ARCADIA, Calif. -- About a mile into yesterday's $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic, it appeared the one nagging question still lingering over Curlin and his much-talked-about legacy was about to become a moot point.

There was the massive chestnut colt unleashing that oh-so-familiar sweeping move around the turn, and there was his famously fluid stride churning relentlessly beneath him and swallowing up competitors.

As quickly as the brilliance materialized, however, it all started fading away. And as the reigning Horse of the Year labored down the rest of the Santa Anita Park stretch, another wonderfully talented chestnut powerhouse ran by to snatch his own piece of immortality.

Raven's Pass, the Group I-winning European invader from the barn of trainer John Gosden, ruined Curlin's attempt at a second consecutive Classic triumph when he surged past the champion on the outside and raced down the lane to capture the 1 1/4-mile test by 1 3/4 lengths in one of the most memorable upsets in Breeders' Cup history.

A son of Elusive Quality, Raven's Pass won the race in a track record time of 1:59.27.

Moments later, winning jockey Frankie Dettori tossed his whip about 15 feet in the air before the crowd of 51,331, overwhelmed by the feat they had just pulled off.

"Brilliant, a dream come true," said Dettori, who earned his eighth Breeders' Cup triumph but his first in the Classic.

With his record bankroll of more than $10 million, his seven Grade I triumphs and consistently impeccable form, the only doubt hanging over Curlin entering this year's Classic centered around Santa Anita's synthetic Pro-Ride surface -- a surface Curlin had never raced on before.

Curlin faded to fourth as Henrythenavigator rallied on the rail for second with Tiago third.

"It was absolutely the Pro-Ride surface [that beat him]. He ran his heart out and gave it all he had," said Curlin's trainer Steve Asmussen.