ARCADIA ---- Three geldings, including two bred in California, scored victories in the Breeders' Cup on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

California Flag ---- owned by Murrieta's Keith Card ---- and Dancing in Silks both won on their home track, a couple of geldings stealing the spotlight at an event created to focus on the breeding aspect of thoroughbred racing.

California Flag lived up to his favorite's status, taking the $1 million Turf Sprint by 1 3/4 lengths. He ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1 minute, 11.28 seconds. Jockey Joe Talamo and trainer Brian Koriner, who like the 5-year-old gelding are locally based, earned their first Breeders' Cup win.

"It's awesome," Talamo said. "Just being on a horse like that is tremendous. It definitely builds your confidence up."

California Flag paid $8.80 to win as the 3-1 favorite, a year after finishing 10th in the same race.

The 82-year-old Card breeds just four mares a year at his Hi Card Ranch, but he hit the big time with California Flag.

"This is very exhilarating, I tell you, the way Flag took off," Card said. "Joe took a hold of him a little but out of the gate and when (Talamo) asked him ---- I don't even think he even asked him ---- he just let him go.

"It's an awesome feeling."

The victory made up for the disappointment of last year's Turf Sprint when California Flag was one of the favorites but got caught up in a speed duel and finished 10th.

Dancing in Silks was a big shocker, surviving a four-horse photo finish to win the $2 million Sprint by a nose at 25-1 odds. He paid $52.60 to win.

The 4-year-old gelding made Carla Gaines the third woman to train a Breeders' Cup winner. It was the first Breeders' Cup win for jockey Joel Rosario, who guided Dancing in Silks over 6 furlongs in 1:08.14.

Another gelding, Furthest Land, won the $1 million Dirt Mile a year after being claimed for $35,000 at Belmont Park. Under Julien Leparoux, who earned his third win in two days, the 21-1 shot ran the distance in 1:35.50 and won by three-quarters of a length. He paid $44.60 to win.

Wygods second in Mile

Goldikova has successfully defended her title in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile, beating 10 male rivals, including Courageous Cat, who finished second for owners Pam and Marty Wygod of Rancho Santa Fe.

The Wygods won Friday's Ladies' Classic with Life Is Sweet.

Goldikova, the Irish import, won by a half-length. Ridden by Olivier Peslier, Goldikova ran the distance on the turf in 1:32.26 and paid $4.80.

Jockey Olivier Peslier and trainer Freddy Head also were part of the 4-year-old filly's victory last year over the same turf course.

Bad actor at the gate

Quality Road was scratched from the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic after he bucked violently in the starting gate and scraped his hind leg.

The 3-year-old refused to enter the gate before the signature race of the two-day world championships at Santa Anita. Handlers tried everything to get him loaded, leading him in circles and even placing a hood over his head.

After he was finally pushed in, Quality Road bucked numerous times and had to be backed out. Fearing an injury, the decision was made to scratch the Todd Pletcher-trained horse.

Veterinarian Larry Bramlage said Quality Road scratched his hind leg, although there didn't appear to be any serious injuries.

"He's a bit of a juvenile delinquent anyway," Bramlage said. "It became a contest of wills. There wasn't anything that helped. He wasn't going in the gate today."

The rest of the field also was backed out of the starting gate because of the delay. They were led back in moments later and, after getting off to a slow start, unbeaten mare Zenyatta rallied to the victory before a crowd of 58,845.

Quality Road had been impressive in his last race, edged out by Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. The colt won the Florida Derby and was considered the Kentucky Derby favorite before hoof injuries sidelined him for the Triple Crown season.

Juvenile star

The Kentucky Derby has been an elusive gem for the deep pockets of Godolphin Racing. Vale of York may change that misfortune.

The 2-year-old colt stormed home for a frantic finish, edging betting favorite Lookin at Lucky by a head to win the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile and stamping himself as an early favorite for the first Saturday in May.

Only Street Sense has pulled off the Juvenile-Derby double since the Breeders' Cup began in 1984, but that's not going to dissuade Vale of York's connections from showing up the first at Churchill Downs.

"Every time he's come for a race he's handled everything really well," said trainer Saeed bin Suroor. "He's a tough horse, and next year we'll bring him for the Kentucky Derby."

Ridden by 27-year-old Ahmed Ajtebi, Vale of York went off at 30-1 odds and paid $63.20 to win. It was the third victory in six tries for Vale of York, and the first Breeders' Cup victory for Ajtebi, who won more than 200 camel races before switching to thoroughbreds.

"Today it all went well," Ajtebi said. "When I shifted him out, he just went and he was strong enough at the finish to get it done."

Trainer Bob Baffert was denied a repeat win in the Juvenile with Lookin at Lucky, who ran a game second. Baffert won last year's race with Midshipman, also owned by Godolphin.

Lookin at Lucky, the 2-1 favorite, drew the unlucky No. 13 post on the far outside, and jockey Garrett Gomez said the colt got banged around going into the first turn.

"It's just frustrating to know you have the best horse and to come up short like that," Baffert said. "At least you know that you can look forward to the Derby."

Godolphin, led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, has never struck Derby gold. Both Godolphin and Ajtebi are based in the Middle East. Sheikh Mohammed remained in Dubai to watch the race.

The barn sent out two contenders in the Derby last year ---- Regal Ransom and Desert Party, who finished eighth and 14th, respectively. Regal Ransom ran eighth in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday, while Midshipman finished third in the $1 million Dirt Mile.

Simon Crisford, Godolphin's racing manager, said the horse will be shipped back to Dubai, Godolphin's home, with an eye toward a couple of stakes races before the Kentucky Derby.

"We need to make it through the next stage first before we can make any firm commitments," Crisford said. "But of all the 2-year-olds we have right now, he would be the one we're looking at Churchill Downs."

Some of the more notable 2-year-old colts that skipped the Juvenile were the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Dublin, who won the $300,000 Hopeful Stakes in September at Saratoga Race Course, and Homeboykris, who won the Champagne Stakes last month at Belmont Park.