It’s laborious to think about a greater begin to a filly’s profession than the 2-year-old season Immersive has put collectively.
Already a two-time Grade 1 winner getting into the most important take a look at but, the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 1 at Del Mar, Immersive wrapped up an Eclipse Award for 2024 with a 4 ½-length domination beneath common jockey Manny Franco.
Coaching a champion 2-year-old filly is nothing new to Brad Cox, who received the 2019 Juvenile Fillies on the way in which to Eclipse honors with British Idiom. Regardless of similarities of their careers – each had been debut winners at Saratoga and winners of the Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland –Cox says Immersive is the most effective 2-year-old filly he’s ever educated.
“I feel 2-year-old fillies, she’s the most effective we’ve had,” Cox stated. “We’ve not had one win three Grade 1s at 2. Enthusiastic about what she’s completed, pleased with her, and searching ahead to subsequent yr.”
Cox entered the Breeders’ Cup winners’ circle for a seventh consecutive yr, a streak that started with Monomoy Woman’s victory within the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. In complete, the Kentucky-based coach has emerged victorious in 11 World Championship contests.
The race arrange completely for Immersive as she settled in mid-pack by the early levels. Bob Baffert-trained Nooni confirmed her customary early foot and spurted away from the remainder of the sphere by a number of lengths, setting fast fractions of :22.00, :44.99 and 1:10.03.
Frizette Stakes winner Scottish Lassie, racing near Immersive in midpack, made an early transfer to kick away from the 2-1 favourite, however as soon as Franco requested the query on the 5/sixteenth pole, Immersive responded and allowed her class to get her even with the leaders on the quarter pole.
“I knew the tempo was cooking in entrance, so I took my time,” stated Franco, who earned his second profession Breeders’ Cup victory. “I stated, ‘Let’s go, that is the time.’ She was there for me.”
Taking the lead from Vodka With a Twist and Scottish Lassie on the eighth pole, Immersive powered residence to complete 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.36. Vodka With a Twist held second over a rallying Quickick, with Scottish Lassie ending fourth.
The victory caps an ideal 4-for-4 marketing campaign for Immersive to the tune of $1,622,700 in profession earnings, including to Grade 1 wins within the Alcibiades and the Spinaway Stakes. The Godolphin homebred daughter of Nyquist earned 30 qualifying factors for the 2025 Longines Kentucky Oaks along with her victory, boosting her complete to 40. The remainder of the highest 5 earned factors on a 15-9-6-3 scale.
“We might like to assume (the Kentucky Oaks is) a chance,” stated Godolphin’s director of bloodstock Michael Banahan. “We all know if you flip over the calendar yr, it’s a brand new yr for everybody once more, and I’m certain there can be different fillies that put their hand up and be large challengers as effectively.
“As Brad (Cox) stated, the additional the aim, the higher. Seems to be like she has loads of stamina. She’s fast sufficient to put off fast fractions as effectively.”–Sean Collins
Lake Victoria Delivers in BC Juvenile Fillies Turf
It took only a tick or two beneath 95 seconds for Lake Victoria to reply the query of what on earth a Coolmore homebred filly with traditional aspirations was doing so removed from residence in November of an already flawless 2-year-old marketing campaign, operating round two tight turns in opposition to a baker’s dozen opponents bent on bursting her good bubble.
The bay daughter of Frankel turned the $1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday’s card at Del Mar right into a preview of wonders to return with an environment friendly, 1 ½-length victory over Could Day Prepared on the finish of 1 mile on the firmest turf she is prone to encounter for a very long time.
It was nearly as simple because it seemed. Nearly. Breaking from the within submit of the jam-packed gate, 7-10 favourite Lake Victoria left cleanly sufficient however was no match for the speedy Del Mar course specialist, Thought Course of, and Kentucky Downs stakes winner Kilwin, who set off previous the stands as if sprinting for {dollars}.
Jockey Ryan Moore, by now totally aware of racing on American rails, requested Lake Victoria to hustle alongside to carry mid-pack place. She was approaching the primary left-hand flip of her life – at the very least in battle – and collective breath was being held within the camp of coach Aidan O’Brien.
“She jumped very effectively, and I used to be simply attempting to get her a little bit of house to get her snug,” Moore stated. “Then we acquired stress from the skin and pushed to the fence, and that was that. When that occurs, it’s vital. It places you at an obstacle.”
Filly and rider saved their cool, although, and by the point the sphere reached the lengthy backstretch, Lake Victoria had settled about 4 or 5 lengths off the half-mile break up of :45.37, set by Thought Course of.
“They had been going very fast,” Moore stated. “By the point we acquired midway down the bottom I noticed they had been achieved up entrance.”
Coming into the stretch, Moore properly gave up an inside route, tipped out a few lanes, and got here operating along with his filly to a wire that comes up shortly. Lake Victoria left the sphere in loads of time to carry the late runners secure. The ultimate time of 1:34.28 for 1 1/16 miles was the quickest of the three Juvenile Fillies Turf choices to date at Del Mar.
Jessamine Stakes Offered by Keeneland Gross sales winner Could Day Prepared, beneath Frankie Dettori, held off third-place Nitrogen, a maiden who rallied late beneath Jose Ortiz to spherical out the trifecta at odds of 49.60-1.–Jay Hovdey
Henri Matisse Wins Juvenile Turf, O’Brien’s 20th BC Victory
D. Wayne Lukas has some firm atop the file books because the winningest coach in Breeders’ Cup historical past.
With two victories on the primary day of the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar – first by Lake Victoria within the John Deere Juvenile Fillies Turf (see above) after which by Henri Matisse within the Juvenile Turf – Irish coaching legend Aidan O’Brien matched Corridor of Famer Lukas as a 20-time Breeders’ Cup winner.
“It’s unbelievable, clearly, and everyone knows what an unbelievably particular man Wayne is,” O’Brien stated, noting that he spoke by phone with Lukas earlier within the week to debate tendencies of racing at Del Mar. “I’m honored to equal his file. He’s essentially the most particular man and all the time been such a assist to us.”
The tie might doubtlessly be damaged Nov. 2 on the occasion’s second day. Lukas begins Seize the Gray within the Huge Ass Followers Dust Mile, and O’Brien has a number of runners, together with Metropolis of Troy within the Longines Traditional. Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert, shut behind Lukas and O’Brien with 19 victories, additionally has starters on Saturday.
Although closely favored Lake Victoria’s win was anticipated, Henri Matisse got here into the race with some obvious drawbacks, together with having a large draw and kind tarnished by problematic methods in two earlier defeats. Regardless of these losses, O’Brien, the 55-year-old “Grasp of Ballydoyle,” marched on with Henri Matisse into the Juvenile Turf, optimistic that eradicating blinkers and catching agency floor might lead to enchancment.
It did. The Wootton Bassett colt settled kindly in 10th within the 12-horse Juvenile Turf beneath Ryan Moore earlier than kicking into gear on the second flip and swinging extensive for the stretch run. He outkicked runner-up Iron Man Cal by a neck down the stretch. Aomori Metropolis rallied for third after breaking by the beginning gate earlier than the race and racing in final early.
The winner, despatched off because the slight favourite at odds of three.90-1, ran a mile in 1:34.48 and gave O’Brien a record-extending seventh win within the Juvenile Turf.
Henri Matisse earned $520,000, upping his bankroll to $783,148 with a file of 4-1-0 in six begins for his Coolmore-affiliated possession group.
Coolmore consultant M.V. Magnier praised the profitable jockey and coach in the course of the post-race press convention.
“I’m very fortunate and privileged to be sitting beside these two greats. Easy as that,” he stated.–Byron King
Magnum Pressure Overhauls Discipline in BC Juvenile Turf Dash
Jockey Colin Keane went from posting his first Breeders’ Cup win within the longest turf race to tallying his second within the shortest when he piloted Magnum Pressure to victory within the five-furlong, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash to kick off the Future Stars Friday card. The Irish champion jockey notched his first victory within the 1 ½-mile Breeders’ Cup Turf on Tarnawa at Keeneland in 2020.
Magnum Pressure got here from effectively again in Friday’s Juvenile Turf Dash, a tough maneuver in a full area of 12. Across the flip, Keane and his mount had been capable of finding room on the rail in higher stretch. Pacesetting Governor Sam nonetheless had the lead after a half-mile in a strong :44.69 clip, and Keane initially thought to go inside the chief, however then he switched ways and moved outdoors.
Magnum Pressure needed to be fast as a result of others had been closing from the skin – and he was. He beat Arizona Blaze and Huge Mojo to the punch, drew alongside a gutsy Governor Sam, and handed him to take the lead. Magnum Pressure acquired to the wire first by a half-length, ending the 5 furlongs in :56.36. Arizona Blaze managed to seize second by a half-length over Governor Sam, with Huge Mojo third.
Ger Lyons trains Magnum Pressure, a homebred for proprietor Sheikh Abdulla bin Isa Al-Khalifa. Coming into the Breeders’ Cup, the Mehmas colt had received as soon as in 4 begins, with two seconds and a 3rd, the latter behind Aesterius (sixth within the Juvenile Turf Dash) and Huge Mojo within the Flying Childers Stakes, a Group 2 turf sprint at Doncaster.
“If they’re going and I don’t journey, I’m going to be sick,” Lyons stated. “My horse had simply had a late begin to the season. He’s a correct 2-year-old. He’s thriving. He has an excellent temperament for the job, desires quick floor, comes off a quick tempo. He’s rock-solid made for the race.”–Tracy Gantz
