Elmont, N.Y., Oct. 31, 2005 — Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Saint Liam led an impressive list of winners with New York connections at Belmont October 29 on racing’s biggest day.
Saint Liam won the Classic and Silver Train won the Sprint for New York trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. Pleasant Home won the Distaff for the Phipps Stable and trainer Claude McGaughey. Artie Schiller won the Mile for the family that started Entenmann’s Bakery and trainer James Jerkens. Intercontinental won the Filly and Mare Turf for trainer Robert Frankel, a New York native. And Folklore, who is stabled in New York, won the Juvenile Fillies.
Only Juvenile winner Stevie Wonderboy, who is stabled in Southern California, and Turf winner Shirocco, a German-bred, were able to keep New York connections out of the Winner’s Circle.
Even the New York fans chipped in. The attendance of 54,289 was higher than the three previous Breeders’ Cups at Belmont Park (2001, 1995 and 1990) and the one at Aqueduct (1985). The on-track handle of $14,658,560 was a Belmont Park record, surpassing the old mark of $14,461,402 set on June 5, 2004 (Belmont Day, when a track record crowd of 120,139 saw Smarty Jones’ bid for the Triple Crown fail to Birdstone).
Saint Liam, the 2.4-to-1 favorite under Jerry Bailey, entered the stretch four-wide and outlasted Flower Alley to win the Classic. He won the 1 1/4-mile race in 2:01 2/5 and paid $6.80 to win.
For more results from the 22nd running of the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, go to www.nyra.com.
