The Lady Gave It Her Best

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Zenyatta came within a head of finishing a perfect career.

Horse racing’s biggest star closed from dead last on Saturday, only for Blame to hold off the 6-year-old mare and win the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic under the lights Churchill Downs.

Blame went to the front in the middle of the stretch, then fought off another spectacular bid from the unbeaten Zenyatta to win by a head.

Zenyatta entered the race hoping to improve to 20-0 on her career. She loped behind the field for the first mile of the race before closing in a hurry.

Blame answered the challenge.

The 4-year-old horse covered the 1 1/4-mile distance in 2:02.28 as a 5-to-1 shot. Fly Down held on for third, while Preakness champion Lookin At Lucky finished fourth.

In other Breeders’ Cup races Saturday at Churchill Downs:

• Dangerous Midge chased down frontrunning Champ Pegasus in the final yards to win the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

The 4-year-old horse, trained by Brian Meehan, covered 1½ miles in 2:29.40 and paid $19.

Dangerous Midge’s triumph marked the second win for a European horse on the second day of horse racing’s Super Bowl. Goldikova triumphed in the Mile earlier in the afternoon.

The victory was the 10th Breeders’ Cup win for jockey Frankie Dettori. The Italian rider celebrated with his signature flying dismount.

Champ Pegasus held off Behkabad for second.

Morning-line favorite Workforce was scratched Saturday morning because of concerns about the firmness of the turf course.

• Uncle Mo has stamped himself as the early favorite for next May’s Kentucky Derby, dominating the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.

The 2-year-old colt went off as the heavy 7-5 favorite. He stalked leader Riveting Reason then powered down the stretch to easily beat second-choice Boys At Tosconova on Saturday.

Uncle Mo, trained by Todd Pletcher, covered the 1 1/16th in 1:42.60 and paid $4.80.

Pletcher, who won his first Derby this spring with Super Saver, said he had “goosebumps” watching jockey John Velazquez guide Uncle Mo to the wire under the twin spires. The victory was Pletcher’s third in two days at racing’s Super Bowl, matching his career Breeders’ Cup win total coming into the weekend.

Rogue Romance was third.

• Big Drama sapped the drama out of the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint, taking charge early and rolling to victory. The 4-year-old bay covered six furlongs in 1:09.05, giving jockey Eibar Coa and trainer David Fawkes their first Breeders’ Cup wins.

Big Drama, second in each of his past two starts, had little trouble putting away the rest of the 12-horse field. He broke cleanly and was never challenged, and paid $12.40 to win as the second choice behind favorite Girolama.

Hamazing Destiny held on for second, followed by Smiling Tiger.

Atta Boy Roy was pulled up after the race with an apparent injury to his right front leg. He loaded into the equine ambulance and driven off the track.

• Goldikova won the $2 million Mile for the third consecutive year, giving Europe its first win of the two-day championships.

The 5-year-old marem, bred in Ireland, ran the distance on the turf in 1:35.16. She became the first three-time winner in the event’s 27-year history.

She paid $4.60 to win as the 6-5 favorite in the field of 11.

It was Goldikova’s eighth victory in 11 races against the boys. She has 15 wins in 21 career starts.

Jockey Olivier Peslier patted her and called her the best filly in the world after the race. Freddy Head, a two-time Breeders’ Cup winner as a jockey, notched his third straight win in the Mile. He trains Goldikova in France.

Gio Ponti, runner-up in last year’s Classic, was second. The Usual Q.T. was third and Ireland-bred Paco Boy fourth.

• In the $1 million Turf Sprint, Chamberlain Bridge gave jockey Jamie Theriot and trainer Bret Calhoun their second wins of the weekend.

The 6-year-old gelding ran five furlongs on the turf in 56.53 seconds and paid $15.80 to win the shortest of the 14 Breeders’ Cup races. Central City was second, followed by Unzip Me and Bridgetown.

Theriot and Calhoun teamed to win the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint with Dubai Majesty on Friday.

• In the $1 million Juvenile Turf, Pluck rallied to win after another horse fell early in the race.

Pluck ran one mile in 1:36.98 under Garrett Gomez and paid $14.80 to win at Churchill Downs on Saturday. Soldat was second, followed by Willcox Inn and Madman Diaries.

Gomez and trainer Todd Pletcher completed a sweep of the juvenile turf races, teaming to win the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday.

Rough Sailing fell on the first turn and dropped jockey Rosie Napravnik to the turf. The horse ran on before being caught and vanned off. Napravnik bounced up and walked away.

Rough Sailing had to be euthanized shortly after because of a broken shoulder.

Workforce, the morning-line favorite, was scratched Saturday morning because his trainer said the turf course was too firm.

• Dakota Phone edged out Morning Line in a photo finish to win the $1 million Dirt Mile. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Dakota Phone ran the distance in 1:35.29. The 37-1 long shot paid $77.40 to win.

Morning Line was second, followed by Gayego and Cool Coal Man in the field of 13.

It was the first Breeders’ Cup victory for Northern California-based trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who co-owns the gelding.

Mine That Bird lost his ninth straight race since his 50-1 upset in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. He was to be retired afterward.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.