Champagne Room upsets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at 33-1

Champagne Room wasn’t given much chance in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita Park, sent off at 33-1 following a pair of well-beaten runs against more highly regarded foes who were lining up in this spot as well.

The Broken Vow filly paid none of that any attention as she rallied under jockey Mario Gutierrez to take command of the race in the stretch. She dug in and held off Valadorna’s late run by three parts of a length to pay $69.20 to her faithful backers.

Champagne Room ran 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:45.12 to add a second stakes victory to her resume. Now boasting a 5-2-1-1, $1,286,600, career mark, the Peter Eurton pupil earned her only other score after breaking her maiden in the Sorrento Stakes (G2) at Del Mar on August 6.

The Sorrento followed a second in a maiden special weight at Del Mar in July and preceded a third in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) on September 3. Champagne Room entered the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies off a fourth-placing in the Chandelier Stakes (G1) on October 1 at Santa Anita.

Bred in Kentucky by Respite Farm, the bay lass is campaigned by Ciaglia, Exline-Border, Gulliver Racing, R. Christensen, D. Legan and S. Alesia. She is out of the Bernstein mare Lucky to Be Me and comes from the same female family as Grade 1 winner and dual classic-placed A P Valentine.

Champagne Room photo courtesy of Cecilia Gustavsson/Horsephotos.com

BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES QUOTES

Mario Gutierrez, jockey Champagne Room, winner

“I had a perfect trip. She broke really sharp. I was able to settle behind the speed and when I asked her, she ran with all her heart today.”

Peter Eurton, trainer Champagne Room, winner

“I wasn't feeling utterly confident (coming down the stretch). She was actually moving pretty well. She was getting a little tired, but there wasn't anyone catching her. I'm feeling pretty good right now. This means an awful lot to me.”

Julien Leparoux, jockey Valadorna, second

“We had a pretty good trip, but there wasn't much pace. I had to wait a little bit on the turn and I think the winner got away from us. She ran a big, big race.”

Mark Casse, trainer Valadorna, second

“She ran great. She had a good trip and was maybe just a little bit late getting out with the soft fractions, but I was proud of her. It was the way I expected her to run. She's a very good horse. She needed (the education she got in her last race) today.”

Mike Smith, jockey American Gal, third

“We broke real bad and it cost me the race. That’s all it was.”

Bob Baffert, trainer American Gal, third

“I thought she ran an incredible race considering how wide she had to go the whole way. She's shown she can go a distance and what a good horse she is.”