BC Classic

Saint Liam became the second Woodward winner to go on and capture the Classic (Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com)

Suzanne & William Warren Jr.’s SAINT LIAM (Saint Ballado) made a strong case
for Horse of the Year honors on Saturday when taking the $4,291,560

Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Belmont Park by a length as the near 5-2
favorite. Giving Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey his only Breeders’ Cup winner on the
day, the bay horse tracked just in behind the pacesetters before stopping the
clock in 2:01 2/5 for 10 furlongs on the fast track.

The cloudy conditions of the day slowly gave way to dusk as the gates opened
on the 13-horse field, with Sun King (Charismatic) showing the way through
fractions of :23 4/5, :47 3/5, 1:12 1/5 and 1:36 4/5. All the while, he was
being closely stalked by Suave (A.P. Indy) and Flower Alley (Distorted Humor).
Saint Liam, in the meantime, had settled just in behind those three while
running four wide. With his neon pink blinkers easily distinguishable on the
outside, Saint Liam began his run exiting the turn, challenging Flower Alley,
who was the only one left of the leaders by that point. He didn’t have enough to
hold off Saint Liam, though, as the eventual winner slowly pulled off for the
score.

“This horse started in February and danced every dance, and he showed up
today,” trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said. “In fact, I thought he’d win easier
than he did. We had a plan, but you have to have the horse; it’s all about the
horse. Oh my God, what a day!”

Saint Liam gave jockey Jerry Bailey his 15th Breeders’ Cup winner (Uli Seit/Horsephotos.com)

Suave, Choctaw Nation (Louis Quatorze), Starcraft (NZ) (Soviet Star), Sir
Shackleton (Miswaki), Sun King, Borrego (El Prado [Ire]), Oratorio (Danehill),
Jack Sullivan (Belong to Me) and A Bit O’Gold (Gold Fever) finished out the
order under the line. Rock Hard Ten (Kris S.) was an early scratch on Friday

Saint Liam captured the Clark H. (G2) last year, but really came on when
starting his five-year-old campaign in February. He scored in the Donn H. (G1)
then, before going on to finish a close sixth in the Santa Anita H. (G1), just
four lengths back of winner Rock Hard Ten. In his next one, the Stephen Foster
H. (G1), the bay ran just in behind the pacesetter before taking over and
pulling off for a 2 3/4-length victory. Many have credited his neck second in
the Whitney H. (G1) to the presence of a rabbit in that event, but he quickly
rebounded to prove best by two lengths in the Woodward S. (G1), his final prep
for the Classic.

In last year’s Woodward, Saint Liam faced eventual Horse of the Year and
Classic hero Ghostzapper, to whom he ran second by just a neck. As this was his
final race, Saint Liam goes to the breeding shed at Lane’s End Farm with a
20-9-6-1 career mark. He more than doubled his previous $2,023,395 earnings to
$4,456,995 with the winner’s share on Saturday.