The $6 million prize for the Breeders' Cup Classic was won by White Abarrio

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., White Abarrio was backed into 5-2 favourite and outstripped the field from the outside, before pulling away on the final straight to win by a length. Trainer Richard Dutrow was clearly thrilled as he emphasised that his horse "was a winner the whole way around the track". However, he was pushed to the wire by the Japanese horse Derma Sotogake who came home strongly at 25-1 on the back of phenomenal form abroad. The 17-1 shot Proxy impressively rounded out the top three. 

Perhaps the most exciting race of the day, though, was the Dirt Mile. Preakness winner National Treasure looked to continue his fine form but couldn't fend off Cody's Wish, who has now won back to back renewals. However, the race was not without drama as the eventual winner twice bumped National Treasure on the stretch before Flavien Prat returned the favor onboard the Preakness winner. This led to a protracted stewards' inquiry in which they studied video footage for seven minutes before deciding that Cody's Wish could keep the race.

It was also great to see Frankie Dettori (more on him below) provide a taster of things to come this winter, aboard Inspiral in the Filly & Mare Turf, while other thrilling wins from top foreign challengers, like Master Of The Seas and Auguste Rodin, underscored the pivotal role of international participation in boosting global interest around the biggest racing events. Ultimately, the Breeders' Cup again showcased the huge draw of North American racing on the world stage.