LEXINGTON, Ky. - Patience has always been a virtue for trainer Chad Brown and the connections of Goodnight Olive, who overcame plenty of adversity along the way before winding up in the winner’s circle after registering a popular and decisive 2 1/2-length victory over Echo Zulu in the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint, the first of nine Breeders’ Cup races Saturday at Keeneland. Goodnight Olive came into the Filly and Mare Sprint having made only six previous starts, less than any of her 12 rivals in a stellar field that included two reigning Eclipse Award winners, defending champion Ce Ce and Echo Zulu. She entered the race on a five-race winning streak, by a combined 29 1/2 lengths, that began at Keeneland with her maiden win a year earlier and included a 2 3/4-length triumph in her stakes debut, the Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga for which she earned a career best 102 Beyer Speed Figure.   With her regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, Goodnight Olive broke very alertly and rated between horses within easy striking distance of an honest pace, 22.10 seconds for an opening quarter and 44.89 for a half, set by Slammed and attended by Edgeway, runner-up in the 2021 Filly and Mare Sprint. Goodnight Olive angled four wide commencing her bid into the stretch, stuck her head in front nearing the three-sixteenths pole, quickly pulled clear, and was never seriously menaced thereafter. :: BREEDERS’ CUP 2022: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more for each division Echo Zulu was hung wide from the outset after breaking from post 13, continued willingly outside the winner exiting the turn but proved no match for that rival while holding off stablemate Wicked Halo by a length to finish second. Ce Ce, a 2 1/2-length winner of last year’s Filly and Mare Sprint, was forced to rally extremely wide into the stretch, finishing evenly out near the middle of the track, another 1 1/2 lengths behind Wicked Halo. Obligatory, Chi Town Lady, Edgeway, Lady Rocket, Sterling Silver, Chain of Love, Frank’s Rockette, and the tiring Slammed rounded out the complete order of finish. Goodnight Olive, a 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper, is owned in partnership by First Row Partners and Team Hanley. She completed seven furlongs over a fast track in 1:21.61, earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure, and paid $5.70 as the 8-5 post-time favorite. “There have been more bad phone calls than good ones along the way with this horse,” said Brown. “A couple of times she’s had to stop, although every time she’s run, she’s proven she’s there. A remarkable record, with all the stoppages and such. “We utilized her allowance conditions trying not to throw too much at her at once, taking it step by step, and I can’t say enough about this ownership group. They were never in a rush to throw her into stakes races thinking she was on borrowed time, and that’s the reason we’re here today.” :: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now! Brown said the race played out just about the way he thought it might. “There looked like there was plenty of speed signed on, even with the one scratched [Hot Peppers], and she really worked out the trip we thought she would,” said Brown. “It looks like this track plays to be more forwardly placed, we didn’t want to take a chance of her being too far back, Irad rode her perfectly, and she showed up again. “I felt the Ballerina was a very strong race and that if she could just match that race, it would be good enough to win, which is why I didn’t run her again since Saratoga. I didn’t want to try to squeeze the lemon with another race with a horse who has proven to be fragile, and I feel her performance today was every bit as good as the Ballerina, which was our strategy.”      Trainer Steve Asmussen said even in defeat he was proud of runner-up Echo Zulu and third-place finisher Wicked Halo. “I thought they ran well, second and third in a Breeders’ Cup,” said Asmussen. Ricardo (Santana Jr. aboard Echo Zulu) was very frustrated with how wide she was, how much ground she gave up. At this level give credit to the winner. It’s just sometimes the spot you want is taken.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.