LOUISVILLE, KY. — The age-old East-West debate was the talk of the Breeders' Cup, but Invasor reminded everyone there are more directions on the compass.
Bred in Argentina, a champion in Uruguay and owned by a sheik from Dubai, the 4-year-old colt ran past Preakness winner Bernardini and Lava Man, the storybook claimer from California, to win the Breeders' Cup Classic by a length Saturday at Churchill Downs.
It was a day marred by the death of a 3-year-old filly named Pine Island, who was euthanized after breaking down with severe injuries in the Distaff, quieting the crowd of 75,132.
But as light faded on a chilly afternoon, the day ended with a jubilant celebration by Invasor's trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin, who is at the top of his game even though he has lived with multiple sclerosis for eight years, able to control it with medication.
"I'm one of the lucky ones with MS. I've had it in my hip pocket," said McLaughlin, 45. "I don't walk as well as I used to, but this is the best medication you could have, winning a $5-million race."
It was the second big victory of the year for McLaughlin after winning the Belmont with Jazil.
Jazil's jockey that day was Fernando Jara, and Jara was in the saddle Saturday aboard Invasor, becoming the youngest jockey, at 18, to win a Breeders' Cup race.
There might have been an even wilder celebration had Lava Man won. His owners, Steve and Dave Kenly and Jason Wood, claimed him for $50,000 at Del Mar two years ago, and he has gone on to earn $3.8 million in his career. The $2.7-million payday for winning the 1 1/4 -mile Classic would have been like "winning the lottery," Steve Kenly said, but it was not to be.
Lava Man -- the first horse to sweep the Santa Anita Handicap, the Hollywood Gold Cup and the Pacific Classic in the same year -- was uncomfortable in the gate when it took a long time to get the horses loaded, jockey Corey Nakatani said. After going with the leaders early, he fell back and never made his trademark big move entering the final turn, finishing seventh.
"Basically he wasn't the same Lava Man we've been fortunate enough to see. I think it wasn't his day," said trainer Doug O'Neill, who earlier won his second Breeders' Cup race in two years.
O'Neill took the Sprint with Thor's Echo, a 15-1 shot bred in California and owned by Royce S. Jaime of Alta Loma and Pablo Suarez of Valencia. O'Neill won his first Breeders' Cup race with Stevie Wonderboy in last year's Juvenile.
Lava Man had been seven for seven this year, but is now 0 for 4 in his career outside of California despite O'Neill's efforts to resolve past troubles by shipping him to Kentucky to train three weeks before the race.
"Hopefully, he'll bounce back the way he did after the races in New York and Japan," O'Neill said of the 5-year-old gelding.
On a day when the rail was the place to be at Churchill Downs, Santa Anita-based Brother Derek had the No. 1 post in the Classic, and Alex Solis took him to the front right away. But Bernardini overtook Brother Derek at the quarter-mile pole, and the even-money favorite was in the lead coming down the stretch until Invasor stormed past him on the outside to win.
Bernardini, owned by the ruler of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, was a length behind Invasor, owned by his brother, Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum. Premium Tap was third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Bernardini.
Bernardini's jockey was Javier Castellano, who came back to ride the favorite in the Classic despite being shaken up when he hit the ground hard as Pine Island, his mount in the Distaff, broke down.
"We were second-best today," said Castellano, who had won five races in a row aboard Bernardini with nary a challenge. "I had to ask him for the first time today. He passed the other horses easily."
All but Invasor.
The second choice behind Bernardini at 6-1, Invasor -- winning his ninth race in 10 starts -- ran down the horse some were ready to call one of the greats of recent years, winning 2:02.18.
"Beating his brother was not the goal. We happened to have two very good horses in the race," said Rick Nichols, the head of Sheik Hamdan's U.S. operation, speaking for his boss, who was in England.
The showdown between Bernardini and Invasor was supposed to have come in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in October. But Invasor wasn't well in the days before the race and didn't run. The Breeders' Cup was his first race in three months.
"When Invasor had the fever last month and couldn't run in the Gold Cup, I said, 'This could be a blessing in disguise,' " Nichols said. "If these two were to hook up in the Gold Cup and wear each other out, then we might be giving somebody else the Breeders' Cup."
Whether Invasor -- or Bernardini -- will be seen on the track again remains to be determined, with their value much higher as stallions than as racehorses.
