Jockey Martin Garcia (R) rides Bayern to victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race past Jockey Victor Espinoza on California Chrome (L) and Jockey Jamie Spencer on Toast of New York at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., Saturday. — AP ARCADIA, California — Bayern won the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic by a nose from English-trained challenger Toast of New York, surviving a stewards' inquiry prompted by multiple horses bumping near the start of Saturday's race. Trainer Bob Baffert had to wait, along with a crowd of 61,114 at Santa Anita, to confirm that he had finally won North America's richest race after failing in 12 previous tries. “It's been so long waiting, I was like, ‘Lord, you can't take it away from me now,'” said Baffert, who has won just about every other big race in the sport, including three Kentucky Derbies. “I couldn't breathe the last 20 yards.” The two-day world championships concluded with trainer Chad Brown claiming three victories, while trainer Wesley Ward had two. European horses earned just one victory, with French-trained Karakontie in the $2 million Mile. The Mile surprise was one of four upsets Saturday. The biggest came in the $2 million Juvenile Fillies, with Take Charge Brandi kicking off the nine Cup races with an upset for 79-year-old trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Jockey Mike Smith extended his record for Cup victories to 21 with a win in the Filly & Mare Sprint with Judy the Beauty — the only favorite to win Saturday. Three of four favorites won on opening day Friday. In the Classic, Bayern ran 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.88. Toast of New York and Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome followed in that order. Shared Belief, co-owned by sports talk host Jim Rome, was knocked off his game at the start and finished fourth, ending his undefeated streak at seven. “I think it cost me the race,” Smith said of the early tangle. “I was never able to get comfortable after getting hit at the break.” The inquiry involved the first four finishers. The start of the race was a wild one, with some of the horses in the full field of 14 bounced into each other like bumper cars at the county fair. Luckily, no one appeared to get hurt. Bayern, with Martin Garcia aboard, came over sharply on Shared Belief out of the starting gate. That forced Shared Belief into Moreno, with Travers winner V.E. Day getting squeezed. Several strides later, as the horses were scrambling to settle in for the run past the grandstand, UAE Derby winner Toast of New York smacked Whitney winner Moreno. Out of the chaos, Bayern emerged with the lead, appropriate since he is usually the fastest horse away from the gate. Candy Boy was sixth, followed by Cigar Street, Zivo, Imperative and Footbridge. V.E. Day was 11th, followed by Prayer for Relief, Majestic Harbor and Moreno. — AP
