The China Mail - Gstaad gives O'Brien record 21st Breeders' Cup win

Gstaad capped an an impressive 2-year-old season with the win in the one mile race at Del Mar Racetrack near San Diego, going off as the favorite despite an unfavorable outside post and amply living up to his billing.

Jockey Christophe Soumillon timed his late push to perfection, sweeping past rivals on the outside for the win over Stark Contrast with the Joseph O'Brien-trained North Coast third.

"I think the horse is just good," Soumillon said. "Today he jumped a bit slow, but after two or three strides I could be close and he was travelling very well.

"To be honest, I was cruising the whole way. I knew when I came out of the turn I'm going to win it."

With his 21st Breeders' Cup win -- his record-extending eighth in the Juvenile Turf -- O'Brien broke out of a tie with the late D. Wayne Lukas for most by a trainer.

"It's just special," said O'Brien, who took his tally of Group or Grade One wins for 2025 to 26 -- two off his own record.

"Wayne was an incredibly special man. I can't tell you how helpful he was to us our whole career."

Friday's five races for two-year-olds launched the 14-race, $34 million Breeders' Cup slate that will be highlighted on Saturday by the $7 million Classic.

O'Brien's day had opened disappointingly when he scratched Juvenile Fillies Turf favorite Precise after the two-time Group One winner developed a cough.

But he was beaming after the $1 million, one mile race after son Donnacha opened his own Breeders' Cup account with Balantina's storming victory.

Ridden by champion jockey Oisin Murphy, Balantina broke slowly, but Murphy calmly worked toward the rail and crept up behind a scorching pace set by Japanese raider Switch in Love.

Ground Support had finally got the better of Switch in Love and was cruising in the straight when Balantina roared past on the inside and drew clear, Pacific Mission rallying late for second.

- 'On the board' -

"This is very special. It was fantastic," Donnacha O'Brien, 27, said after joining not only his father but also brother Joseph as a winning Breeders' Cup trainer.

"To watch Dad do it year-in and year-out, and Joseph to get winners -- nice to be on the board," he said.

Cy Fair, trained by George Weaver and ridden by Irad Ortiz, opened the proceedings with a victory in the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint.

The filly overtook pacesetter Scwarzenegger in the straight and held off a late run by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Brussels, who broke slowly but charged late with Soumillon in the irons. Aspect Island was third.

Super Corredora set a fast pace and held on for a wire-to-wire win the $2 million Juvenile Fillies.

In the $2 million Juvenile -- the race traditionally seen as a pointer to the next year's Kentucky Derby -- Ted Noffey lived up to his favorite's status as he completed an undefeated two-year-old season.

The colt, trained by Todd Pletcher, notched a third straight Grade One victory, defeating longshot Mr. A.P. by one length with Brant third.

K.Leung--ThChM