Life Is Sweet wins the Ladies Classic

Life Is Sweet provided trainer John Shirreffs with successive victories in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic at Santa Anita.

Shirreffs struck gold last year with the Classic-bound Zenyatta, who was also under consideration to repeat for a double in the race.

But Life Is Sweet proved a magnificent deputy under Garrett Gomez, who outflanked his rivals with a clinical defeat of Mushka. Godolphin's Music Note finished third, while John Gosden's Rainbow View was slightly disappointing in fifth.

Cocoa Beach, Godolphin's second representative, claimed sixth spot.

Shirreffs said: "We were just hoping she ran liked she did in the winter. She really is a great filly. Zenyatta is Zenyatta, but Life Is Sweet is a really great filly.

Gomez summed it up succinctly, saying: "She travelled beautifully."

Owner Marty Wygood added: "It's just a great feeling and John has done a great job with her. Her sister (Sweet Catomine) won at the Breeders' Cup and for her to do the same, you just can't put it into words."