'He somehow got her to the rail' - the jockeys who excelled at the Breeders' Cup

In ultra-competitive races, with packed fields hurtling around a tight circuit, there were several jockeys who excelled at this year's Breeders' Cup – and it wasn't just winning rides that caught the eye.

Rowan Scott
Juvenile Turf Sprint, Ubettabelieveit, 3rd

Ubettabelieveit lost a few lengths with a slow start but got an excellent ride thereafter, the jockey saving every bit of ground possible towards the inside while still managing to get a run through.

The result was a fine third-place finish that had looked extremely unlikely after the first few yards; not a bad first go in the US from Rowan Scott.

Ricardo Santana Jr
Juvenile Turf, Fire At Will, 1st

Fire At Will couldn't dominate as he had last time but was handily positioned, close to a modest pace while avoiding early trouble in the roughest race of the weekend, and saved ground towards the inside.

He took a shorter route than all bar one rival, notably covering 49ft less than runner-up Battleground.

John Velazquez
Filly & Mare Sprint, Gamine, 1st

Okay, Gamine was the best horse in the race. But this was the first time she'd been unable to lead early and she was also drawn more inside than ideal.

On a super-quick track, John Velazquez couldn't afford to let the rapid Serengeti Empress get away, so he made sure Gamine pushed her early. Those two runners soon cleared the others, meaning Velazquez could switch into clear daylight and that was the race won there and then, after little more than a furlong.

Tom Eaves
Turf Sprint, Glass Slippers, 1st

No European horse had ever won the Turf Sprint but Tom Eaves was brilliant on Glass Slippers, saving ground against the rail on the turn before squeezing between rivals in the straight.

Luis Saez
Dirt Mile, Jesus' Team, 2nd

From post 11 of 12, and with a short run to the first turn, this horse was unavoidably wide early. But he was switched to the rail down the back straight and saved ground from there. This was excellent from Luis Saez, getting the horse up by a nose for second – the best possible placing in the circumstances.

Pierre-Charles Boudot
Filly & Mare Turf, Audarya, 1st

Audarya was drawn 11 of 14 but Pierre-Charles Boudot somehow had his mount on the rail even before they passed the winning post for the first time, and switched off the fence only when launching a bid on the final turn.

Boudot was then all-action in the straight, getting the filly up near the line by a neck from favourite Rushing Fall and Javier Castellano, who is one of the strongest jockeys in the US.

Irad Ortiz
Sprint, Whitmore, 1st

This horse started from gate seven but was on the inside rail by the turn, before being switched into the clear in the straight, and only the last two horses covered less ground.

He covered 29ft less than the runner-up, who was drawn two.

Pierre-Charles Boudot
Mile, Order Of Australia, 1st

Order Of Australia returned at 73-1 in the US, the second-longest-priced winner in the history of the Breeders' Cup. And punters could even have expected another zero on that price, especially given he was drawn 14 of 14.

He was down in trip and as it turned out the pace wasn't that strong, but the rider soon had him close up and, although Boudot was unable to grab the rail this time, it was enough for the horse to lead home a famous 1-2-3 for Aidan O'Brien.

It was Boudot's third top-level success for O'Brien from ten rides for the trainer.

Read more of our Breeders' Cup content here:

Kentucky Derby hero Authentic gives Bob Baffert a fourth Breeders' Cup Classic

Dermot Weld celebrates first Breeders' Cup success with Turf heroine Tarnawa

Outsider Order Of Australia leads home 1-2-3 for Aidan O'Brien in Mile

First time lucky: James Fanshawe strikes with maiden runner at Breeders' Cup

Glass Slippers sparkles for Tom Eaves and Kevin Ryan in Turf Sprint

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