Breeders' Cup day one review: Donnacha O'Brien wins with Balantina and Aidan O'Brien strikes with Gstaad

Gstaad gets his Group 1 at two for O'Brien

Aidan O'Brien took his Group/Grade 1 tally to 26 for the year after Gstaad finally won a top-level race at the fourth attempt in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Friday, ensuring the Ballydoyle handler is now the most successful trainer in Breeders' Cup history with 21 wins.

O'Brien is also chasing down his own world record of 28 top-level wins in a calendar year that he set in 2017 and he's now two away from equalling it with three chances on Saturday including hot-favourite Minnie Hauk in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Gstaad had finished second in the Prix Morny, National Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes on his three previous attempts at Group 1 level but he proved a different class in southern California under Christophe Soumillon.

Drawn widest of all in stall 14, that positional disadvantage mattered not as he chartered a wide trip and still ran away from his field like he was in a different league to justify short-priced favouritism.

A delighted O'Brien said: "Obviously everyone knows that we're in just this unbelievably privileged position. To working for the lads that put so much in since we have come to Ballydoyle, all the way, breeding, buying, employing everybody, putting the pedigrees together and letting the horses and asking them and wanting them to come here for everyone to see them race.

"We feel so privileged. And like obviously working for such special people, with such special people. And today what could I say. Incredible. Christophe gave him a beautiful ride.

"I'm so delighted, so delighted for the lads, really. They're the ones that make it happen day in and day out. Like I say, we feel very privileged to be in the position that we are, really.

"He's obviously a very good horse. Alex does an incredible job with him at home -- Seamus, John. Patrick rides him out. Rachel rides him in his work. And all the people around him, Kieran and Rory, there's so many people, John. All his people.

"There's so many people that I'm not mentioning. They're people that make these days happen. But he's a very special horse. He's big and powerful. We felt, obviously we thought he would have won a couple of Group 1s at this stage. But things just didn't work for him. Little things went against him.

"Testimony to him that he kept himself well and thriving and doing. And I think Christophe said he was very together today. He's obviously a very good horse. He's a horse to look forward to for next year."

Winning co-owner Michael Tabor said: “A very good performance and Christophe did a great job from the draw. Aidan is now the most winning Breeders’ Cup trainer. He’s simply a superb trainer, his work ethic is incredible. You have to love what you do to be successful. Tomorrow we’ve got Minnie Hauk so hopefully we’ll have a winner or two.”

Soumillon added: “I heard it asked why I hadn’t won a Breeders’ Cup in 20 years, but it’s like winning a British classic, you’ve got to have a proper horse.

“I was loaded last, and when the guy who put me in the gate went backwards, he got a bit scared and turned his head and they opened the gates. I think if I had been loaded before the last, I think he would have jumped nearly in front because he’s got that much speed.

"I was quite happy to be able to get him in, because doing 3 or 4-deep on the first corner is not a big advantage. I was trying to ride like Ryan (Moore) did last year with Henri Matiesse, it works well because I was 2 ½ deep on the back straight the pace was strong and I just tried to make a little move to get a little closer to have an option so I could choose where we would come into the turn.

"Finally, we came into the last turn, he was cruising and I knew he was doing everything well. When I came into the straight I knew it was game over.”

Aidan’s Group 1 winners in 2025 (26)

• Gstaad October 31 – Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf
• Puerto Rico October 26 – Criterium International
• Hawk Mountain October 25 – William Hill Futurity Stakes
• Precise October 10 – bet365 Fillies’ Mile
• Puerto Rico October 5 – Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere
• Diamond Necklace October 5 – Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac
• True Love September 27 – Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes
• Precise September 14 – Moygalre Stud Stakes
• Delacroix September 13 – Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes
• Scandinavia September 13 – Betfred St Leger Stakes
• Minnie Hauk August 21 – Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks
• Diego Velazquez August 17 – The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois
• Whirl July 31 – Qatar Nassau Stakes
• Scandinavia July 29 – Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup
• Minnie Hauk July 19 – Juddmonte Irish Oaks
• Delacroix July 5 – Coral-Eclipse
• Lambourn June 29 – Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby
• Whirl June 28 – Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes
• Lambourn June 7 – Betfred Derby
• Minnie Hauk June 6 – Betfred Oaks
• Jan Brueghel June 6 – Betfred Coronation Cup
• Camille Pissarro June 1 – Qatar Prix du Jockey Club
• Lake Victoria May 25 – Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas
• Los Angeles May 25 – Tattersalls Gold Cup
• Henri Matisse May 11 – Poule d’Essai des Poulains

Donnacha O'Brien teams up with Murphy for maiden BC success

Donnacha O'Brien joined his father and brother Joseph as a Breeders' Cup winner after his outsider Balantina roared to Grade 1 John Deere Juvenile Fillies Turf glory under an inspired Oisin Murphy.

The daughter of Ten Sovereigns came into the meeting with a one from five record and was beaten nine lengths in a Group 2 behind Composing at the Curragh last time.

Sent off 14/1 with the British bookmakers and bigger locally, Murphy gave the two-year-old a brilliant ride, diving to the inside after slightly missing the kick and he stuck to the rail throughout saving ground on the inner.

At the top of the straight it was clear his filly was still full of running and as he darted for the inside of the front-running Ground Support it was soon all over as Balantina powered clear.

Andrew Balding's Pacific Mission stayed on for second to ensure a one-two for the Europeans.

Donnacha said: "This is very special. It was fantastic. Precise is a champion filly so when she was scratched it made it a little bit easier for us, but it's incredible. Oisin was majestic on her. She was slow away but when he got her on the rail he had the luck and had enough filly beneath to go and win the race so it’s brilliant.”

A delighted Murphy added: “She probably ran a bit tired last time at the Curragh but she was just beaten on the line when Tom (Marquand) rode her at Deauville and she was beaten by a filly, the best two-year-old French filly (Green Spirit). If she didn’t run disappointing at the Curragh she’d have been the favourite.

“Irad (Ortiz Jr.) broke inside me but he didn’t have a great start and I was able to get up inside him and save ground on the first turn. Got in the back of the favourite (Ultimate Love) and when he switched out turning in I was able to go up the inside, but I had the horse though. She’s a great athlete and that’s why she was able to handle the track so well.”

Balding said of Pacific Mission: “She got up to be second and it was a terrific run. Obviously our hands were a little bit tied with the draw (post 12), but Colin (Keane) did a wonderful job, given the circumstances. She’ll be a good filly for next year.”

O'Brien out of luck in opener

Aidan O'Brien's march towards his own world record for Group/Grade 1 wins in a year had earlier hit a snag before Gstaad struck in the final race on the card.

The Ballydoyle handler needed four more top-level wins in 2025 to beat his record of 28 set in 2017 before racing but his hot favourite for the Juvenile Fillies' Turf, Precise, was scratched due to a cough and then he was out of luck in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

His True Love was sent off favourite but she was caught six wide under Wayne Lordan as Cy Fair landed Breeders' Cup glory for George Weaver under Irad Ortiz Jr.

True Love could only manage eighth and stablemate Mission Central was only 10th, but O'Brien's Brussels ran a great race in second under Christophe Soumillon after missing the break.

The Belgian didn't panic and held up the son of Wootton Bassett in last in the early exchanges before scything his way through the field.

It was too little too late as Cy Fair got first run, Brussels closing to within a length at the line with James Owen's Aspect Island third under Frankie Dettori in his final Breeders' Cup.

Weaver said: "I can’t describe it. It’s why we all get in the game. It's hard to win these big races like this, and it's my first Breeders’ Cup. We've had a great year, and I'm thankful to my staff, thankful to all the clients that supported me. We've got some nice horses, and she's one of the top ones.

"She's been a bullet all year long. Frankly, I don't know how she got beat the second time we ran her in a stake. But she looked fantastic at Woodbine, like a super, special horse. She came over here and did it against the best in the world. We’re thrilled."

O'Brien said: “Brussels ran a very good race. I think the start, when he missed it a tad and got back a little bit, lost the race for him. He still ran very well. True Love (8th) just found the turns strange and maybe just found everything a bit sharp for her, really. Mission Central (10th) ran well and Dylan was happy with him. He said maybe he wanted more distance. There will be more to come with him. He said he was three-wide and would have preferred to be tucked in a little bit more, but ultimately ran well.”

Soumillion said of the runner-up: "He ran really well. If he could break a bit better I think he would have had a chance to fight for the win but he ran a great race. I was born in Brussels so it’s a big frustration! I was hoping I could do something great with him but second place is very good."

Owen was happy with the run of Aspect Island in third: “A great run, I’m delighted. He’s improving with every run and today was another career best. Frankie gave him a great ride up the rail in the early part of the race. He had a good position to then make his challenge up the stretch.”

Dettori added: “I don’t know why I’m giving up after that! He ran a great race, everything went well and no real excuse. He’s improving all the time and I would have taken third this morning.”

Super win in Juvenile Fillies

Super Corredora held off a late bid from Explora to post a three-quarter-length victory in the 42nd running of the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Trained by John Sadler and ridden by Hector Berrios, Super Corredora completed the 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:43.71. It is the first Breeders’ Cup victory for Berrios and the fourth for Sadler.

Super Corredora outraced Explora and La Wally to the first turn and set fractions of 22.42 and 45.63 while maintaining a clear advantage. She maintained that edge into the stretch and had enough to hold off Explora with Percy’s Bar another three lengths back in third.

Sadler said: “She’s a filly we had really high hopes for. We always expected she could get two turns. She has a beautiful stride. It didn’t go smooth this summer. The first time she drew the one and didn’t really get it. She improved in the second and she’s improved every time. We’re in our own backyard.

"We weren’t sure we were going to run but we trained her a little bit here and she trained well and here we are.”

Super Ted lands Juvenile in style

Spendthrift Farm’s Ted Noffey lived up to his heavily backed favouritism by posting a one-length victory over Mr. A.P. to win the 42nd running of the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, Ted Noffey covered the mile and a sixteenth over a fast track in 1:42.25. The victory is the 16th overall for Pletcher and fifth in the Juvenile and for Velazquez it is his 22nd World Championships victory and third in the Juvenile, all on Pletcher-trained horses.

The race figured to be a two-horse duel between undefeated Ted Noffey and the undefeated Brant and that is how it played out early on. Brant led the field of six through fractions of 23.46, 46.99 and 1:10.82 with Ted Noffey tracking just to his outside.

Approaching the head of the stretch, Ted Noffey drew on even terms and then pushed past in upper stretch only to have Brant battle back in the final eighth. In deep stretch, Ted Noffey put Brant away as Mr. A.P., who had been third all the way around, got past Brant to get second by a half-length.

Brant held third by a neck over stablemate Litmus Test with Intrepido and Comport completing the order of finish.

Ted Noffey is a Kentucky-bred son of Into Mischief out of the Old Fashioned mare Streak of Luck. Now a three-time Grade 1 winner from four starts, the victory was worth $1,040,000 and increased his earnings to $1,658,763.

Pletcher said: “It pretty much unfolded like we thought it would. Just glad that he was able to keep finding more.

“He fought back. I thought for a second like, ‘Oh man.’ But when they came to him, he kind of got serious again.”

Velazquez added: “Broke well, got my hands pretty loose on him, I didn't take a hold of him. The horse in front was the horse to beat. He (Ted Noffey) made it easy for me.

“I was very confident. The only thing he did a little bit was he idled really bad at the eighth pole, getting to that shadow between the building, and he kind of waited. After that, he passed the shadow and the two horses came in and he went back in and re-engaged again.

“He's an easy horse to ride, really, that's it. Just let him do his thing and he's happy, as he's done every single race."

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