Hard-charging Game Winner came from behind on Friday to win the US$2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs in the latest victory for a Bob Baffert-trained colt.
The favorite was in the middle of the pack for most of the 1-1/16 mile race for male two-year-olds before he ran down the leaders in the final furlong on an overcast day in Louisville, Kentucky.
Game Winner, who was an even-money bet at post time, was followed by 40-1 Knicks Go, who finished second, and 67-1 Signalman, who came in third.
Photo: AFP
It was not a pretty victory as the chestnut colt, ridden by jockey Joel Rosario, did not break well from the gate and bumped into Knicks Go while making his move from the outside down the stretch.
“You talk about a rough trip,” said Baffert, who trained this year’s Triple Crown winner Justify as well as 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
“Joel was a little patient back there,” he said of his jockey, who had to battle back from seven lengths off the lead to secure Baffert’s 15th career Breeders’ Cup win.
Photo: AP
“He broke fine, but it looked like they took my spot and I had to go wide,” said Rosario, who has eight Breeders’ Cup titles after winning twice on Friday.
“He seemed like he didn’t mind that... Turning for home, the more I rode him, the more he gave it to me.’’
“I felt a lot of pressure coming in here because I was really looking forward to this colt,” Baffert added. “I know he is a really good horse and he had to show it today, that he was the best.”
Game Winner will hope to follow in the footsteps of Juvenile winners Nyquist in 2015 and Street Sense in 2006, who went on to win the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs the next year.
“He likes Churchill Downs so that’s a good sign,” Baffert said with a laugh.
“We’ve just got to keep him healthy,” he said of the horse, who improved to 4-0 in his young career. “Thank the lord that this horse came through and everything went well for us today because these races are hard to win.”
Rosario, who won the Juvenile Fillies on the back of Jaywalk earlier in the day, was looking to continue his winning ways when riding favorite Accelerate in the US$6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic yesterday.
Baffert was looking to do the same as two of his horses, McKinzie and West Coast, were competing in the showcase race.
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