Jockey Ryan Moore seemingly conjured open space in the stretch of the $5 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, and Benvenuto Cellini surged late to claim victory in the Grade 1 1/2-mile centerpiece grass race of Breeders' Cup weekend at Keeneland Race Course.

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Trainer Aidan O'Brien, who added three wins this year to add to his record total of Breeders' Cup victories, said days before the Turf that a pair of off-the-board finishes in recent starts for Benvenuto Cellini were better efforts than what showed up on paper. With his late run Saturday, this year's Group 1 Irish Derby winner showed his best.

Benvenuto Cellini out-kicked longshot runner-up Map of Stars by three-quarters, while the O'Brien-trained 3-year-old filly Diamond Necklace finished another three-quarters of a length back in third.

Benvenuto Cellini owners Peter Brant and Coolmore-affiliated partners Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, and Westerberg thought the homebred might improve on firm ground in North America.

"The lads were always very anxious for him to come here," O'Brien said. "He's a horse who always has shown an awful lot of class, even as a 2-year-old. He's such a beautiful mover. He loves his fast ground."

Benvenuto Cellini, a son of Frankel, entered off of a ninth-place finish in the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe where Diamond Necklace finished third, but first-call rider Moore, who was aboard Benvenuto Cellini in the Arc, saw enough to stick with him in the Breeders' Cup.

"He was a little bit slow away in the Arc. He just got trapped in, and didn't really get to gallop," O'Brien said. "But he came home very well."

In the Breeders' Cup Turf, Moore and Benvenuto Cellini settled near the back of the pack while saving ground behind a swift half-mile in :47.82 and through a mile in 1:38.76. He was blocked when full of run through the upper stretch until Moore began to find a path. Moore's deep-stretch magic found just enough room for Benvenuto Cellini to surge between horses to victory.

Benvenuto Cellini completed 1 1/2 miles in 2:27.50 on firm turf. The winner returned $8.52 to win. Map of Stars, who is trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, rallied from last of 14 early to claim second under jockey James Doyle at 40-1 odds. Diamond Necklace rallied six wide for third.

O'Brien secured his 24th Breeders' Cup win to pad his advantage as the leading Breeders' Cup trainer by wins. Moore guided all three of O'Brien's 2026 winners to victory, moving into fourth on the Breeders' Cup list of winningest jockeys with 19 wins.

 

Kathynmarissa Gives Chad Brown Fifth Career Filly and Mare Turf Win

Kathynmarissa took on a star-studded international cast at Keeneland and came home a winner by three-quarters of a length after surging past Gimme a Nother in the final stages of the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf Oct. 31 at Keeneland for owners Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb.

Kathynmarissa. (Coady Media)

Kathynmarissa, a 5-year-old daughter of American Pharoah, gave trainer Chad Brown his fifth win in the Filly and Mare Turf. She is just the second horse bred in the United States to win the race since Stephanie's Kitten in 2015. Moira won in 2024.

The mare has been a champion in the making. She took the Grade 3 Modesty Stakes presented by Veritas Prime at Churchill Downs, the Grade 1 Dunkin' Diana Stakes at Saratoga, and the Grade 2 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park this year before winning the Filly and Mare Turf.

"She's done it on her own as far as development, her heart, her desire to win. She's very competitive," Brown said.

Jockey Jose Ortiz put Kathynmarissa in the perfect position for the 1 3/16-mile race.

"She broke alert and that helped me a lot," Ortiz said. "That was the plan (to be wide in the stretch). I wanted to (tuck) in on the first turn and on the second turn, I wanted to go outside. That's how she likes to run."

Kathynmarissa traveled 2 1/2 lengths off opening fractions of :23.90, :47.76, and 1:11.85. Coming down the long Keeneland stretch, it looked like Gimme a Nother came through clear to the lead up the inside, but Kathynmarissa's late charge proved too powerful.

The final time for the race was 1:53.75. Kathynmarissa paid $13.24 to win.

Gimme a Nother finished second, and half a length ahead of Jancis in third. Expensive Queen was fourth. Blue Bolt, who was sent off as the even-money favorite, finished next-to-last in 11th. - Olivia Newman

Favored Bacio Rolls to Victory in Turf Sprint

Already a scintillating group 1 winner in Europe, the American-trained Bacio showed Oct. 31 that he may just simply be one of the fastest horses in the world as he returned home to Keeneland and dominated the $1 million Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Bacio wins Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. (Eclipse Sportswire)

In June, Bacio, the 3-year-old son of Maclean's Music who has lost just once in his seven-race career to date, added to trainer Wesley Ward's successes at Royal Ascot with a win in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap. He then returned to England and won York Racecourse's Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes.

The only thing he had left to do was prove he could win at that level against the American-trained turf sprinters, who have won all but two editions since the Turf Sprint's inception in 2008. He checked that box with flying colors.

With intense speed and being "agile like a cat," as Ward said, Bacio was pushed early by Miss Yechance. Under jockey Juan Hernandez, he fired off fractions of :21.23 and :43.86 and never looked back, sailing to a final time of 1:02.11 while winning the 5 1/2-furlong contest by 2 lengths. He Paid $6.36 to win.

Bacio was followed by 2025 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Cy Fair in second and 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust in third.

"I knew there were some speed horses from inside and outside ... I was planning to play the break," said Hernandez, who broke through for his first Breeders' Cup victory after six runner-up finishes in past years. "But the second jump my horse was in front already, and after that he was trying to go a little faster than that, but I was saving the horse for the last part."

The victory was Wesley Ward's second in the Turf Sprint, and seventh overall in the Breeders' Cup.

Seemingly still reaching his peak, Ward has high aspirations with Bacio, referencing he would want to take a shot in the Group 1 Everest Stakes in Australia, the world's richest turf race. - Sean Collins 

Deterministic Unseats Notable Speech as BC Mile Champion

Deterministic delivered many firsts with his three-quarters of a length win in the Grade 1 $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Deterministic defeated last year's defending Breeders' Cup Mile winner Notable Speech, and in so doing, the 5-year-old son of Liam's Map gave first Breeders' Cup victories to trainer Miguel Clement, veteran jockey Kendrick Carmouche, and co-owner Ken Langone, who is a partner with Vinnie Viola's St Elias Stable, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable.

Kendrick Carmouche celebrates aboard Deterministic. (Bill Denver/Eclipse Sportswire)

The emotional ties and rewards from Deterministic were already deep, long before the Breeders' Cup. He became Clement's first Grade 1 winner in last year's Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes following the loss of his father, Christophe Clement, a Hall of Fame trainer who died in May 2025. Following the Manhattan, Deterministic strung together four more consecutive graded stakes wins for Miguel Clement.

"He's meant the world to us and given us great happiness in a very dark part of our lives," Clement said. "So, it's very rewarding for us to have our first Breeders' Cup win with him. He's been top-class for two seasons now. I thought he was the best turf horse last year and has been this year, and I'm delighted to pull it off today."

Deterministic faced even-money favorite Notable Speech in his previous race and finishing second by 1 1/4 lengths in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile Stakes.

Clement said they were a bit unlucky at Woodbine, but the dynamics in the Mile at Keeneland made all the difference.

"It was a real run race. There was pace and a full field," he said. "We were able to use his high cruising speed and that was a difference maker. At every stage of the race today, I thought he was in control and looking amazing."

Deterministic started out in a stalking position. After six furlongs, he took charge and never yielded. Notable Speech made a valiant run in the stretch but finish shy by less than a length at the wire. Longshot Lake Forest finished third. Deterministic paid $12.10 to win.

Carmouche said he knew he was on the best horse in the Mile. 

"Every step of the race, I thought he was the winner," Carmouche said. "I am thankful to be on this stage to show my talent and let the horse turn the tables on such good European horses. He felt right in my hands. He just flew home."

Carmouche made history, becoming the first black jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race. - Eric Mitchell