Live In The Dream goes down fighting in Turf Sprint

Neil Morrice
November 6, 2023 8:19 am

Nunthorpe winner eventually reeled in for gallant fourth place, behind Nobals.

There was Breeders’ Cup heartbreak for Live In The Dream as Nobals showed tremendous speed to claim the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Adam West’s Nunthorpe winner was one of the fancied runners for the five-furlong event and although showing plenty of his famous early pace from an ideal draw in stall five, his petrol tank ran empty in the closing stages as those from off the pace finished with a flourish.

One of those was the Larry Rivelli-trained four-year-old who had followed Live In The Dream on the inner and got the perfect split that allowed his rider Gerardo Corrales to surge up the rail for victory.

It was a first Breeders’ Cup success for Rivelli, as Nobals held on from the fast-finishing Big Invasion and Aidan O’Brien’s Aesop’s Fables. Live In The Dream gamely kept on once headed to finish an honourable fourth under Sean Kirrane.

Epsom-based West said: “It feels like a giant kick in the b*******, but we’ve finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup (Turf) Sprint.

“We came here as favourites and we believe in this horse. I had dinner with Mick Appleby and the connections of Big Evs and it crossed my mind we could be locking horns in Del Mar next year.

“This is sprint racing and we were collared in the final 100 yards.”

Kirrane said: “He jumped very well, but I needed to hold onto him and the first quarter was run in 21 and change.

“The bend was a bit tight and he was inclined to hang a good bit.”

Of the winner, Rivelli said: “I just thought on paper it was a coin toss and we got lucky, we had a good trip and Coralles rode him perfect. The plan was to be closer and we got a bit shuffled back, but the gap opened up and he was gone. I knew he would go through it, but I was looking for the wire real fast at the end too.

“We’ll come back next year and try to do it again. It’s my first one (Breeders’ Cup win) and I’m going to tear the town down.”