Kalanisi lit up the darkening skies over Churchill Downs last night, with an electrifying performance that rescued European pride at the world's most prestigious meeting, the Breeders' Cup. Before an exuberant crowd of more than 76,000 in Louisville, Kentucky, the colt took the honours with a display that blended spirit with ability.
With Giant's Causeway heartbreakingly denied in the concluding Classic, Kalanisi became the only transatlantic winner at the $15.2million meeting. The Europeans had sustained a depressing series of reverses before Kalanisi put things right. But the Aga Khan's colt produced a devastating burst on the outside to lead close to home and defeat Quiet Resolve by half a length with a nose back to John's Call.
His jockey, Johnny Murtagh, added this great victory to ten Group One wins already achieved in Europe this year. Trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, charged onto the track and raised his arms in triumph after clinching his second Breeders' Cup win. “He's a very tough horse and hasn't been getting the credit he deserves, but he will now”, said Barbados-born Stoute, who won the same race with Pilsudski four years ago.
Murtagh was putting the seal on a remarkable campaign in which he has also won the Irish and English Derbies and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Sinndar. “It's just been a fantastic year for me - you would think it couldn’t get any better, but it does”, he said.
Mutamam, trained at Newmarket by Alec Stewart, emerged with plenty of credit in finishing fourth and was followed home by Goldophin's Fantastic Light. Montjeu was a further two places back with the other European runner Fruits of Love third-last. (PA)
Filed by Shane Murray
