Aidan O’Brien has just arrived in California only to face disappointing news as two of his top horses have been assigned unfavorable starting positions at the upcoming Breeders’ Cup event.
O’Brien’s impressive performance this season has brought him close to setting a new record in horse racing. He needs just three more Group 1 victories to match his own record of 28 wins at the highest level in a single year. Additionally, one more win would make him the most successful trainer in Breeders’ Cup history.
The renowned Ballydoyle trainer has a total of eight opportunities to enhance his current record of 20 Breeders’ Cup wins over the upcoming Friday and Saturday races. Among his top contenders is Minnie Hauk, the runner-up at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, who is set to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Two other hopefuls from O’Brien’s stable are the juvenile horses Precise and Gstaad. Precise, winner of the Fillies’ Mile, will race in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf, while Gstaad, the second-place finisher in the Dewhurst Stakes, will participate in the Juvenile Turf event.
Both Precise and Henri Matisse, another horse in O’Brien’s lineup, faced a setback with unfavorable draw positions on the tight turf track at Del Mar. Precise will start from the 13th stall out of 13, and Henri Matisse from the 14th stall.
Following the draw results, bookmakers adjusted the odds with Precise now at 11-10 from Evens and Gstaad at 11-10 from 4-5. William Hill spokesperson, Lee Phelps, commented on the situation, expressing concerns about the challenging track conditions at Del Mar impacting the European contenders’ chances.
Despite the setbacks, O’Brien can draw some encouragement from Henri Matisse’s previous victory at the Juvenile Turf race from a difficult stall position at the same venue a year ago.
Observing his horses on the track for the first time, O’Brien shared his positive impressions during an interview, mentioning that the horses seemed comfortable and relaxed during their initial track outing.
Looking ahead to the upcoming race days, O’Brien outlined the schedule for his horses, indicating their preparations leading up to the competition. When asked about the challenging draw positions, he acknowledged the luck factor involved and mentioned consulting with his jockey, Christophe Soumillon, for further insights.
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