Breeders' Cup: Big Evs powers to victory in Juvenile Turf Sprint for Mick Appleby and Tom Marquand

Big Evs (10/3) beat Valiant Force, Starlust and No Nay Mets to win Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita; Tom Marquand and Mick Appleby both celebrate first Breeders' Cup winner; Marquand: "He was never getting beaten!"

Image: Tom Marquand rides Big Evs to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Big Evs did connections proud as he swept to success in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Mick Appleby's colt broke well and ran prominently throughout, trailing Crimson Advocate around the bend having started as the favourite under Tom Marquand.

From there the duo pulled away to seal victory for the British in the first Grade One event of the meeting.

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Beaten on his debut at Redcar in May, the son of Blue Point got off the mark in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot before adding the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood and the Flying Childers at Doncaster, with his only disappointing effort coming against older horses in the Nunthorpe.

While he was unable to take up his usual front-running position, Big Evs poured it on in the straight, with the Adrian Murray-trained Valiant Force trying to chase him down in the last of the five furlongs.

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However, the Irish raider could not quite catch Big Evs, with the Frankie Dettori-ridden Starlust staying on late to take third place and complete a clean sweep of the places for the European challengers.

Image: Tom Marquand, second from left, poses with owners Rachael Teasdale, left, and Paul Teasdale, second from right, and trainer Michael Appleby, right, after riding Big Evs to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Marquand, who was celebrating his first Breeders' Cup victory, said: "I'm super proud of the team. He's a little champion and has taken all this in his stride.

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"It was a proper buzz to be aboard him today. That's as sharp a race as you'll get and it felt so easy on him. He was never getting beaten!"

The stand-out performance on night one came in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile as Fierceness landed the $2m prize for Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole.

Image: John Velazquez celebrates as he rides Fierceness after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Sent clear by John Velazquez, the 16/1 beat the well-fancied Muth and Locked to emerge as favourite for next year's Kentucky Derby.

There were back-to-back winners for the great sire Justify as Just F Y I and Hard To Justify secured victories for the home team.

Image: Flavien Prat rides Hard To Justify to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

The former capitalised on a seemingly below-par effort from hot favourite Tamara to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies for William Mott and Junior Alvarado.

Donnacha O'Brien's Royal Ascot star Porta Fortuna was then denied in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf as Chad Brown's Hard To Justify came out on top in a tight finish.

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