Wesley Ward says Lady Aurelia still "thinks she's won" the Nunthorpe Stakes as she prepares to return to Keeneland ahead of her Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint bid.
The brilliant two-time Royal Ascot winner, who followed up her 2016 success in the Queen Mary Stakes with victory in this year's King's Stand Stakes, went off at odds-on favourite to triumph at York last Friday in what was expected to be a head-to-head battle with 11/4 chance Battaash.
However, despite seemingly romping clear to a fine win, the fast-finishing Marsha (8/1) nosed her out on the line, much to the shock and disappointment of Lady Aurelia's jockey Frankie Dettori, who initially saluted the crowd in celebration.
Keeneland-based trainer Ward says the three-year-old, who has earned $814,945 from her five wins, one second and one third, will return to base from England at the end of the week, when preparations will begin for her final race of the season at the Breeders' Cup.
Sky Bet make her 11/10 favourite for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on November 4 while Green Mask (7/1), Om (8/1) and Battassh (10/1) will be among her rivals.
Ward said on Monday morning: "She thinks she won. They do know. If they're running hard and they're in front and then somebody blows by them, the next day they're kinda like ears back, dejected and sad almost. But the ones that win are the opposite. Their ears are up; they come out of the stall bouncing. She really thinks she won.
WATCH: Frankie Dettori celebrates on board Lady Aurelia only to discover Marsha won on a photo finish
"I thought for a second that she might have won when Frankie was so confident. The filly that won it, she ran a valiant race to run us down. She was very courageous to come and get what I believe is the fastest horse in the world. I was proud (Lady Aurelia made) such a tremendous effort back to back from here in the spring at Keeneland to Ascot to that race.
"We'll look forward to the Breeders' Cup then (will) put her away. (Owners) Barbara Banke (of Stonestreet Stables) and Peter Leidel have committed to running her next year and possibly the year after that. It’s good for racing to have a filly of this quality to keep going. Hopefully, she can maintain her form to where she runs such great races."
Last year, Lady Aurelia won her career debut at Keeneland then captured the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and the Darley Prix Morny at Deauville in France. She became the first American-trained runner to win a Cartier Award when she was named champion two-year-old filly of Europe.
Lady Aurelia opened her 2017 campaign with a win in Keeneland’s Giant Causeway in April prior to her success in the King's Stand Stakes.