Dan Blacker’s crop of darkish hair bobbed alongside atop a sea of admirers as he made his method by means of a mosh pit of MyRacehorse companions threatening to storm the Del Mar winner’s circle. Straight No Chaser , the item of their hysteria, had simply fulfilled the promise he had proven since coming below Blacker’s care as a 2-year-old. And now, after greater than three years and 10 agonizingly spaced begins, the 5-year-old son of Speightster stood atop the racing world because the winner of the $1.84 million Breeders’ Cup Dash (G1) on a cool Nov. 2 afternoon, proper the place his journey started.
Lastly, Blacker emerged from the throng to greet Straight No Chaser and John Velazquez as they returned to the stands, victorious by half a size over the longshot Bentornato . They have been 2 1/2 lengths away from third-place Mullikin , the lukewarm favourite in an evenly matched subject of 11 going six furlongs, whereas Gun Pilot edged Federal Choose for fourth.
The Dash continued a irritating Breeders’ Cup for Japanese runners when their three entrants may do no higher than eighth (Meta Max ), ninth (Don Frankie ), and final (Remake ).
After a profession affected by false begins, Straight No Chaser got here to his most necessary race in high type. In late September, he romped within the Santa Anita Dash Championship Stakes (G2) in solely his second begin of a yr interrupted twice, together with a bodily glitch that prevented him from working within the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar.
“He was at his finest going into that race,” Blacker stated. “However we needed to cease briefly. The problem was getting him again to that time for the Breeders’ Cup.”
Mission completed, with the assistance of the veteran Velazquez, who entered the weekend with 220 Breeders’ Cup mounts and 20 wins. Blacker, however, was saddling his simply his second Breeders’ Cup starter.
Nonetheless, it had been 20 years since Velazquez had gained the Dash, in 2004 with Speightstown, the sire of Speightster. Straight No Chaser gave the Corridor of Famer the form of experience a jockey loves, with out fuss or trouble and simply sufficient drama to get the blood boiling.
“I wished to interrupt properly and get place,” Velazquez stated. “Dan instructed me to not fear about getting the lead, so I simply let him get into rhythm and let him do his personal factor.”
Down the backstretch and across the flip, Straight No Chaser sat a comfy third outdoors Federal Choose and Bentornato by means of a half-mile in :44.12.
“I knew we have been going quick, so I did not wish to transfer too quickly,” the rider stated. “I squeezed him a bit on the three-eighths, however then by the three-sixteenths I knew I used to be gonna get it.”
The ultimate time was 1:08.62. Blacker, 41, praised the MyRacehorse possession for his or her endurance and his jockey for getting together with the horse.
“He is obtained his personal agenda,” Blacker stated. “John makes it look simple, but it surely’s not. You need to go alongside for the experience.”
Coach Dan Blacker (proper) greets Straight No Chaser on the way in which to the winner’s circle after profitable the Breeders’ Cup Dash
For the British-born Blacker, the Dash victory marked a cheerful ending to a 2024 that started below the darkish cloud of a looming suspension for failure to doc greater than 500 exercises in accordance with California veterinary protocols. The coach paid a advantageous of $15,000 and served a three-month ban that ended Could 25.
When Straight No Chaser ran within the Runhappy Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack earlier that month, he was educated by Blacker’s assistant, Juan Landeros. Straight No Chaser completed fourth that day after a poor begin.
Straight No Chaser was a $110,000 buy on the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Yr-Olds in Coaching Sale. Speightster, his sire, gained three of 4 begins, together with a victory within the 2015 Dwyer Stakes (G3). The younger stallion died previous to the 2022 breeding season. The Dash winner is out of the Johannesburg mare Margarita Friday and was bred by John Eaton and Steve Laymon in Kentucky.
