Keeneland once more proved a happy hunting ground for Aidan O’Brien when Ireland’s champion trainer scored a Breeders’ Cup double on Friday night.
O’Brien’s two-year-olds Meditate and Victoria Road brought O’Brien’s career Breeders’ Cup tally to 15 in contrasting styles.
Ryan Moore had an armchair spin on Meditate in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies event as the 2-1 favourite scored on day one of US racing’s biggest meeting of the year.
Later, however, Victoria Road had to fight hard to get the better of Godolphin’s Silver Knott in a desperate finish to the $1 million Juvenile Turf.
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The Irish pair added to O’Brien’s impressive Breeders’ Cup record at Keeneland.
He struck with the 73-1 outsider Order Of Australia in 2020 and the only other time the Breeders’ Cup train visited the Kentucky track O’Brien struck twice in 2015.
Previously runner-up in Newmarket’s Cheveley Park Stakes, Mediate was quickly cut to as low as 6-1 for next year’s 1,000 Guineas.
“We’ve given her every chance since Newmarket not to come here but she passed every test,” O’Brien said. “We always thought she was a high-class filly.”
Moore added: “She had them covered very quickly and the race was over a furlong and a half out. She had a lot left and was probably a level above all of them.”
With Godolphin having landed the opening Juvenile Turf Sprint with Mischief Magic, the concluding turf event saw Victoria Road get the better of a memorable clash between European racing’s superpower operations.
Victoria Road was a first top-flight winner for sire, Saxon Warrior.
