Elite Power took the lead in mid-stretch and eased to a 1 ½-length victory over Gunite in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) in the final BC race on Saturday at Santa Anita.
The 5-year-old son of Curlin became the third back-to-back winner over the two-day, 14-race, $31 million Breeders’ Cup. Earlier Saturday, Cody’s Wish won his second straight BC Dirt Mile (G1), and Goodnight Olive made it two straight in the BC Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Elite Power ($5.40) covered the 6 furlongs in 1:08.34. The victory gave both Mott and Ortiz three wins in this Breeders’ Cup.
Mott trains Just F Y I, winner of the BC Juvenile Fillies (G1) on Friday and Cody’s Wish; Otiz rode Goodnight Olive to victory and guided White Abarrio to the win in the BC Classic (G1).
Speed Boat Beach, trained by Bob Baffert, gave up the lead to Gunite in the stretch, but Elite Power moved up three wide and pulled away for the win.
Elite Power improved to 13-9-1-1 and boosted his earnings to $3,775,711.
“It's a difficult job to keep a horse going year after year. To come back and win two Breeders' Cups in a row says a lot about the durability of the horse and the luck that I have,’’ Mott said in what was the final race of Elite Power’s career.
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