Ghostzapper in control from start to finish

With a perfect 4 for-4 season, the trainer said the horse is a cinch for Horse of the Year.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (AP) -- Bobby Frankel had a simple explanation for Ghostzapper's record-setting win in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic.
"He's just faster," the trainer said after Ghostzapper cruised to victory over a stellar field that included defending champion Pleasantly Perfect, Belmont winner Birdstone and the great mare Azeri.
Frankel, who had just two wins with 62 Breeders' Cup starters before the Classic, saddled the beaten favorite the past three years -- Medaglia d'Oro in 2002-03 and Aptitude in 2001.
This time, his favorite didn't fail at Lone Star Park. Ridden by Javier Castellano, the 4-year-old colt sprung from the gate and was in control all the way around the track, winning by three lengths over Roses in May.
Ghostzapper, a sprinter when he began his career, covered the 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.02, bettering the Classic record of 1:59.16 set by Skip Away in 1997 at Hollywood Park.
Azeri was a non-threatening fifth in a 13-horse field considered the deepest in the 21-year history of the Breeders' Cup. Pleasantly Perfect was third, Birdstone was seventh and Funny Cide was 10th.
With a perfect 4-for-4 season, Frankel said Ghostzapper is a cinch for Horse of the Year.
"It's a no brainer," Frankel said. "Handicap horse of the year, Horse of the Year."
Moved to longer distances
Ghostzapper was moved to longer distances this year, and Frankel's decision paid off. The lightly raced son of Awesome Again won the Iselin Handicap and the Woodward Stakes, both at 1 1/8 miles, and the trainer was confident his colt could go even farther.
The buildup to the race took on even more intrigue when Azeri was entered by trainer D. Wayne Lukas. A few days before the race, Frankel dismissed Azeri, saying the only way she could win is if the gate didn't open for the other 12 horses.
Ghostzapper is owned by Magna Entertainment Corp. chairman Frank Stronach, who owns Lone Star Park and several other racetracks, including Santa Anita and Gulfstream.
The winner paid $7, $4 and $3.60. Roses in May, ridden by John Velazquez, paid $8.20 and $5.20, and Pleasantly Perfect returned $3 to show.
Ghostzapper earned $2,080,000 and boosted his earnings to $2,996,120.
In the other Breeders' Cup races, trainer Todd Pletcher ended an 0-for-12 run with two winners, Ashado in the $2 million Distaff, and Speightstown in the $1 million Sprint; and there were three major upsets: 17-1 long shot Singletary won the $1.54 million Mile; 28-1 shot Wilko took the $1.37 million Juvenile; and 28-1 choice Better Talk Now won the $1.83 million Turf after surviving a foul claim.
Also, Sweet Catomine captured the $1 million Juveniles Fillies, and Ouija Board took the $1.29 million Filly & amp; Mare Turf.
Distaff
Ashado, the 2-1 favorite, gave Pletcher his first Breeders' Cup victory and likely earned the Eclipse Award as 3-year-old female champion.
In winning for the fifth time in eight starts this year, Ashado grabbed the lead in the stretch and beat Storm Flag Flying by 1 1/4 lengths. Stellar Jayne was third in the 11-horse field.
Juvenile Fillies
Sweet Catomine clinched the 2-year-old female championship by overcoming traffic problems on the turn for home and posting a 3 3/4-length win over Balletto.
Jockey Corey Nakatani had to check Sweet Catomine when she ran up behind several horses, but the big filly regained her momentum for her third win in four starts for trainer Julio Canani.
The 2-1 favorite paid $6.60 to win. Sis City, co-owned by New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, was fourth.
Mile
Singletary bulled his way into the lead and held off Antonius Pius by a half-length for an upset at odds of 17-1.
Named for former Chicago Bears linebacker Mike Singletary, the 4-year-old colt gave jockey David Flores a win in his only Breeders' Cup mount of the day. Purchased for only $3,200, Singletary earned $873,600 to boost his career earnings to $1,439,732 for the 15 partners of Little Red Feather Racing.
Sprint
Pletcher won his second race of the day with Speightstown ($9.40), who took control in the stretch and beat Kela by 1 1/4 lengths in the 6-furlong dash.
However, the champion sprinter will likely be Pico Central, who beat Speightstown in the Vosburgh at Belmont Park earlier in the month and did not run in the Breeders' Cup.
Speightstown, with Pletcher's regular rider Velazquez aboard, had won four in a row before the loss to Pico Central.
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