The Breeders’ Cup Friday races don’t begin until 4:10pm Eastern, but Churchill Downs is running four minor races prior to the start of the championship program. The first race of the day was an optional claiming race at six furlongs on the main track. The dirt may be listed as “muddy”, but the track looked to be playing fairly quick after the first race clocked fractions of 21.61, 45.35, 56.93 and 1:09.52. The second race, however, proved to be much different than the first. Running a one-turn mile, a group of N1X Allowance horses ran the first half-mile in 46.68, and the last in a pedestrian 51.32.
8-Rothko, the 7/5 favorite, won the first race and paid $5.00, $3.80, $2.80. The second race was won by 4-Congo but was disqualified and placed 2nd after an objection due to the jockey of Congo accidentally striking 6-Chilled with his whip. That is an automatic disqualification. 6-Chilled was moved up from 2nd, declared the official winner, and paid $7.00, $4.00, $2.80.