LOUISVILLE – Shamrock Rose opened Day 2 of the 35th Breeders’ Cup World Championships with a jolt as she rallied from last to prevail by a head in the final strides of a tight, four-horse finish in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Sent off at 25-1 odds, Shamrock Rose paid $53.80 to win and combined with 14-1 runner-up Chalon to comprise a $720 exacta to start the day on a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon in Kentucky.
Anonymity, at 31-1, was a neck back in third and put the finishing touches on a $12,242 trifecta.
The favored Marley’s Freedom, trained by Hall of Fame Bob Baffert, was a head back in fourth as the superfecta returned $2,805.86 for a 10-cent wager.
Shamrock Rose is owned by Conrad Farms and trained by Mark Casse.
The victory was the fourth straight for Shamrock Rose since she was given a 3 ½-month freshening by Casse. A 2 ½-length winner in the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland on Oct. 20, it was the fifth win in 10 career starts for the 3-year-old daughter of First Dude.
“Since she’s come back from our farm, she’s been a terror,” Casse said after his fifth Breeders’ Cup win. “Her race at Keeneland was exceptional.”
Owner Manfred Conrad showed his faith in his filly by paying a $130,000 supplemental fee to enter the Pennsylvania-bred.
“Why not run and enjoy the fun and excitement?” Conrad said. “If you lose, you lose.”
Selcourt set the early pace in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, but then gave way to Chalon, who surged to a clear lead in mid-stretch but could not withstand the late bid by Shamrock Rose, who broke from the outside post in a field of 14 under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.
By Bob Ehalt
