Misty third as outsider wins BC Filly & Mare Turf Perfect Shirl was a surprise winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Churchill Downs this evening. Jockey Johnny Velazquez brought the Roger Attfield-trained outsider home with a powerful run. She had too much foot in the closing stages for Roger Varian's Nahrain (Frankie Dettori), who stuck on gamely for second having looked like the possible winner a furlong out. Meanwhile Aidan O'Brien's Misty For Me came from way back under Ryan Moore to finish third. She stumbled at the start and been among the back markers turning for home. The hot favourite Stacelita was the hard-luck story of the race. She appeared to be travelling sweetly on the inside at the top of the stretch but every time Ramon Dominguez went for a gap the door slammed shut in his face. They did go for an ambitious run up the rail down the stretch but again the gap closed and Stacelita fell away to finish out of the places. There was drama before the start when Andre Fabre's Announce was scratched by local vets after scraping her hind legs colliding with an ambulance. Veteran winning trainer Roger Attfield was enjoying his first Breeders' Cup victory. He said: "When I've run her on good going before she's never really handled it that well and she had to run her best race to be competitive and I didn't think she'd be able to do that on this turf course. "When she turned down the back side and I could see how easily she was going, I wasn't worried any more. "We didn't run in the E.P. Taylor because it was too soft but I won it with the other filly (Miss Keller). "I've had seconds in these races and kept wondering if I was ever going to win one but god bless her she's done it for me."
