2006 Breeders' Cup Classic
| Breeders' Cup Classic | |
| Location | Churchill Downs |
|---|---|
| Date | November 4, 2006 |
| Winning horse | Invasor |
| Jockey | Fernando Jara |
| Trainer | Kiaran McLaughlin |
| Owner | Shadwell Stable |
| Conditions | Fast |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Attendance | 75,132 |
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← 2005
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The 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic (in full, the Breeders' Cup Classic Powered by Dodge, due to sponsorship) was the 23rd running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2006 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 4, 2006 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Invasor, an Argentinian-bred four-year-old who had won three Grade I stakes in the U.S. in 2006, was the surprise winner, beating out the heavily favored Bernardini in the stretch. It was the first Classic win for Invasor's owner, trainer and jockey.
The Classic is run on dirt at one mile and one-quarter (approximately 2000 m) with a purse in 2006 of $5,000,000, increased from $4,000,000 in 2005. It is run under weight-for-age conditions, with entrants carrying the following weights:
There were 13 entries in the race. The even money favorite was the three-year-old colt Bernardini, who had won six straight races including the Preakness, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup. Bernardini, owned by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin Stable, assumed the leadership of the three-year-old division after Barbaro's breakdown in the Preakness, and needed to win the Classic to wrap up Horse of the Year honors.
Lava Man was the second favorite. The five-year-old gelding had won seven straight races in California, including the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup, Pacific Classic and Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap. He too had a chance at Horse of the Year honors if he could win outside of his home state, something he had never done.
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