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No winners for Europe at the Breeders' Cup

Updated / Friday, 6 Nov 2020 23:21
Fire At Will has three lengths to spare over the staying on Battleground in the Juvenile Turf (Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders' Cup Photos)
Fire At Will has three lengths to spare over the staying on Battleground in the Juvenile Turf (Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders' Cup Photos)

Aidan O'Brien’s Battleground had to make do with the runner-up spot as Fire At Will claimed a surprise victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.

A son of War Front out of the yard’s Arc heroine Found, Battleground was the 11-4 favourite to provide O’Brien with a fifth victory in this Grade One contest following the previous triumphs of Wrote (2011), George Vancouver (2012), Hit It A Bomb (2015) and Mendelssohn (2017).

Winner of the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood this summer, Battleground raced in midfield for much of the way and was still back in the field rounding the home turn, as Wesley Ward’s front-runner Outadore set sail for home.

Michael Maker’s Fire At Will (33-1) reeled in the leader inside the final furlong before pulling nicely clear in the hands of Ricardo Santana Jr.

Battleground finished strongly for Ryan Moore to beat Outadore (11-1) to second, with Jessica Harrington’s Cadillac not far behind that pair in fourth.

Ralph Beckett’s pair of New Mandate and Devilwala, as well as Michael Bell’s The Lir Jet, finished unplaced.

Maker said of his winner: "I thought he was way overpriced. He’s done nothing wrong and is a very professional and classy horse."

Moore said of Battleground: "He ran a lovely race, I like him a lot. He’s a horse with a big future.

"He ran on really well at the finish, but the winner had gone."

Aunt Pearl (5-2F) was a brilliant all-the-way winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Brad Cox’s filly was the clear favourite to extend her unbeaten record to three following a Grade Two victory at the track a month ago and took a step up to the highest level in her stride with an awesome frontrunning display.

Florent Geroux’s mount made a smart start and quickly opened a clear gap over the rest of the field, with Wesley Ward’s Queen Mary and Prix Morny heroine Campanelle leading the chasing pack for much of the way under Frankie Dettori.

In truth, however, the remainder never looked like landing a blow on Aunt Pearl from the home turn, as she kept pouring it on and passed the post with plenty in hand.

The Irish pair of Aidan O’Brien’s Mother Earth (14-1) and Ken Condon’s Miss Amulet (14-1) made late gains to finish second and third respectively, with Campanelle weakening into fourth.

Cox said: "She did a similar opening quarter to what she did in the Jessamine Stakes here. I felt pretty confident she would have some kick left and she certainly did.

"I don’t think there’s any doubt (she can improve) and if you dig into her pedigree a little bit it looks like she could maybe even go beyond a mile.

"She’s a super talented filly and I’m very proud of her."

Geroux raised the possibility of a trip to Britain for Aunt Pearl in 2021, saying: "She’s phenomenal, she’s purely gifted.

"Her workouts in the morning have been exceptional. She goes so fast, but she comes back to me.

"I hope we can go to England with her next year. That would be great."

Royal Ascot runner-up Golden Pal (6-5F) dominated from the front in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Mowed down late by Michael Bell’s The Lir Jet in the Norfolk Stakes in June, the Uncle Mo colt had since blitzed his rivals in a stakes race at Saratoga after connections abandoned plans to return to Britain for a tilt at the Nunthorpe at York.

With Irad Ortiz Jr in the saddle, Golden Pal was the red-hot favourite to provide trainer Wesley Ward with back-to-back in the Grade Two contest following the victory of Four Wheel Drive 12 months ago, and the result was scarcely in doubt.

Ward’s charge made a rapid start from his wide berth, enabling him to cross the field and take an early lead.

Ortiz Jr briefly took his mount back, before giving him his head before the home turn and he quickly put clear daylight between himself and his rivals.

His advantage was being eroded late on, but Golden Pal was ultimately well on top at the line, with Cowan (9-1) a fast-finishing second.

Nigel Tinkler’s Flying Childers winner Ubettabelieveit (16-1) fared best of the European raiding party in third after blowing the start.

Ward said: "He’s just amazing. I got a little worried on the backside when Irad took a hold of him as he lost a little momentum, but then he just accelerated down the lane and he’s a champion colt.

"When he showed a bit of acceleration passing the quarter-pole I knew we were OK, although I got a little worried in the last part. I was hugging my son, but we got there!

"Royal Ascot here we come, we’re going to get it this year!"

Vequist (13-2) claimed top honours in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies for trainer 'Butch’ Reid and jockey Joel Rosario.

The previously unbeaten Dayoutoftheoffice (10-3) made much of the running and had most of her rivals in trouble at the top of the home straight.

However, she was unable to resist the late surge of Vequist – who had been unlucky when second to Dayoutoftheoffice last time out – against the far rail. Girl Daddy (13-2) was back in third. 

Reid said: "It was her first time going round two turns, but she is a super filly with very good speed.

"She can click off 12-second eighths almost endlessly and we knew she was doing very well coming into this.

"She was actually sold and the new owners Gary Barber and Tom McGrath chose to stay with me, which is something that doesn’t happen very often.

"It’s sensational."

Essential Quality (10-3) maintained his unbeaten record to spark Kentucky Derby dreams for Godolphin with victory in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Much of the pre-race discussion focussed on the Steve Asmussen-trained Jackie’s Warrior, who had won each of his previous four starts and was all the rage to cement his place as winter favourite for next year’s 'Run for the Roses’.

Joel Rosario was forced to take a lead behind the red-hot pace on Jackie’s Warrior, who has looked so brilliant from the front, but once he did hit strike for home it was for just a matter of strides before huge outsider Hot Rod Charlie took over and threatened to cause a major shock.

However, Essential Quality came from further back under Luis Saez and ultimately won with authority, completing a big double for trainer Brad Cox following the success of Aunt Pearl in the preceding Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Hot Rod Charlie (100-1) was second ahead of Keepmeinmind (25-1) in third.

Cox, recording his fifth Breeders’ Cup winner, said: "It was a tremendous effort from Luis, who stayed at him the whole way.

"He has an amazing amount of stamina and is a spectacular horse for the Godolphin operation.

"I was hoping he wouldn’t flatten out, but that never looked like happening and moving forward we will point him at the Kentucky Derby."

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