Tapizar wins Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

ARCADIA, California (AFP) –

Corey Nakatani on Tapizar (C) rides to win the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Longshot Tapizar, trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Corey Nakatani, won Saturday’s $1 million Dirt Mile, one of nine races on the second day of the $25 million Breeders’ Cup championships.

Tapizar grabbed the lead from front-running favorite Emcee around the turn for home and and surged to the victory ahead of Rail Trip and Delegation.

Shackleford, the 2011 Preakness winner who was widely expected to set the pace, stumbled out of the gate and couldn’t recover.

Coming out of the turn, Tapizar powered to the front for a 2 1/4-length victory over Rail Trip.

“This never gets old,” said Nakatani, who claimed a 10th Breeders’ Cup victory. “Winning a race on Breeders’ Cup day is special. It’s special just to get the chance to compete. It’s extremely gratifying.”

For both Nakatani and Asmussen, the victory justified their faith in Tapizar in the wake of a sixth-place finish in the Kelso on September 29.

“Last time he just didn’t handle the trip,” Nakatani said. “I told Steve to go on to the Breeders’ Cup, and I’m glad he did.”