If Breeders' Cup viewers thought the finish of the Sprint, which featured a ding-dong battle between Aloha West and Dr. Schivel, was a nail-biter, Breeders' Cup Distaffers demonstrated we hadn't seen anything yet.
Top betting choices and hot early pacesetters Private Mission, Malathaat, and Shedaresthedevil were overcome midstretch by an arsenal of closers, including Marche Lorraine (JPN) and Dunbar Road scrapping in the final strides. It was Marche Lorraine, who had sat well off the pace early in the 1 1/8-mile contest, who fought her way through under British champion jockey Oisin Murphy, edging Dunbar Road by the narrowest of noses in the photo finish.
The race gave Japanese shippers their second victory of the day, after Loves Only You took the Filly and Mare Turf earlier in the afternoon, also running for trainer Yoshito Yahgi.
Letruska, who had been the heavy 8-5 favorite, had room to run but faded going into the final turn, finishing up tenth.
Malathaat hung on for third in another photo finish over Clariere.
Off at odds of 45-1, Marche Lorraine paid $101.80, $41.00, and $18.80.
Early fractions were blistering at :21.84, :44.97, 1:09.70, and 1:35.28, with a final time of 1:47.67.
U. Carrot Farm owns Marche Lorraine, who was bred in Japan by Northern Farm. The 5-year-old mare is the daughter of Orfevre and French Deputy mare Vite Marcher. She came to the race off a win in the Breeders' Gold Cup Stakes on Aug. 12 at Mombetsu. Earlier this year, she won both the nine-furlong Tck Jo-O Hai and the eleven-furlong Empress Hai. Marche Lorraine has found success on both turf and dirt, and has excelled on a variety of track conditions in her dirt races.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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