Saint Liam makes statement in Classic

NEW YORK -- Saint Liam came through in the Breeders' Cup Classic and probably wrapped up Horse of the Year honors Saturday at Belmont Park with a victory in America's richest race.

Taking the lead at the top of the stretch, Saint Liam held off the challenge of Flower Alley and gave Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey his fifth win in the Classic and 15th victory in the Breeders' Cup.

Five-year-old Saint Liam came into the $4.68 million Classic with three wins in five starts this year, including the Woodward at Belmont on Sept. 10. He was the 2-1 favorite.

With previously unbeatens Lost in the Fog losing in the $1 million Sprint and First Samurai losing in the $1.6 million Juvenile, Saint Liam appears to have the inside track for Horse of the Year. His top competition would be Preakness and Belmont winner Afleet Alex, who has not raced in nearly five months and missed the Classic.

Saint Liam, a hometown favorite who trained for this race at nearby Aqueduct, gave trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. his second win on the day.

He also trained Silver Train, who won the six-furlong Sprint by a head after surviving an objection by jockey Garrett Gomez, who was aboard runner-up Taste of Paradise.

The eight-race, $15 million-plus Breeders' Cup drew a crowd of 54,289.

In the Distaff, 30-1 long shot Pleasant Home upset Ashado, who ran her farewell race.

Earlier, Stevie Wonderboy put owner and TV impresario Merv Griffin on the road to the Kentucky Derby when the 2-year-old colt won the $1.6 million Juvenile, beating Henny Hughes by 1 1/4 lengths with First Samurai third.

The colt named for singer Stevie Wonder stormed into the lead down the stretch and won for the fourth time in five starts while handing First Samurai his first defeat in five starts.

The win likely clinched the 2-year-old male championship for Stevie Wonderboy, but the colt will have a jinx to overcome on the first Saturday in May: No Juvenile winner has won the Derby the following year since the Breeders' Cup began in 1984.

Folklore, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, won the Juvenile Fillies; Shirroco posted his first win of the year by capturing the $2.28 million Turf; Intercontinental went wire to wire to win the Filly and Mare Turf; and Artie Schiller won the Mile after losing last year as the favorite.