Breeders' Cup Classic: Mike Smith

By Tom Law

The ashen and dirt-specked face of Mike Smith told the story of the day as the Racing Hall of Fame rider made what seemed like an eternal walk from the Churchill Downs main track back toward the paddock shortly after he finished second aboard Zenyatta in the $4,545,000 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday.

Smith was greeted by encouraging cheers from fans that were still lined up along the paddock. The calls were mostly positive, ranging from "we still love you Mike," to "great ride, Mike," to "pick your chin up." Despite the positive words from the fans, Smith took all the blame for the loss on Zenyatta, officially a head decision to Blame.

"It hurts more than you ... than I can explain, just because it was my fault," Smith said, choking back tears in a post-race press conference. "She should have won, and it hurts."

Zenyatta was last through the homestretch the first time, around the clubhouse turn, and up the most of the backstretch, racing nearly 15 lengths behind the leader through the first half-mile and more than ten lengths back entering the far turn. She finally got in gear around the turn, picking off rivals while racing inside and outside of her opponents.

Smith said Zenyatta did not break particularly well or handle dirt in her face in the early stages.

"She just wasn't leveling out like I wanted to; the combination of the dirt hitting her face was a lot of it," Smith said. "Just left her with too much to do. I truly believe I was on the best horse today. If I had to blame anybody, it would be me."

Zenyatta finally found her best stride and looked like she might give the raucous crowd reason to celebrate wildly as she gained ground on the leaders every step of the stretch. Blame found his best stride, too, and dropped off Lookin At Lucky and Fly Down inside the furlong marker. Blame was clear still with 100 yards to go and had just enough to hold off Zenyatta to win.

"My hat's off to Blame," Smith said. "He ran an incredible race. He didn't fold, and I needed him to fold just a little bit but he didn't. He hung in tough. When I got her out, like I said, it was a gallant effort on her part. She made up a whole lot of ground. To only come up a nose short, it's pretty tough to swallow."

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Breeders' Cup Classic
• Blame
• Seth Hancock
• Churchill Downs
• Thoroughbred Times
• Mike Smith
• Mike Smith takes blame

[horseracer333]

awwe mike its ok man.. shes still one of the greatest... seabiscuit lost many and is still one of the greatest... everyone loses a couple.

[tallyho96]

I can't stop second guessing the ride so I can imagine how awful it is to BE Mike Smith right now. The move started just a little too late - she could have won and she should have won and she's still one of the greatest ever - Secretariat and Man 'o War both lost races.

[chrisvpena]

@187mamapimpmafia hahahahahahahhaaha-what in the world is THAT?

[fpbeast]

Mike don't worry you did a fantastic job with zenny and ur a top jockey

[187mamapimpmafia]

YO MIKE FORGET BITCHES IN THE IRONS MAMA  PIMP MAFIA WILL MAKE YOU FEEL LOVES SEXD FLUFFY LOVELY SEXY AND LIE A REAL MAN MAMA PIMP TRAINS JOCKEYS AND I'M THEIR BIG MARE TO THOUSANDS IF I HAD TO CHOOSE NOE, TOUGH BUT THE WARS OVER, AND MAMA PIMP GETS HER CALL ON LOVE ME FOREVER DAIL 647----524---------OO88 DIRECT LINE TO LOVE REAL TRUE FEREVER ETERNAL LOVE/ NOT BECAUSE U A JOCK CAUSR U A HELL OF A MAN HOLLAR...

[saramadi100]

I wish people would uderstand that it wasn't his fault! Yes he did make a mistake so what we make mistakes! And things happen for a reason.

[205seeme]

@pont123456789 He has rode in Europe.He was of the few only American Jockey's thats ever won the Irish One Thousand Guineas

[205seeme]

@horshooer how old are you? 12?

[205seeme]

@horshooer how old are you? 12?

[205seeme]

@horshooer She wasnt on dirt when she raced...she ran on poly track..it doesnt kick up ike soft dirt.If you knew anything about racing you would know that you moron. She only raced on dirt twice prior to this race. Oaklawn...and she never got dirt kicked in her face in either of those races

[horshooer]

@205seeme perhaps you should go back and watch her 1st 18 races... where she took dirt in her face every time...

[horshooer]

205seeme so you agree he (mike smith) had a swollen head?? he figured he could overcome a deficit like that on Zenyatta??