updated 4:03 p.m. ET Oct. 31, 2004

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Singletary, a 4-year-old colt named for former Chicago Bears linebacker Mike Singletary, broke away from the back at the top of the stretch and won the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Saturday, setting off a boisterous celebration.

The 17-1 long shot bought for $3,200 by an unheralded group of 13 owners was ridden by David Flores, a winner with his only mount of the day.

Flores took Singletary from fourth to the lead coming off the final turn. He was ahead by about a length when Antonius Pius made a late move, only to fall a half-length short.

Antonius Pius finished ahead of Six Perfections, who was looking to repeat as the race’s winner. Favorite Artie Schiller finished 12th in the 14-horse field.

Singletary paid $35 to win. He earned $873,600 for the exuberant owners at Little Red Feather Racing, led by Billy Koch, a film producer whose grandfather, Hollywood producer Howard W. Koch, owned thoroughbreds.

Koch picked the namesake for this horse because of his love for the Bears, the team he began rooting for while attending Northwestern. Flores’ silks are patterned after the logo on the Bears’ helmets.

Koch has been e-mailing Singletary’s wife and spoke to the Hall of Famer on Friday. Singletary, an assistant coach for the Baltimore Ravens, couldn’t watch the race because he was traveling with the team to Philadelphia for a game Sunday.

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