Breeders’ Cup 2011 results

Breeders’ Cup race-by-race rundown from Eric Sondheimer:

Ladies’ Classic

Royal Delta surged from third place at the top of the stretch to win the $2-million Ladies’ Classic, beating It’s Tricky by 21/2 lengths in the 11/8-mile race. Favorite Plum Pretty from trainer Bob Baffert’s stable led by a head at the stretch but fell to fifth.

Juvenile Sprint

Secret Circle, the first of nine scheduled Breeders’ Cup starters for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, came through as the odds-on favorite. “He’s just a very gifted horse,” Baffert said. “He has unbelievable speed.” The 2-year-old son of Eddington, purchased for $165,000 last March at the Ocala sales in Florida, is three for three in his career.

Juvenile Fillies Turf

Jockey John Velazquez maneuvered Stephanie’s Kitten past pacesetter Stopshoppingmaria in deep stretch to win the mile race for veteran breeder-owner Kenneth Ramsey, who had turned down a lucrative offer for the 2-year-old daughter of Kitten’s Joy.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Longshot Musical Romance pulled off the upset in the seven-furlong race after heavily favored Turbulent Descent encountered racing trouble and finished fifth. The 4-year-old Musical Romance won for the ninth time in 33 career starts and gave jockey Juan Leyva his first Breeders’ Cup win on his first ride.

Juvenile Fillies

My Miss Aurelia wrapped up an Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old filly with a dominating victory in the 1 1/16-mile race under jockey Corey Nakatani. The daughter of Smart Strike is four for four and comes from the same owner-trainer connections as Curlin, the 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year. “She’s extremely special,” trainer Steve Asmussen said.

Filly & Mare Turf

Perfect Shirl, at 27-1, came charging down the stretch under jockey John Velazquez to win the 13/8 -mile race and hand the first defeat to European invader Nahrain. “I was very concerned because she’s never been able to handle a soft course,” trainer Roger Attfield said. “Once I saw how she was moving down the backside, I could see she was moving beautifully and I became very excited.”