ARCADIA, Calif. — The crowd backed him with its money and its mouth, bellowing on tiptoes as Curlin took the lead at the top of the stretch.
Too soon it was over as this Breeders’ Cup was about longshots, a new surface and European imports, not America’s best horse.
Curlin was upset in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Saturday, demoted to a fourth-place finish behind 13-1 longshot Raven’s Pass from Britain.
Neither reigning horse of the year Curlin nor Raven’s Pass had ever raced on a synthetic surface. But Raven’s Pass trains on something similar, and European horses used to running on turf often make an easier transition to synthetics.
“Maybe he’s not a synthetic surface specialist,” Curlin’s jockey Robby Albarado said. “He was paddling around. These horses (Raven’s Pass and second-place Henrythenavigator) are great turf horses, and it seemed like the synthetics played like a turf course.”
Raven’s Pass capped a day of longshot upsets at the season-ending championships, with European-based horses winning five of nine races. Seven of the winners were long shots.
Garrett Gomez had a big afternoon too, becoming the first jockey to win three races in one day in the event’s history. He also won the Filly & Mare Turf on Friday.
The richest two days in thoroughbred racing went off without a hitch, surely relieving Breeders’ Cup officials who were mindful of Eight Belles’ fatal breakdown after this year’s Kentucky Derby and George Washington being euthanized on the track after last year’s Classic at Monmouth Park.
“I feel it’s probably the single most important thing that had to happen at this event for this industry at this particular time,” Breeders’ Cup president Greg Avioli said of the decision to switch to a synthetic surface for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup’s 25-year history. “I’d say Santa Anita has made some believers.”
The surface was a new experience for 4-5 favorite Curlin. More than $1 million was wagered on him to win, an amount so huge the tote board couldn’t display it.
He came in nearly a month early to test himself on the Pro-Ride surface, performing well enough to convince majority owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen to run in the Classic.
Curlin’s biggest challenger going in was thought to be Big Brown, but the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner was forced to retire earlier this month because of injury.
Instead, the rest of the world ganged up on Curlin.
“Curlin did what he does, going by horses, and he made his run but got a little late in the stretch,” Albarado said. “I’m disappointed he lost, but obviously he’s done enough for us and our careers.”
When Curlin made a big move entering the final turn, Raven’s Pass was hot on his tail and then went by North America’s all-time leading money earner, winning by 1 3/4 lengths.
