Local residents score wins at Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships

Two area residents were among the winners at the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on Nov. 1 and 2 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia.

In the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable’s Sharing raced to a 1 1/4-length victory over Daahyeh. Sharing, ridden by Manuel Franco, covered the mile in 1:34.59. Rancho Santa Fe resident Aron Wellman is president of Eclipse, which is based in Del Mar.

Also, Encinitas trainer Peter Miller won his third straight $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, this time with Belvoir Bay. With Javier Castellano in the saddle, Belvoir Bay took the lead near the start and never looked back, zipping the 5 furlongs in 54.83 seconds and setting a new course record. The mare is a survivor of the Lilac Fire that killed 46 horses at San Luis Rey Downs in Bonsall in 2017.

Miller also sent two other horses to the post for the Turf Sprint — Om, who was second, and two-time defending champion Stormy Liberal, who crossed the line in eighth.

Aron Wellman of Rancho Santa Fe, right, was among the participants in the trophy ceremony after Sharing’s victory.

(Kelley Carlson )

The trainer was represented by several horses in other Breeders’ Cup races, as well: Billy Batts (second, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf), Wrecking Crew (third, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile), Spiced Perfection (fourth, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint) and Mo See Cal (sixth, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff).

Other horses with local connections who competed in the event were Lazy Daisy, sixth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (co-owned by Great Friends Stable, including managing partners Scott Kaplan of Solana Beach and Billy Ray Smith of Del Mar); Paradise Woods, 11th in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (co-owned by Marty and Pam Wygod of Rancho Santa Fe); and McKinzie, second in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (co-owned by Mike Pegram, part-time Del Mar resident).

Encinitas resident Peter Miller, right, congratulates jockey Javier Castellano aboard Belvoir Bay.

(Kelley Carlson )