Frank Stronach’s thoroughbred empire isn’t confined to racetrack annexations.
The owner of Santa Anita, Gulfstream and several other tracks also is North America’s No. 1 thoroughbred owner and breeder, and he flaunted his stable’s strength by winning two of Saturday’s eight Breeders’ Cup championship races.
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The first of Stronach’s conquests came when Perfect Sting came from far back in the early stages to capture the $1,210,000 Filly & Mare Turf.
“With this win she deserves to be named champion turf mare in America,” Stronach said after the 4-year-old filly’s fifth victory in six outings this year. Perfect Sting’s only loss came in her preceding race, when she ran second to Tout Charmant in a Grade III race at Keeneland.
This time Tout Charmant had to settle for second. “The difference was I had to sit and wait and the winner sprung clear,” said Chris McCarron, the runner-up’s rider. “Snow Polina kept me from getting out, but when I did I thought we might get to Perfect Sting.”
The late bid fell three-quarters of a length short.
Trained by Joe Orseno and ridden by Jerry Bailey, Perfect Sting was sent off as the 5-1 second betting choice. She went the 13/8-mile distance in 2 minute 13.07 seconds and returned $12, $6.20 and $4.60.
The time was just seven-hundredths of a second off the Churchill Downs course record of 2:13 set by Snake Eyes in 1997.
English invader Petrushka was the 7-5 favorite. Petrushka saved ground in the early stages but was unable to make a move in the stretch and finished fifth.
“She got slightly impeded in the straight, but she wouldn’t have won,” trainer Michael Stoute said. “She just didn’t quicken when she got the gap. She never was traveling the way she can.”