Breeders cup - sad news
Always sad when a orse has to be put down and one that was so good
Washington suffers fatal injury
George Washington's jockey Mick Kinane is comforted
George Washington, the 2000 Guineas winner in 2006, had to be put down on a miserable weekend for European hopes at America's Breeders' Cup meeting.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained four-year-old broke a leg after finishing down the field in the $5m Classic, with the race won by Curlin, under Robby Albarado.
O'Brien's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, and 15/2 favourite, Dylan Thomas finished fifth in the Turf.
That race was won by English Channel, trained by Todd Pletcher.
Dylan Thomas will be retired to stud, but George Washington, a quirky horse well loved by the British public, met a tragic fate under Mick Kinane on a horribly muddy dirt track.
After winning both the Newmarket classic and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as a three-year-old, he had been sent to stud himself.
It was horrible ground and he's a real grass horse; he was losing his footing all the time and could never get competitive
Aidan O'Brien on Dylan Thomas's disappointing run
But in March he was reported to have developed "fertility problems", and went back into training.
Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense went to his retirement after finishing out of the places in the same race.
Dylan Thomas's defeat, on the neighbouring turf course at Monmouth Park, had been the biggest talking-point from a European point of view until George Washington's fatal injury.
The losing streak for Arc winners at the Breeders' Cup continued, and O'Brien, who had Johnny Murtagh on board, said: "We always knew that soft ground could be a problem to him.
"I thought I had Dylan near his best but he was hating every second of it today."
Indian Blessing left rivals trailing in his muddy wake in the Fillies
"It was horrible ground and he's a real grass horse. He was losing his footing all the time and could never get competitive."
O'Brien had no luck at all during the weekend, as the European raiders drew their first blank since 1998.
The Ballydoyle handler's Excellent Art had been an unlucky second in the Breeders' Cup Mile to Kip Deville.
Drawn wide in stall 13, Murtagh elected to bide his time in the early stages before making stealthy progress round the outside.
But just as Murtagh asked him for his effort, he hung to his left, forcing his rider to take action.
"He handled the course OK," said Murtagh. "It was a good effort."
Henry Cecil's Passage Of Time ran a gallant race to finish third in the Filly And Mare Turf at behind Lahudood and Honey Ryder.
Everything went right for her in the race, but from going well she seemed to struggle a bit at the end
Henry Cecil on the beaten Passage of Time
Alan Garcia kicked on turning into the straight and stole two lengths on Cecil's filly, who was in the perfect position but just could not quite get on terms.
Honey Ryder made great late headway to pinch second on the line.
Cecil said: "She didn't quicken, did she?
"Everything went right for her in the race, but from going well she seemed to struggle a bit at the end."
Trainer Bob Baffert waited five years to end his Breeders' Cup drought then celebrated two victories in as many hours on Saturday with favourites Indian Blessing and Midnight Lute roaring to commanding wins.
Indian Blessing had opened the day's action with an impressive wire-to-wire win in $2 million Juvenile Fillies to keep her unbeaten record intact.
Less than two hours later, Baffert and jockey Garrett Gomez teamed up again for the Sprint, Midnight Lute storming to a 4 3/4 length win over Idiot Proof.
War Pass was a hugely impressive winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile under Cornelio Velasquez.
Nick Zito's charge was smartly out of the gate and just like Indian Blessing in the Fillies, he never saw another rival.
Ginger Punch got the better of Hystericalady in a titanic duel to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Monmouth Park.
Bobby Frankel's four-year-old had the rail which helped as the runner-up continuously lent on the winner in the final furlong
George Washington's jockey Mick Kinane is comforted
George Washington, the 2000 Guineas winner in 2006, had to be put down on a miserable weekend for European hopes at America's Breeders' Cup meeting.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained four-year-old broke a leg after finishing down the field in the $5m Classic, with the race won by Curlin, under Robby Albarado.
O'Brien's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, and 15/2 favourite, Dylan Thomas finished fifth in the Turf.
That race was won by English Channel, trained by Todd Pletcher.
Dylan Thomas will be retired to stud, but George Washington, a quirky horse well loved by the British public, met a tragic fate under Mick Kinane on a horribly muddy dirt track.
After winning both the Newmarket classic and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as a three-year-old, he had been sent to stud himself.
It was horrible ground and he's a real grass horse; he was losing his footing all the time and could never get competitive
Aidan O'Brien on Dylan Thomas's disappointing run
But in March he was reported to have developed "fertility problems", and went back into training.
Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense went to his retirement after finishing out of the places in the same race.
Dylan Thomas's defeat, on the neighbouring turf course at Monmouth Park, had been the biggest talking-point from a European point of view until George Washington's fatal injury.
The losing streak for Arc winners at the Breeders' Cup continued, and O'Brien, who had Johnny Murtagh on board, said: "We always knew that soft ground could be a problem to him.
"I thought I had Dylan near his best but he was hating every second of it today."
Indian Blessing left rivals trailing in his muddy wake in the Fillies
"It was horrible ground and he's a real grass horse. He was losing his footing all the time and could never get competitive."
O'Brien had no luck at all during the weekend, as the European raiders drew their first blank since 1998.
The Ballydoyle handler's Excellent Art had been an unlucky second in the Breeders' Cup Mile to Kip Deville.
Drawn wide in stall 13, Murtagh elected to bide his time in the early stages before making stealthy progress round the outside.
But just as Murtagh asked him for his effort, he hung to his left, forcing his rider to take action.
"He handled the course OK," said Murtagh. "It was a good effort."
Henry Cecil's Passage Of Time ran a gallant race to finish third in the Filly And Mare Turf at behind Lahudood and Honey Ryder.
Everything went right for her in the race, but from going well she seemed to struggle a bit at the end
Henry Cecil on the beaten Passage of Time
Alan Garcia kicked on turning into the straight and stole two lengths on Cecil's filly, who was in the perfect position but just could not quite get on terms.
Honey Ryder made great late headway to pinch second on the line.
Cecil said: "She didn't quicken, did she?
"Everything went right for her in the race, but from going well she seemed to struggle a bit at the end."
Trainer Bob Baffert waited five years to end his Breeders' Cup drought then celebrated two victories in as many hours on Saturday with favourites Indian Blessing and Midnight Lute roaring to commanding wins.
Indian Blessing had opened the day's action with an impressive wire-to-wire win in $2 million Juvenile Fillies to keep her unbeaten record intact.
Less than two hours later, Baffert and jockey Garrett Gomez teamed up again for the Sprint, Midnight Lute storming to a 4 3/4 length win over Idiot Proof.
War Pass was a hugely impressive winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile under Cornelio Velasquez.
Nick Zito's charge was smartly out of the gate and just like Indian Blessing in the Fillies, he never saw another rival.
Ginger Punch got the better of Hystericalady in a titanic duel to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Monmouth Park.
Bobby Frankel's four-year-old had the rail which helped as the runner-up continuously lent on the winner in the final furlong