Caleb's Posse ran away to an easy victory in the Dirt Mile (Breeders' Cup Ltd.)

Enhancing his reputation as a ferocious closer, Caleb's Posse came flying down the stretch to win Saturday's $909,000 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in convincing fashion. The former Triple Crown prospect improved to three-for-three in one-turn races this year, adding the Dirt Mile to an impressive resume that includes the Grade 1 King's Bishop Stakes and Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes, and stopped the teletimer over the fast Churchill Downs track in a quick 1:34 2/5.

Rajiv Maragh guided the dynamic late runner for trainer Donnie Von Hemel and Caleb's Posse became the first three-year-old male to win two Grade 1 races in 2011.

"If my chest could swell any bigger, it probably wouldn't fit here," Von Hemel said exuberantly. "I'm so proud of him, he's such a neat little horse, and he comes to run on those one-turn races, man.

"You guys will have to decide, but I think you can probably make a case for champion sprinter this year. I look at this one-turn mile as a sprint. He's got three great wins this year sprinting, in my opinion. I'm going to put him out there as a possibility."

Caleb's Posse dropped far back after the gates opened, with The Factor flashing to the front to complete the opening quarter-mile in :22 2/5. Shackleford was almost two lengths back in second at that point, but the Preakness winner advanced to challenge for the lead entering the far turn. The Factor was still clinging to a half-length advantage after four furlongs in :45 1/5, with Caleb's Posse nearly 10 lengths back in eighth, but the pacesetter was through by the conclusion of the bend.

Caleb's Posse has blossomed in one-turn races this year (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com)

"You could see coming down the stretch that he had dead aim on the leader," Von Hemel noted. "The last sixteenth of a mile, we just got to celebrate. I think we got enough pace in the race, and he was just rolling down the lane. I was hoping for 45 and change, so I think that was key. It's the biggest (victory of my career), no doubt; a million dollar race on Breeders' Cup day."

"The trip was perfect; just what we hoped for," Maragh added. "And when it came time for him, he fired really big. We've had luck taking this horse back and making one late run with him, so you stick with what's successful. To win a race of this magnitude is special, really special."

Shackleford performed gallantly in defeat, checking in a clear second.

"It was just like the (Kentucky) Derby (where Shackleford finished fourth after leading the field into the stretch); I thought we had it won," said Dale Romans, trainer of the runner-up. "It was tough for speed horses today. I'm not going to make any excuses. Caleb's Posse ran big, and we ran big. There was a lot of pace up front and quality horses running fast. I was proud of him. I thought he ran super. He's had a great year. He's going to get a break now. He couldn't have done anything more for us all year."