DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 4, 2017) – Live Oak Plantation’s World Approval ($7.40) became the first favorite to win a Breeders’ Cup race Saturday at Del Mar as he posted a 1 1/4-length victory over Lancaster Bomber in taking the 34th running of the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by John Velazquez, World Approval covered the mile on a firm turf course in 1:34.55.

World Approval is a 5-year-old Florida-bred son of Northern Afleet and he posted his third consecutive Grade 1 victory going a mile.

The victory was the second for Casse in the Mile and fourth overall Breeders’ Cup win. Tepin won the 2015 renewal at Keeneland.

For Velazquez, it was his second victory of the weekend and 15th overall. It was his third victory in the Mile with others coming in 1998 with Da Hoss and 2012 with Wise Dan.

Midnight Storm and Heart to Heart set a contested pace with World Approval tracking a few lengths off the leaders. Velasquez swung World Approval to the outside on the far turn, collared Heart to Heart at midstretch and drew off.

Lancaster Bomber rallied to finish second, a head in front of Blackjackcat.