The second day of the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Keeneland got underway with commanding performances from the morning-line favourites, as Ways And Means and Bacio both delivered dominant victories on Saturday.
Opening the card in the Grade One Filly & Mare Sprint over seven furlongs, Ways And Means lived up to her billing as the warm 4-5 favourite. Ridden by Flavien Prat, the mare powered clear of the field after settling into a smooth trip on the inside. R Disaster and Kerry’s Kiss set an initial fast pace with a first quarter-mile in 22.14 seconds, but Ways And Means breezed past her rivals at the top of the stretch to secure an effortless win. Foie Gras finished second, and Explora took third among the 11 runners.
In the Grade One Turf Sprint over 5.5 furlongs, Wesley Ward’s Bacio cemented his status as the primary domestic barrier to European turf dominance. Ridden by Juan J Hernandez, Bacio flew out of stall three and set scorching fractions of 21.23 seconds for the quarter and 43.86 seconds for the half, ultimately leaving the rest of the field behind in the straight. Cy Fair finished second, while Starlust claimed third in the 14-runner field. Comanche Brave, the primary market rival trained by Donnacha O’Brien, missed the break by a length after an agitated load and eventually finished in a dead-heat for fourth alongside Time To Dazzle.
Saturday’s marquee card opened against a backdrop of strong European momentum following a clean sweep in Friday’s juvenile turf events at the Kentucky track. European contenders also entered the day with favourites in three of the four turf races, flanked by anticipation for international stars across the high-stakes afternoon program.
