Lake Victoria’s flawless record remains intact after she struck in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.
Aidan O’Brien’s Frankel two-year-old was ridden by Ryan Moore on an inside line in the opening stages of the one-mile contest, with the filly significantly tightened up for room on the first bend.
Lake Victoria appeared to briefly lose her balance, but Moore soon got her back on an even keel and was able to regain momentum on the rail.
In the straight she was switched out to find some racing room and when asked was easily able to pull away to a comprehensive success, extending her unbeaten run to five races and adding a third top-level success after victories in the Moyglare and Cheveley Park Stakes.
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O’Brien was full of praise for Moore’s ride given the trouble Lake Victoria encountered in the initial exchanges.
He said: “Whether she got crowded or was bumped I’m not sure, but Ryan was further back than he wanted to be. He was in a terrible position but he gave her a brilliant ride
“The lads (Coolmore) decided to give her a bit more time (after the Cheveley Park) and come here and Ryan was very confident.
“Ryan says she will be a miler and we will train her for the Guineas. Hopefully she will get a mile and a quarter.
“We will let her thrive over the winter with the colts and then we will map out plans for all of them into the new year.”
Moore was in no doubt about Lake Victoria’s class before the race and felt she had stamped her authority in style.
He said: “She had very strong form, all she needed was normal racing luck she had her share of that and she was much the best.
“I had no concerns about the distance she had won over seven at the Curragh and to me there was no doubt that she would get the mile she was way too good for them.
“Going forward she’s more of a miler and probably a Guineas filly.”
Reflecting on the incident on the first turn, Moore added: “She got pushed into the fence and that was that. They had gone pretty quick and by the end of the back (straight) most of them were done.
“She jumped very well but there were quite a lot of them wanted to lead, there wasn’t much space.”
The filly is owned by the Coolmore triumvirate but runs in the colours of Michael Tabor, who is eager to see what the filly achieves in the future.
He said: “Something happened that I couldn’t quite see but she showed she is special under a great ride.
“She ranks very highly with some of our best fillies, only time will tell how good she is.”
Earlier Magnum Force showed a superb turn of foot to take the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar.
The Ger Lyons-trained colt took a neat line to lose very little ground from stall four in the hands of Colin Keane.
In the straight he was tucked behind the leaders but accelerated to pull away and secure a comfortable success on the line.
Arizona Blaze ran on at the finish to take second for Adrian Murray, making it an Irish-trained first and second, with home runner Governor Sam taking third.
“I knew he’d need some luck in running and he got it,” said Keane.
“His last two runs in England were very good, albeit he was beaten and things didn’t really go to plan.
“We were well placed, he’s a horse with a lot of natural pace and thankfully I chose the right route in the straight.”
Lyons was delighted to see Magnum Force turnaround recent Doncaster form in the process of victory.
He said: “My horse had a late start to the season, he loves fast ground and when he ran at Doncaster, I vowed that if the horses that beat him were going to the Breeders’ Cup then we should.
“Hopefully we will get him home safe and sound, we’ll let him down and the sky will be the limit next year.”
Lyons was eager to praise Keane, who is set to be crowned Irish champion jockey for sixth time on Sunday.
He added: “Colin is the most underrated champion jockey on planet earth and I would like to see him on the big stage more.
“He’s had maybe three rides at the Breeders’ Cup and he’s won two. It’s about the time the world woke up to him.
“It’s fantastic, it’s a huge credit to the horse, a huge credit to my team. Big thanks to my owner, there’s plenty of us guys at home who can do this if we get the horses.
“The secret to training winners is getting the horses, it’s a simple as that. If a clown like me can train a winner at the Breeders’ Cup, anybody can!”
The Mick Appleby-trained Big Mojo had finished a length and a quarter ahead of Magnum Force in the Flying Childers at Doncaster last time, but was beaten into fourth.
Appleby said: “He had to go very hard to get a position but he battled away. The ground was a bit quick for him.”
Jockey Tom Marquand added: “He really needs six furlongs on a track like that.”
Archie Watson’s Flying Childers winner Aesterius was also in the line up but after racing prominently under James Doyle, he dropped back to finish sixth.
The rider said: “We got into a good position on the turn but he weakened in the straight.”
Aidan O’Brien’s pair of Whistlejacket and Ides Of March finished fifth and seventh respectively, with Shareholder coming home 12th for Karl Burke.
