Sheppard seals Breeders' Cup win

Leparoux rode a clever race on Forever Together

British-born trainer Jonathan Sheppard won the $2m Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Forever Together.

The four-year-old was cunningly held up by French rider Julien Leparoux and cashed in on a brisk pace initiated by Frankie Dettori and Folk Opera.

The 5-1 winner flashed home on the wide outside to triumph by three-quarters length from Sealy Hill (33-1) and Patrick Husbands at Santa Anita Park.

Wait a While (4-1), saddled by John Velazquez, grabbed third place.

The day's feature race, the $2m Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic was won by Zenyatta - her ninth win in nine starts.

Ridden by Mike Smith, she swept into the lead at the final turn to win ahead of the Godolphin-owned duo of Cocoa Beach and Music Note.

Earlier, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Heart Shaped was edged out by Maram in the $1m Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Ante-post favourite Laragh (11-4) set the pace and led by four lengths entering the home straight.

But Maram (9-1), saddled by Jose Lezcano, roared past Laragh and held off a late charge by Johnny Murtagh and Heart Shaped to win the one-mile race.

One of eight O'Brien horses at meeting, Heart Shaped (14-1) was was running longer than six furlongs for the first time.

"I had a good trip - I followed the winner all the way round," said Murtagh. "When she (Maram) made her run, so did I.

"It took my filly a few strides to find her best but when she did, she was really rolling. One more bounce and we were there."

The two-day, 14-race Breeders' Cup programme, worth a total of $25.5m, climaxes with the $5m Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday.