gun-runner.jpg
Gun Runner leads from the gun and rolls to the Breeders' Cup Classic win.  Getty Images

Gun Runner left Arrogate in the dust in his final race with a wire-to-wire win in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Both entered Saturday night's Classic as co-favorites at 2-1 odds, but it was Gun Runner, trained by Steve Asmussen, who jumped out to a half-length lead at the quarter mile and held on to claim its first win in three tries over the defending Breeders' Cup Classic champion. 

Arrogate, who retires as the cash king of horse racing, eventually finished in a dead-heat for fifth place with Gunnevera. West Coast -- a 4-1 favorite in the final odds -- turned in a strong push on the stretch to finish third. It was a two-horse race between Gun Runner and Collected (6-1) from the start, with Gun Runner pulling away to win by 2 1/4 lengths. 

For Arrogate and trainer Bob Baffert, it was another disappointing showing at Del Mar after winning this race last year. Jockey Mike Smith told NBC during the postrace coverage that the track surface may have played a role in the disappointing result. 

Ridden by Florent Geroux, Gun Runner covered 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.29 and paid $6.80, $4.40 and $3.20.  

The loss ended Baffert's streak in the Classic, having won the last three years in a row.

Baffert finished 2-3 in the race, with Collected taking second and West Coast third. His record four starters included Mubtaahij. War Story was fifth.

Here is the complete order of finish:

FinishHorseOddsLengths
1Gun Runner2-1----
2Collected5-22¼
3West Coast4-13½
4War Story50-14
5Arrogate2-16¼
5Gunnevera14-16¼
7Churchill19-118½
8Mubtaahij20-119
9War Decree40-123¼
10Pavel25-124
11Win the Space70-141

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Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.