New Year's Day wins Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Arcadia (United States) (AFP) - New Year's Day won the $2 million, 1 1/6-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Saturday with a dramatic stretch run on the rail that carried him past Havana.

The colt, ridden by Martin Garcia, provided a much-needed lift for trainer Bob Baffert, whose afternoon started with a fatal injury to Secret Compass in the first race of the day, the Juvenile Fillies.

"This business is so hard," Baffert said. "One minute I've lost a great filly, and now this."

New Year's Day was well off the early pace set by Conquest Titan, Rum Point, Strong Mandate and Havana.

Gary Stevens, aboard Havana in place of John Velazquez who was hurt when Secret Compass broke down, took the 5-2 favorite to the lead around the turn for home and opened a clear lead by the top of the stretch.

But the 10-1 New Year's Day came flying up the rail to claim a clear triumph with Havana second and Strong Mandate third.

The victory in the race for two-year-old colts traditionally tabs the winner as the early favorite for next year's Kentucky Derby.