin’s It’s Tricky to hit the front. She was not there for long, though, as Bill Mott’s Royal Delta, ridden by Jose Lezcano, swooped down the outside to give the trainer his fourth win in the race.
Gerard Butler’s Pachattack ran a stormer and stayed on for third in the straight.
The victory under the lights at Churchill Downs by the Kentucky-bred filly was the fifth in eight career starts for the daughter of Empire Maker.
"I don't think she gave her best effort last time, but she gave it tonight," said Mott, who won the Ladies' Classic a year ago with Unrivaled Belle. "She's been training as well as our Classic horses (Drosselmeyer and To Honor and Serve). This is special. It's nice just to win one of these, let alone two in a row."
Misty For Me was a most unlucky loser in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf won by outsider Perfect Shirl. Aidan O’Brien’s charge was drawn widest of all in 12 and then stumbled coming out of the stalls, leaving her last through the early stages.
Her chance looked to have gone as Frankie Dettori hit the front entering the straight on Roger Varian’s Nahrain.
Nahrain had seemingly done everything right, but her stamina just began to eke away and Johnny Velazquez brought his mount down the centre for his second win of the night. Ryan Moore finally got Misty For Me going but flashed home all too late and was just edged for second by Nahrain as the Europeans filled the places.
O’Brien’s other two runners on ‘Filly Friday’, Homecoming Queen and Up, were both unplaced in their juvenile contests.