Breeders’ Cup Turf: Irish import Magician wins

Turf races are known for late charges and Saturday’s $3-million Breeders’ Cup race didn’t disappoint. Magician came from seventh at the start of the stretch to win the 1 1/2-mile race by half a length.

The race starts midway on a hill beyond the far corner and goes twice past the grandstand, which sometimes confuses novice fans.

The race belonged to foreign horses as Magician, an Irish import, and favorite The Fugue, a Britain bred, finished second. Third place went to Indy Point, who is from Argentina.

Magician, with Ryan Moore aboard, paid $27.00, $11.80 and $7.00. The Fugue, owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber, returned $4.40 and $3.00 while Indy Point paid $5.40.

“He’s one of the best horses I’ve ridden in a long time,” Moore said. “He switched off nice at the beginning. I was a little farther back than I wanted to be because he got a bump at the turn, but he leveled off nicely. From there he took me to where I wanted to be.”

The Fugue trainer John Gosden was satisfied with his horse’s performance.

“She ran her race,” Gosden said. “She improved her position. She just got beat at the end.”

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