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LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- War Chant, in just his second start on the grass, came from far off the pace to nail
front-running North East Bound at the wire and score a victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
|  | | War Chant, who started from post 11, has now won 4-of-6 starts this season. |
Ridden by Gary Stevens -- who recently came out of retirement -- and conditioned by Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Neil
Drysdale, War Chant hit the wire in 1:34 3/5, three-quarters of a length in front of North East Bound, who led from the gate under
Jose Velez. Great Britain's Dansili lost the photo and was third with John Velazquez in the irons.
"I knew that this race was going to be rough," Stevens explained. "I got caught on the outside through slow fractions and I was
worried. But ouy saw the kind of move this horse had through the stretch. When I pushed the button on him, he was gone."
"I can't believe it, I'm still breathless," Drysdale said. "I can't believe the horse accelerated as easily as he did. Gary did a great job
today also."
War Chant was tabbed as the lukewarm 4-1 morning line choice among the 14 starters and returned $9.00 for the win. He became
the sixth favorite to win the Mile.
Stevens went to ride in England last year with the belief that the grass races would help his bad knees. He returned after three
months and then began a five-month retirement before returning last December for Opening Day at Santa Anita.
"I can't say enough about Neil Drysdale, he gave me a hell of an opportunity," Stevens said. "This is a dream come true for me. I'm
in shock just being here today let alone winning a Breeders' Cup race."
This was Stevens' eighth Breeders' Cup victory, leaving him three behind Pat Day's record of 11. Today was only the sixth time in
the 17-year history of the event that the winner did not come from posts one through six.
War Chant, who started from post 11, has now won 4-of-6 starts this season. The 3-year-old colt by Danzig struggled to a
ninth-place finish -- 14 1/2 lengths off the pace -- here in the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby. But his two races at a mile, the San
Rafael Stakes in March and the Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile in his last start, both resulted in trips to the winner's circle. Both
races took place at Santa Anita.
Drysdale, who was elected to the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame in September after saddling his first Triple Crown event
winner with Fusaichi Pegasus in the Kentucky Derby, won his sixth Breeders' Cup.
Unlike last year when nine of the 14 starters in the Breeders' Cup Mile were bred outside the United States, this year's edition
features just three invaders. One was Dansili.
Dansili is a 4-year-old bay colt by Danehill who broke from the eight hole under Velazquez. Dansili had been first or second in
5-of-6 races this season with a pair of wins and has now posted five lifetime victories in 14 starts. | |
ALSO SEE
Mile results
AUDIO/VIDEO
 War Chant won just his second start on grass in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
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