LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Unrivaled Belle held off heavy favorite Blind Luck to win Friday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic.
Havre de Grace was third.
One of the favorites, Life At Ten, broke slowly and immediately dropped out of contention after the start. Jockey John Velazquez told television reporters at Churchill Downs moments before the race he was concerned that his mount was not warming up properly.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said Life At Ten "was abnormally quiet, almost sedated" in the paddock while being saddled. "I told Johnny to warm her up well. … She clearly probably should not have run." But he said there appeared to be nothing physically wrong with the filly, suggesting she might have had a reaction to race-day medication.
At the end, though, it was Unrivaled Belle who carried the day, striking the lead early in the stretch run and easily holding off Blind Luck at the end. Havre de Grace also was running well in the final furlong but was unable to make up ground.
Unrivaled Belle, with Kent Desormeaux up for trainer Bill Mott, got the 9 furlongs on a fast track in 1:50.04.
She came into the race off a string of three second-place finishes, the latest to Life At Ten in the Beldame at Belmont Park. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Unbridled's Song now has six wins from a dozen lifetime starts.
