Judy the Beauty rallies to win Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint; Smith earns record 21st win
ARCADIA, Calif. – Judy the Beauty rallied to win the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint by a head, giving trainer Wesley Ward his second Breeders’ Cup victory on the weekend.
Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Judy the Beauty — bred out of Adena Springs in Aurora, Ont., — ran seven furlongs in 1:21.92. She paid $8.20, $4.60 and $3.60 as the slight 3-1 favourite in the field of 10 on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Smith notched his 21st Cup victory; the 49-year-old rider is the career leader among jockeys in both victories and purse earnings.
Ward also owns Judy the Beauty, a 5-year-old mare who finished second in last year’s race to Groupie Doll. She had been idle since Aug. 17, when she won a stakes race at Del Mar.
Ward won the $1 million Juvenile Turf on Friday with Hootenanny.
Better Lucky returned $16.40 and $10, while Thank You Marylou paid $13.80 to show.
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