The 26th World Championships got off to a thrilling start in the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon when Man of Iron (right) hung on to defeat 9-year-old Cloudy's Knight (left) by a nose Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

A 3-year-old son of Giant's Causeway making his first start in the United States, Man of Iron won the Marathon, which was increased in distance to 1 3/4 miles this year, for trainer Aidan O’Brien and owners Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor.

Photo: ANNE M. EBERHARDT

Jockey Robby Albarado pushed the button on Tapitsfly approaching mid-stretch and the gray/roan daughter of Tapit   responded willingly to produce a half-length victory over the pacesetting Rose Catherine in Oak Tree’s $909,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 6.

Photo: ANNE M. EBERHARDT

Tapitsfly, breaking from near the outside in the 12-horse field, ran one-two nearly the entire way with Rose Catherine while completing the one-mile journey in 1:34.25. Tapitsfly, trained by Dale Romans for owner/breeder Frank Jones Jr., went off as a slight overlay at 9-1.

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

She Be Wild, a daughter of freshman sire Offlee Wild  , squeezed along the rail to take the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) over Beautician and favorite Blind Luck.

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

Ridden by Julien Leparoux for the first time, the filly stalked the early pace established by Always a Princess and jockey Garrett Gomez, who had ridden She Be Wild to a second-place finish to Negligee in the Oct. 9 Darley Alcibiades (gr. I) at Keeneland — the only loss in the filly’s brief career.

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Midday slipped through the inside at the top of the lane, opened up a clear lead in the stretch, and then held off a late charge by Pure Clan to win the $2-million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) by a length Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park.

Photo: ANNE M. EBERHARDT

Midday, who was bred in England, gave the Europeans their second win of the 26th Breeders’ Cup World Championships. She is trained by Henry Cecil, a renowned English trainer who earned his first Breeders’ Cup victory after many years.

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

Informed Decision got the jump on heavily favored and returning race winner Ventura, and won the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. IT) Nov. 6 at Santa Anita.

Photo: ANNE M. EBERHARDT

The 4-year-old Monarchos filly is an all-weather surface specialist, running her record to seven-for-seven over the synthetics.

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

Pam and Martin Wygod’s locally-based Life is Sweet rallied from last on the far turn, engulfed the field in the stretch, and drew away to a 2 1/2-length victory in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (gr. I) Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park.

Photo: ANNE M. EBERHARDT

Life is Sweet stepped out of the shadows of her stablemate Zenyatta and gave trainer John Shirreffs back-to-back Ladies Classic victories.

Photo: ANNE M. EBERHARDT