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ARCADIA, Calif. -- For the last quarter of a mile, Songbird and Beholder refused to yield. They ran neck-and-neck, with their Hall of Fame jockeys looking for the tiniest edge.Gary Stevens, aboard Beholder, called it just a street fight.The 6-year-old mare landed the final blow, with Beholder edging Songbird by a nose in the $2 million Distaff on opening day of the Breeders Cup on Friday at Santa Anita.Even jockey Mike Smith had to agree it was an amazing, amazing race after his 3-year-old filly Songbird lost for the first time in 12 races.It was fun to be part of a battle, Stevens said. The show that those two just put on is worth the price of admission for everybody that showed up. This was horse racing at its best.It was a thrilling finish to the four Cup races, three of which involved New York-based long shots winning on an 80-degree day.Nine Cup races will be run on Saturday, capped by the $6 million Classic in which California Chrome is the early favorite.Beholder ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.20 and paid $8.60, $3.60 and $3 as the 3-1 third choice.Ive had some good feelings in racing, but this is tops right here, said Stevens, a three-time Kentucky Derby winner.It was Beholders third Cup victory, having won the Distaff in 2013 and the Juvenile Fillies in 2012. She was supposed to have run in last years Classic at Keeneland against male horses, but developed a fever.The Distaff was Beholders final career race, ending on her home track, where she was never worse than second in 16 starts at Santa Anita. She finished with 18 career victories. The 6-year-old mare is a three-time Eclipse Award winner.She was really at her best, Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said.Songbird returned $3.20 and $2.80 as the even-money favorite. The loss spoiled her 11-0 career record.You saw the real Beholder show up today, maybe even the best race she ever ran in her life, Smith said, and she had to do it to beat us.When the win photo was shown on the video board, the announced crowd of 45,763 roared at the slight margin between Beholder and Songbird, who was along the rail with Beholder on her outside.It was closer than I thought it was, Stevens said.Songbird set the pace through the early stages of the race, with Im a Chatterbox and Beholder in close pursuit.On the far turn, Im a Chatterbox and Beholder both went after Songbird but by the top of the stretch it was a two-horse duel Beholder and the 3-year-old filly. They kept it up through the stretch, with neither horse willing to give an inch. Nor were their jockeys: the 53-year-old Stevens and 51-year-old Smith.I put my head in front and Songbird came back again, Stevens said. She put Songbird away three different times through the stretch, and she kept coming back, like she wouldnt go away.Smith thought he could put a length or two between his filly and Beholder when they got to the far turn.But, man, she jumped on me, he said of Beholder. I couldnt do it.Stevens let out a pretty loud holler just past the finish line.Coming down the stretch, I was riding with my head down, riding for all I was worth, he said. I was thinking that finish line has got to be coming.Mandella earned his ninth career Cup victory, along with sharp farewell from Beholder.She kicked me on the way up, he said. Shes 90 percent of the time the sweetest thing you could find. The other 10 percent is dynamite.Forever Unbridled was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $4.40 to show.Stellar Wind, the 5-2 second choice who finished second last year, finished fourth in the eight-horse field.Im a Chatterbox was fifth, followed by Curalina and Land Over Sea.Argentina-bred Corona Del Inca was euthanized after sustaining multiple fractures of her right front leg in the race.The mares injuries were much more serious than it appeared after she was pulled up at the top of the stretch by jockey Pablo Falero, according to on-call veterinarian Dr. Scott Palmer.He said Corona Del Incas injuries were so severe that there was no way she could be kept comfortable nor the prognosis be good for treatment. For those reasons she was euthanized.The days biggest upset belonged to Smith aboard 11-1 shot Tamarkuz, who won the $1 million Dirt Mile by 3 1/2 lengths for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. It was Smiths 23rd career Cup victory; he leads all jockeys in victories and money won in the world championships.In the $1 million Juvenile Turf, 6-1 shot Oscar Performance won by 1 1/4 lengths, giving jockey Jose Ortiz and trainer Brian Lynch their first Cup victories.Trained by Chad Brown, 6-1 shot New Money Honey won the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf by a half-length under Javier Castellano.Pittsburgh Penguins Store . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak. Pittsburgh Penguins Shirts . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. Penguins Jerseys China . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said.CHICAGO -- Most of the swings looked a little off, and many missed the ball entirely. The infielders gobbled up the grounders, and the outfielders had an easy afternoon. This was Bronson Arroyo at his baffling best. Arroyo pitched seven crisp innings, Todd Frazier homered and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 5-0 on Wednesday to complete a three-game series sweep. "Its unbelievable the way he pitches," Frazier said. "I just cant understand how he does it and everybodys off balance and I know Im going to get ground balls so Im ready all the time and he starts striking guys out. "Its pretty cool to watch and see a guy like that just work his craft." Arroyo (11-9) allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked none in his second straight win. The sneaky right-hander retired his first nine batters and faced the minimum through six innings. Frazier also had one of Cincinnatis four run-scoring doubles as the Reds (68-52) earned their fourth consecutive win to move a season-high 16 games over .500. They improved to 13-3 against the Cubs this year, including a 9-1 mark at Wrigley Field. The defending NL Central champions have won seven of eight since an embarrassing 15-2 home loss to St. Louis on Aug. 4. They trailed division-leading Pittsburgh by 3 1/2 games at the start of the day, with the Pirates scheduled to face the second-place Cardinals on Wednesday night. "Sometimes a team has to hit rock bottom before you can start rolling," manager Dusty Baker said. The Cubs wasted a solid start by Chris Rusin (2-2) in their fourth straight loss. The left-hander allowed two runs and three hits while throwing just 76 pitches over six innings. "I was able to keep the ball on the ground for the most part and when the balls were hit in the air, besides Fraziers, the wind knocked it down," Rusin said. With Chicago struggling to score against Arroyo, manager Dale Sveum had Starlin Castro hit for Rusin with two out and none on in the sixth. Castro flied out to left, and Zack Cozart hit an RBI double off Carlos Villanueva in the seventh to give Cincinnati a 3-0 lead. David DeJesus rolled a leadoff single into centre field in the fourth for Chicagos first hit, but was promptly erased when Darnell McDonald bounced into a double play. McDonald singled off the glove of secondd baseman Brandon Phillips in the seventh and was stranded when Arroyo retired the next two batters.dddddddddddd Alfredo Simon worked a perfect eighth and Jonathan Broxton finished the two-hitter for Cincinnatis 13th shutout of the season. "To get shut out and get nothing going at all today, its frustrating," Sveum said. "Its frustrating for the guys in the clubhouse, too. Theyre plugging away the best they can." Arroyo improved to 13-9 with a 2.92 ERA in 30 career games against the Cubs, including wins in each of his last four starts. He has been quite good at Chicagos cozy neighbourhood ballpark, with an 8-3 record and a 2.83 ERA in 15 appearances. "Ive been comfortable in this ballpark for a long time for some reason, definitely the last probably seven years," he said. "Its just a lineup that a lot of times Im comfortable against." Frazier helped the Reds get off to a fast start when he drove Rusins third pitch over the wall in left and onto Waveland Avenue. It was Fraziers first homer since July 1 against San Francisco and No. 11 on the year. "Start the game off with a little bang, thats always a good look for me to get going for the day," he said. Frazier and Joey Votto had consecutive RBI doubles in the eighth to cap the scoring. NOTES: Chicago has been shut out 10 times this season. It managed just six hits in a 2-0 loss in the series opener on Monday. ... Reds CF Shin-Soo Choo got the day off. Baker said he wanted to give him some rest, and hes also dealing with a hand issue. Baker declined to specify which hand is bothering Choo. ... RHP Jake Arrieta will come up from Triple-A Iowa to start Chicagos game against St. Louis on Friday. The move put Villanueva in the bullpen. ... Baker said hes not counting on the return of LHP Sean Marshall, who went on the disabled list May 24 with a sore pitching shoulder. "You cant expect things, that way youre going to be disappointed," Baker said, "and if you get them back, then youre elated." ... The Cubs are off Thursday before beginning a three-game series against the Cardinals. ... The Reds send LHP Tony Cingrani (5-2, 2.87 ERA) to the mound on Thursday for the opener of a four-game series at Milwaukee. RHP Kyle Lohse (8-7, 3.26 ERA) is expected to start for the Brewers. ' ' '