Raven's Pass left archrival Henrythenavigator in the Classic shade (Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com)

RAVEN'S PASS (Elusive Quality) played "follow the horse to beat" in Saturday's $4,580,000 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita, tracking directly behind reigning Horse of the Year Curlin (Smart Strike) before swooping past in midstretch to take his first try on a non-grass track and at the 1 1/4-mile distance. With an exuberant Frankie Dettori aboard, the three-year-old chestnut, who had gone no farther than a mile in his entire career, was 1 3/4 lengths clear on the line to give trainer John Gosden his second Breeders' Cup win on the day.

"Brilliant. A dream come true; a dream come true," Dettori summed up the victory.

The 25th anniversary of the Breeders' Cup saw a true international field line up for the Classic. Japanese invader and Peter Pan S. (G2) hero Casino Drive (Mineshaft) moved up to take command when the gates opened, looking to keep his undefeated mark going in just his fourth career race. Setting splits of :23 3/5 and :47 3/5, the chestnut could never quite shake loose from a persistent Fairbanks (Giant's Causeway), who was tracking just to his outside. Meanwhile, Raven's Pass slowly made up ground after running third last early.

Casino Drive was still up by head through six furlongs in 1:11 3/5, but appeared to hit a wall midway on the turn, dropping back dramatically. That left the way clear for Duke of Marmalade (Ire) (Danehill) to get up on the lead for the mile split of 1:35 2/5, but the majority of the attention was focused on Curlin and jockey Robby Albarado. Circling his rivals on the turn, the massive four-year-old momentarily seemed well on his way to joining Tiznow as the only dual Breeders' Cup Classic winners. It wasn't to be, though.

Frankie Dettori celebrates his first Classic score (Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com)

"When I went to saddle him, he bucked. And he plunged," Gosden explained Raven's Pass pre-race antics. "He's feeling so well. He just expressed himself that way. And it was a great sign. I only thought that, first of all, I should have broken him in before I brought him here, and, secondly, I wanted to make sure the jock didn't get launched in the paddock.

"But once he went out, despite the noise, he was cool as a cucumber. He went to the pony, he's taken to the pony. Went down the gate fine. I was delighted the way he rated. He relaxed throughout the race, and he just picked them off one by one. Came wide, and I think he's won by a margin, he's well the best, and that's the way it should be."

The English-based invader has now run off-the-board only once during his career, racking up a line of 6-4-1 from 12 starts. Raven's Pass entered the Classic off one-length scores in Ascot's Queen Elizabeth II S. (Eng-G1) and the Celebration Mile (Eng-G2) at Goodwood. He handed Henrythenavigator a second straight defeat after running second to that rival in the Sussex S. (Eng-G1) and St. James's Palace S. (Eng-G1), and fourth in the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1). Raven's Pass has also placed in the Craven S. (Eng-G3) and Prix Jean Prat (Fr-G1) this season, and as a juvenile last year he captured the Solario S. (Eng-G3) and Winkfield S. while running third in the Dewhurst S. (Eng-G1).

Raven's Pass had nearly three lengths to spare over Curlin (yellow silks on right) (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

With Curlin going off as the prohibitive favorite, not many were paying attention to the Europeans in the wagering. Raven's Pass was sent off at 13-1 to return $29, $15.80 and $8 for his impressive victory. The 19-1 Henrythenavigator paid $22 and $11.20, while third-placer Tiago gave back $7 at 15-1. The $1 exotics were worth $159.50 (exacta), $2,395 (trifecta), and the $1 superfecta (8-5-3-9) rewarded those who had Curlin in fourth with a nice $10,236.

"He ran well," Albarado tried to explain Curlin's loss. "Maybe he's not a synthetic surface specialist. I don't know. He was paddling around. These horses (Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator) are great turf horses and it seemed like the synthetics played like a turf course. Raven's Pass is an exceptional horse who ran an exceptional time. Curlin's been in that position turning for home, and he's never lost. I can't answer whether or not the surface had anything to do with it.

"I'm disappointed he lost, but obviously he's done enough for us and our careers. He's the all-time American horse, so we can never knock him."

Raven's Pass conclusively answered every question about the distance and the surface (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

"It was a turf race," Asmussen stated. "It absolutely was the Pro-Ride surface (that beat him). He ran his heart out and gave it all he had. He's a great horse. He's made over $10 million."

Rounding out the order under the wire were 8-1 second choice Go Between (Point Given), Colonel John (Tiznow), Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz), Champs Elysees (GB) (Danehill), Duke of Marmalade, Fairbanks, Student Council (Kingmambo) and Casino Drive.

In addition to his trainer and jockey, Raven's Pass capped a brilliant day for Her Royal Highness Princess Haya of Jordan and her husband Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stable. The two are co-owners of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf victor Donativum (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux), and Darley campaigns Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) hero Midshipman (Unbridled's Song). Both Midshipman and Raven's Pass were acquired from breeder Robert McNair's Stonerside Stable, along with most of the other assets from McNair's Thoroughbred operation. With the lucrative Classic winner's check of $2.7 million added to his earnings, Raven's Pass has now banked $3,658,556.