It’s onerous 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 check 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 underneath 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 have been debut winners at Saratoga and winners of the Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland –Cox says Immersive is the perfect 2-year-old filly he’s ever educated.
“I feel 2-year-old fillies, she’s the perfect 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 whole, 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 sector 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 dwelling 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 together with her victory, boosting her whole 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 positive there will likely be different fillies that put their hand up and be large challengers as nicely.
“As Brad (Cox) stated, the additional the purpose, the higher. Seems like she has loads of stamina. She’s fast sufficient to put off fast fractions as nicely.”–Sean Collins
Lake Victoria Delivers in BC Juvenile Fillies Turf
It took only a tick or two underneath 95 seconds for Lake Victoria to reply the query of what on earth a Coolmore homebred filly with basic aspirations was doing so removed from dwelling 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 straightforward because it regarded. Virtually. Breaking from the within publish 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 – a minimum of in battle – and collective breath was being held within the camp of coach Aidan O’Brien.
“She jumped very nicely, and I used to be simply making an attempt to get her a little bit of house to get her comfy,” Moore stated. “Then we received strain from the skin and pushed to the fence, and that was that. When that occurs, it’s important. It places you at an obstacle.”
Filly and rider stored their cool, although, and by the point the sector 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 have been going very fast,” Moore stated. “By the point we received midway down the bottom I noticed they have been completed up entrance.”
Coming into the stretch, Moore properly gave up an inside route, tipped out a few lanes, and got here operating together with his filly to a wire that comes up rapidly. Lake Victoria left the sector in loads of time to carry the late runners protected. The ultimate time of 1:34.28 for 1 1/16 miles was the quickest of the three Juvenile Fillies Turf choices up to now at Del Mar.
Jessamine Stakes Introduced by Keeneland Gross sales winner Could Day Prepared, underneath Frankie Dettori, held off third-place Nitrogen, a maiden who rallied late underneath 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 document 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 document. He’s essentially the most particular man and at all times been such a assist to us.”
The tie may probably be damaged Nov. 2 on the occasion’s second day. Lukas begins Seize the Gray within the Large Ass Followers Grime Mile, and O’Brien has a number of runners, together with Metropolis of Troy within the Longines Basic. 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 may end in enchancment.
It did. The Wootton Bassett colt settled kindly in 10th within the 12-horse Juvenile Turf underneath 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 document 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 Drive Overhauls Subject 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 Drive 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 Drive got here from nicely again in Friday’s Juvenile Turf Dash, a tough maneuver in a full area of 12. Across the flip, Keane and his mount have been capable of finding room on the rail in higher stretch. Pacesetting Governor Sam nonetheless had the lead after a half-mile in a stable :44.69 clip, and Keane initially thought to go within the chief, however then he switched ways and moved outdoors.
Magnum Drive needed to be fast as a result of others have been closing from the skin – and he was. He beat Arizona Blaze and Large Mojo to the punch, drew alongside a gutsy Governor Sam, and handed him to take the lead. Magnum Drive received 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 Large Mojo third.
Ger Lyons trains Magnum Drive, 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 Large 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 awesome temperament for the job, desires quick floor, comes off a quick tempo. He’s rock-solid made for the race.”–Tracy Gantz
