2021 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

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Race Info
History

Life Is Good has the kind of name that bespeaks happiness and conjures visions of blissful days.

After what happened in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, it's nearly impossible to avoid gushing about what sort of life awaits this rather "good" 3-year-old in 2022.

Life Is Good has the kind of name that bespeaks happiness and conjures visions of blissful days.

After what happened in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, it's nearly impossible to avoid gushing about what sort of life awaits this rather "good" 3-year-old in 2022.

Not only was China Horse Club and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good a decisive, front-running 5 ¾-length winner of the Dirt Mile, he powered to his first Grade 1 win with such a dynamic display of early and late speed that the crowd gasped when track announcer Larry Collmus informed them that the son of Into Mischief sprinted through the opening quarter-mile in :21.88.

Good? Oh, he was much better than that.

"He was great," Elliott Walden, CEO, president, and racing manager of WinStar Farm, said about the colt trained by Todd Pletcher. "When (jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.) came back after the race, he told Todd that he thought he was going :23 and :47."

It's rare that a horse can dash through a :44.94 half-mile and trick an Eclipse Award-winning rider such as Ortiz into believing that he was running some 10 lengths slower, but Life Is Good has that dynamic blend of talent and speed that allows him to make something demanding look simple.

"He's an exceptional talent," Pletcher said after Life Is Good's fifth win in six career starts. "Sometimes when you expect to win, it's hard to win, but he did it."

Switched to Pletcher’s barn from Bob Baffert over the summer, Life Is Good was valiant in defeat when he finished second to Jackie’s Warrior in the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes in August. After that race, a plan was crafted to use the Dirt Mile as a springboard to the top 2022 races. Since then he has reeled off wins in the Kelso Handicap and Dirt Mile and is now poised for longer and richer tests next year.

Life Is Good, who led by a length much of the way before pulling away in the stretch, covered the mile in 1:34.12 as the 7-10 favorite with Ortiz putting a finger to his lips as he crossed the wire in a tribute to jockey Miguel Mena who died when struck by a vehicle in Louisville earlier in the week.

Ginobili futilely chased the winner in the stretch and settled for second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Restrainedvengence

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Fastest Time (since 1976): 1:33:41
Greatest Winning Margin (since 1976): 6 1/2 lengths

Date	Past Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Owner
11/03/2023	Cody's Wish Trainer / William I. Mott Jockey / Junior Alvarado Owner / Godolphin, LLC	William I. Mott	Junior Alvarado	Godolphin, LLC
11/04/2022	Cody's Wish Trainer / William I. Mott Jockey / Junior Alvarado Owner / Godolphin, LLC	William I. Mott	Junior Alvarado	Godolphin, LLC
11/05/2021	Life Is Good Trainer / Todd A. Pletcher Jockey / Irad Ortiz, Jr. Owner / CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC	Todd A. Pletcher	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC
11/06/2020	Knicks Go Trainer / Brad H. Cox Jockey / Joel Rosario Owner / Korea Racing Authority	Brad H. Cox	Joel Rosario	Korea Racing Authority
11/01/2019	Spun to Run Trainer / Juan Carlos Guerrero Jockey / Irad Ortiz, Jr. Owner / Robert P. Donaldson	Juan Carlos Guerrero	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	Robert P. Donaldson
11/02/2018	City of Light Trainer / Michael W. McCarthy Jockey / Javier Castellano Owner / Warren, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. William K.	Michael W. McCarthy	Javier Castellano	Warren, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. William K.
11/02/2017	Battle of Midway Trainer / Jerry Hollendorfer Jockey / Flavien Prat Owner / Don Alberto Stable and WinStar Farm LLC	Jerry Hollendorfer	Flavien Prat	Don Alberto Stable and WinStar Farm LLC
11/03/2016	Tamarkuz Trainer / Kiaran P. McLaughlin Jockey / Mike E. Smith Owner / Shadwell Stable	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	Mike E. Smith	Shadwell Stable
10/29/2015	Liam's Map Trainer / Todd A. Pletcher Jockey / Javier Castellano Owner / Teresa Viola Racing Stables and West Point Thoroughbreds	Todd A. Pletcher	Javier Castellano	Teresa Viola Racing Stables and West Point Thoroughbreds
10/30/2014	Goldencents Trainer / Leandro Mora Jockey / Rafael Bejarano Owner / W. C. Racing	Leandro Mora	Rafael Bejarano	W. C. Racing
10/31/2013	Goldencents Trainer / Doug F. O'Neill Jockey / Rafael Bejarano Owner / W. C. Racing Kenney Dave and RAP Racing	Doug F. O'Neill	Rafael Bejarano	W. C. Racing Kenney Dave and RAP Racing
11/02/2012	Tapizar Trainer / Steven M. Asmussen Jockey / Corey S. Nakatani Owner / Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC	Steven M. Asmussen	Corey S. Nakatani	Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC
11/04/2011	Caleb's Posse Trainer / Donnie K. Von Hemel Jockey / Rajiv Maragh Owner / McNeill Stables and Cheyenne Stables, LLC	Donnie K. Von Hemel	Rajiv Maragh	McNeill Stables and Cheyenne Stables, LLC
11/05/2010	Dakota Phone Trainer / Jerry Hollendorfer Jockey / Joel Rosario Owner / Carver, John, Halo Farms, Todaro, George and Hollendorfer, Jerry	Jerry Hollendorfer	Joel Rosario	Carver, John, Halo Farms, Todaro, George and Hollendorfer, Jerry
11/06/2009	Furthest Land Trainer / Michael J. Maker Jockey / Julien R. Leparoux Owner / Ramsey, Kenneth L. and Sarah K.	Michael J. Maker	Julien R. Leparoux	Ramsey, Kenneth L. and Sarah K.
10/24/2008	Albertus Maximus Trainer / Vladimir Cerin Jockey / Garrett K. Gomez Owner / Chase, Brandon L. and Marianne	Vladimir Cerin	Garrett K. Gomez	Chase, Brandon L. and Marianne
10/25/2007	Corinthian Trainer / James A. Jerkens Jockey / Kent J. Desormeaux Owner / Centennial Farms	James A. Jerkens	Kent J. Desormeaux	Centennial Farms