Aidan O’Brien shipper Lake Victoria was by far the class of the field in Friday’s $920,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), and that enabled the 3-5 favorite to overcome a problematic trip at Del Mar.
A perfect 4-for-4 going into her stateside venture, Lake Victoria displayed virtuosity in her September Group 1 double. The daughter of Frankel and champion sprinter Quiet Reflection went last-to-first in the seven-furlong Moyglare Stud (G1), then cut back to six furlongs for the Cheveley Park (G1) and dominated with her speed. The accordion-like program continued as she stretched out to try a mile in the Breeders’ Cup.
Lake Victoria drew the rail at Del Mar, and jockey Ryan Moore had to exercise all of his skills to work out a trip. Urged early in an attempt to secure position, the Coolmore homebred was buffeted entering the clubhouse turn, and she ended up getting shuffled back to midpack.
“She jumped very well,” Moore said. “But it seemed like there was quite a lot that wanted to lead. I just wanted to try to get a bit of space to get her comfortable, but there wasn’t much space.
“She got pushed from the outside, she got pushed into the fence, and that was that. We had to come back.
“Look, when that happens it’s significant interference and it puts you at a disadvantage. But they’d gone very quick. As soon as they got halfway down the back straight, most of the horses were done.”
Favorite backers may have felt better as Lake Victoria traveled comfortably down the backstretch, but Moore had to ask her to improve in traffic entering the far turn.
Meanwhile, Thought Process was winging on the front end through fractions of :22.25, :45.37, 1:09.77, and 1:22.15. By that point, Lake Victoria had angled out full of momentum, and the outcome was not in doubt. She barreled 1 1/2 lengths clear in a final time of 1:34.28, paying $3.40 to win.
Lake Victoria gave Moore and O’Brien a second win in the Juvenile Fillies Turf following Meditate in 2022.
Deep closers swept the minor awards. May Day Ready rallied for second, a length up on Nitrogen, who had a half-length to spare over Irish shipper Fiery Lucy. Next came Kilwin, Vixen, Correto, Totally Justified, Thought Process, Anshoda, Heavens Gate, Scythian, Virgin Colada, and Abientot. The also-eligibles Acquitted, Tigerish, and Supa Speed were scratched. Supa Speed ran earlier on the card in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S., where she wound up 12th of 14.
Lake Victoria has bankrolled about $1,058,797 from her 5-for-5 line. The bay won a notable maiden over Irish Derby weekend at the Curragh and promptly scored in her stakes debut in Newmarket’s Sweet Solera (G3). The Breeders’ Cup completed a remarkable hat trick of Grade/Group 1s at three different distances.
“For me, there was no doubt that she would be suited to the mile here,” Moore reiterated. “And as I said, it was just a matter of getting a clear run, and we got that and she was too good.”
Her dam, multiple Group 1 star Quiet Reflection, ranked as Europe’s highweight three-year-old sprinter in 2016. The Showcasing mare has also produced Group 2-placed Bluegrass and promising sophomore stayer The Equator. They’re both by Galileo, making them three-quarter brothers to Lake Victoria.
Having proven herself around a mile, Lake Victoria will head into winter quarters as an even hotter commodity for the 1000 Guineas (G1) back at Newmarket.
Check out 2024 Breeders’ Cup News and Notes from TwinSpires.com.
