Racing: Halfbridled gives Krone popular success

The unquestionable highlight of the action for the home crowd was the remarkable feat of trainer Richard Mandella.

His first winner of the day came when Julie Krone made Breeders' Cup history when becoming the first female rider to ride a winner at the meeting as Halfbridled took the Juvenile Fillies' race.

The 40-year-old, who retired from riding three and a half years ago before returning to the fray last November, has been wowing the press all week with her refreshingly honest and open comments about life in the saddle. And there will be few winners ever at the Breeders' Cup as popular as this one, as the 2-1 favourite led off the home turn to beat Ashado by two and a half lengths.

"We thought she was good enough last year," Mandella said. "It took a special horse to do that today. She finessed herself like an ice-skater around the first bend."

Krone deflected praise as she returned to the winner's enclosure, pointing to the winning filly and saying: "Great horses like this make jockeys look good.

"She leapt out of the gate so strongly that we took two lengths out of the six horses on my inside. From then on I promise you that I was doing a lot more pulling than I was doing pushing."