Breeders’ Cup double for Aidan O’Brien as he takes tally to record 23 winners
Aidan O’Brien is the most successful trainer in Breeders’ Cup history with a “Future Stars Friday” double at Keeneland on Friday night taking his tally to 23 winners at US racing’s biggest meeting. After Sun Goddess lived up to her billing in style and completed a superb season in the Juvenile Turf Filles, stable companion Haffner stepped up to give the Irishman a remarkable ninth success in the Juvenile Turf for colts. On both occasions O’Brien got the better of his son Joseph who had to settle for the runner-up spot with Green Empress behind Sun Goddess although Folsom Blues looked unlucky after blowing the start and ultimately did well to chase home Haffner. It put O’Brien snr one ahead of the renowned US trainer Bob Baffert who had quickly matched his rival on 22 with Hughes landing the $2 million Juvenile on dirt only for Haffner to give the Irishman the edge going into Saturday’s nine Breeders’ Cup races. Acclaimed by O’Brien as the best two-year-old filly he has trained, Sun Goddess had little trouble adding a fourth top-flight prize to her CV. She led home an Irish 1-2-3 with Johnny Murtagh’s Curracloe a fine third. The French filly Amusingly, predicted to be a major threat to Sun Goddess, broke a half-stride slow and was relegated to the back of the field from where she ran on to be a never nearer fourth. Ultimately, though, it was a case of “barely a second” as Sun Goddess dominated throughout. On the ninth start of a titanic campaign, the strapping filly was professionalism itself, breaking smartly to enjoy a dream passage in second behind a long-priced leader. Moore moved before the straight and the 4-5 favourite powered home on her first start at a mile in the $1 million contest. “What she’s done this year is very unique, four Group Ones and nine starts,” Moore said. “It’s hard to know where the bottom of her is, but she’s had a brilliant year. I don’t think you saw the best of her today.” It was O’Brien’s third win in the race, 25 years after his first Breeders’ Cup victory with Johannesburg, who won four Group One contests himself as a juvenile. Moore was also on board Meditate (2022) and Lake Victoria (2024). “A very special filly,” was the Irishman’s verdict and Sun Goddess cemented her status as favourite for classic glory in next year’s 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. “Her mind, her athleticism, the way she moves. She’s very different.” Later it was Folsom Blues who blew the start and he did well to eventually find only Haffner too good. Moore switched to the winner when Great Barrier Reef was ruled out and made the most of it. It was a fifth win in a row in the race for the Ballydoyle team. “He’s an Acomb winner, a Royal Lodge winner, a very classy horse. I’m so delighted, very special,” said O’Brien. “He’s a very good horse and he stays, he’s a typical Justify. That was a good race, they went solid all the way.” O’Brien jnr was left to rue his luck although he admitted if he is to finish second to anyone, he would rather it be his father. Earlier, Britain’s new champion jockey Billy Loughnane crowned his breakout season with Breeders’ Cup glory after an astonishing effort of will. Making the 8.7 on his usual mount Libertango for the first of 14 Breeders’ Cup races was regarded as a non-runner so top local rider Flavien Prat was engaged for the 6-4 British favourite. But less than an hour before the race, the Frenchman was informed that Loughnane had boiled his notably tall frame down to make the punitive weight, 3lbs lower than he had done all year. Trainer George Boughey had to apologise to Prat for giving him the elbow but could hardly have felt too sorry as one of racing’s most exciting new partnerships enjoyed another rare moment. Having been mixing it with Sun Goddess at home, including beating her at Royal Ascot, Libertango was a form standout even up against colts and ultimately proved too good for the Adrian Keatley 33-1 outsider Hell Of A Spin. Prat did not waste any time gaining compensation though aboard Hughes who climbed to Kentucky Derby favouritism after maintaining his unbeaten record in the big dirt contest.