Breeders’ Cup notes: Trouble in the winner’s circle

The Doug O’Neill suspension will not just quietly drift away, as much as horse racing would like it to.

O’Neill, who is sitting out the Breeders’ Cup under the organization’s “convicted trainers rule,” was nowhere around, as per his suspension, when his Goldencents won Friday’s Dirt Mile. The trainer of record was O’Neill’s assistant, Leandro Mora.

So, when the winning group gathered in the winner’s circle at Santa Anita, an awkward moment broke out.

Bo Derek, former actress and longtime member of the California Horse Racing Board, was the trophy presenter. The CHRB has been active and vocal in its actions against O’Neill. Before the ceremony started, Derek approached Tom Ludt, Santa Anita president and a Breeders’ Cup board member, and said, “I can’t believe you would have me present this to these guys.”

Directly behind Ludt was O’Neil’s brother, Dennis, as well as horse owners Glen Sorgenstein and Josh Kaplan.

“I almost went after her,” Dennis O’Neill said. “My Irish kicked in, but I controlled it. I was furious.”

O’Neill said that Ludt, immediately sensing the awkwardness of the moment, walked Derek away and returned later and apologized to Dennis O’Neill and the owners. O’Neill said that Keith Brackpool, Santa Anita chief executive, also apologized.

CHRB spokesman Mike Marten, when contacted by The Times, said that Derek would have no comment.

“We’ve tried to keep a low profile, just kind of stay low,” Dennis O’Neill said. “But the ignorance of this board is just amazing. We’re not whiners, but what do you say after something like this?”

In the news conference after Goldencents’ repeat victory — just minutes after Derek had been overheard — Sorgenstein went out of his way to state publicly that, whether or not he was there, this was Doug O’Neill’s horse.

“Doug’s a great guy,” Sorgenstein said, “We feel he’s been given a very bad break, very unfair break. He loves every horse in the barn, and Doug is quite possibly the kindest guy I ever met…He’s a kind, gentle soul, and it is killing us that he isn’t up here with us, relishing all of this with us.”

Lukas wins 20th

Saturday’s main Breeders’ Cup card opened with a flurry, with a Wayne Lukas-trained horse, Take Charge Brandi, a 60-1 shot, going wire to wire in the Juvenile Fillies.

It was the 20th Breeders’ Cup victory for the 79-year-old Lukas, most in the event, and Lukas said that he is nowhere near retiring.

“When I get done,” Lukas said, “they’ll just harrow me down somewhere out there.”

He pointed to the finish line at Santa Anita.

Lukas, training for owner Willis Horton, gave special praise to the ride of Victor Espinoza.

“I usually give these guys no credit,” Lukas said, “but today, I’m going to give this one a little credit.”

Espinoza said he learned a quick lesson in the dash for home.

“She doesn’t like to be hit with the whip,” he said. “I touch her just a little and she did not like it. She put her ears back and feels like she is going to stop. So I said, OK, I’ll just leave her alone.”

Rosario’s reputation

Joel Rosario, always among the leading riders in the country, didn’t need to distinguish himself in the Breeders’ Cup to enhance his reputation. But in the $1-million Turf Sprint, he did just that.

He saved ground coming down the hill on Santa Anita’s unique hillside course and, aboard Bobby’s Kitten, trained by Chad Brown, was still last in the field of 15 after the field crossed the dirt portion of the track in the 6 1/2 -furlong race. Then, somehow, racing 14-15 wide, Rosario found a new gear in Bobby’s Kitten and passed all 14 other horses, including favorite No Nay Never, to win at the wire.

Velazquez recovers

Last year, jockey John Velazquez was dumped from his horse, Secret Compass, which broke down in the Juvenile Fillies and was euthanized. Velazquez ended up with injuries so serious that he had to have his spleen removed and didn’t ride again until late January.

Saturday, he rode Main Sequence to a come-from-behind victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. It was a $3-million race, meaning Velazquez will get around 10% of the owners’ winning 60%, or about $180,000.

Future stars

They weren’t Breeders’ Cup races, but two undercard races for 2-year-olds produced winners who could be future stars.

Ocho Ocho Ocho, a son of Street Sense, won the $100,000 Juvenile Turf Sprint Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs. Acceptance, a son of Vronsky, won the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile at seven furlongs. Both are unbeaten in two starts.

bill.dwyre@latimes.com

Twitter: @BDwyreLATimes

Staff writer Eric Sondheimer contributed to this report