Drosselmeyer caps Breeders' Cup with one last upset

Drosselmeyer, a 14-1 long shot, screamed through the stretch to win the Breeders' Cup Classic in the closing strides, capping the 2011 edition of the $26 million racing extravaganza with one last upset. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, bitterly disappointed aboard Zenyatta in the Classic last year, roared past former fiance Chantal Sutherland who was aboard Game on Dude, with Belmont Stakes winner Ruler on Ice third. Court Vision, a 64-1 shot, engineered the biggest upset of the day with a victory in the Mile that denied three-time winner Goldikova's bid to end her career with an historic triumph. The French superstar's bid for a fourth straight Mile victory ended with a third-place finish behind Court Vision and Turallure. "I think the mileage and the years have taken their toll," trainer Freddie Head of the six-year-old Goldikova, who will now head to the breeding shed. "We had a good run. I'm very, very, very proud." Goldikova survived a foul claim by Patrick Valenzuela, who rode Courageous Cat and claimed interference by Goldikova's jockey Olivier Peslier at the top of the stretch. After several minutes, the stewards ruled Goldikova didn't deserve to be disqualified from her final race. Joseph O'Brien became the youngest jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race when he guided 6-1 shot St. Nicholas Abbey to victory in the $3 million Turf for his father -- trainer Aidan O'Brien. Aidan O'Brien also saddled Juvenile Turf winner Wrote, accounting for both of the meeting's European winners. In the Juvenile, Hansen went off at 7-1 and won ahead of even-money favourite Union Rags. With Ramon Dominguez in the irons, Hansen went to the front from the gate while Union Rags, starting from the 10th post, was caught wide and couldn't recover. Caleb's Posse, ridden by Rajiv Maragh won the Dirt Mile at 6-1 odds, ahead of Preakness winner Shackleford. Regally Royal bucked the upset trend, winning the Turf Sprint by 1 1/2 lengths as the 2-1 favourite. But Afleet Again had set the tone when he opened the day with a stunner, winning the Marathon at odds of 41-1. "This is the ultimate 'I can't believe it's happening to me experience,'" said Bob Krangle, who owns Afleet Again with wife, Sue. So when the floodlights lit up Churchill Downs for the Classic, Drosselmeyer's triumph in the $5 million, 1 1/4-mile finale was suitably dramatic. Drosselmeyer had fallen back to next to last but roared home to overtake Game On Dude, denying Sutherland's bid to become the first woman jockey to win North America's richest race. "Last year I sat here just devastated, thought my life was over," Smith said. "Just to come back and have a day like I did today and to win the race that I got beat by a nose in last year, it's just amazing." Smith also won the Sprint aboard Amazombie to take his Breeders' Cup victory tally to 15, tied with Jerry Bailey for most of any jockey. "Right out of the gate, he got into a great rhythm," Smith said of Drosselmeyer. "The key to this horse is to keep him moving. If you put on the brakes it messes him up. I knew I was going to wheel out, so I just kept him going. And I was able to save ground on both turns." Filly Havre de Grace, the 4-1 second choice, finished fourth. Flat Out, who went off as the 7-2 favourite, was fifth for 70-year-old trainer Scooter Dickey. So You Think, the New Zealand-bred who has starred in Australia and Europe, challenged under Ryan Moore, keeping the leaders in view despite his unfamiliarity with the dirt. In the end, however, he couldn't come up with a finishing gear. Uncle Mo, who had been made the early favourite on Monday and went off as the co-third choice, finished a disappointing 10th.