Breeders' Cup results: Sun Goddess and Haffner hand O'Brien record as Libertango strikes for Boughey

Aidan O’Brien is now the most successful trainer in Breeders’ Cup history after Sun Goddess and Haffner gave Ballydoyle a Group 1 double on the opening night at Keeneland. Ryan Moore was on board both, and Haffner’s win in the Juvenile Turf took O’Brien to 23 Breeders’ Cup winners, one more than Bob Baffert.

It was a clean sweep on the grass for the European raiders, too. Libertango opened the night by landing the Juvenile Turf Sprint for George Boughey and Billy Loughnane, a first Breeders’ Cup win for both, while the two big dirt races went to Hughes and Emphatic.

Sun Goddess shines again in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf

Sun Goddess had never raced around a bend or beyond seven furlongs, but none of that mattered as she strolled to a three-length success in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf. Sent off the odds-on favourite, she settled a length behind the pacesetting Seneca Park, took over turning for home and was well clear inside the final furlong.

Joseph O’Brien’s Prix Marcel Boussac winner Green Empress stayed on for second under Dylan Browne McMonagle, edging Johnny Murtagh’s Curracloe on the line, and European-trained runners filled the first seven places.

“She’s unusual – a lot about this filly is unusual,” said O’Brien, and her record backs that up. This was a sixth straight win and a fourth Group 1 of the season after the Phoenix Stakes, the Moyglare and the Cheveley Park. Her only defeats came on her debut at Naas and in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, where Libertango beat her by a length. The £120,000 yearling buy is now set to be trained for the 1000 Guineas.

Haffner hands O’Brien the Breeders’ Cup record

Moore only picked up the ride on Haffner after Great Barrier Reef was withdrawn, and the Royal Lodge winner made the most of it. Tracking a strong pace set by Avec Toi, the son of Justify angled out in the straight and stayed on powerfully to beat his trainer’s son Joseph’s Folsom Blues by a length-and-three-quarters in 1m 35.19s.

Folsom Blues, the favourite, lost ground at the start and was only tenth early, but rallied to snatch second by a nose from Avec Toi. “We hate beating Joseph and his lads, and I mean that,” said O’Brien, whose son finished runner-up to him twice on the night.

This was O’Brien’s ninth win in the Juvenile Turf and his fifth in a row, while Moore has now won it eight times. Haffner was beaten on his first start and has twice been held at Group level, including when seventh in the National Stakes, but O’Brien thinks he will be “a classic horse next year”. Moore was even more bullish about his stamina, saying: “He stays forever.”

Libertango gives Boughey and Loughnane a first Breeders’ Cup winner

The night started in fine style for the British challenge. Libertango, the 9/5 favourite, travelled well in midfield before Loughnane switched her two off the rail out of the turn, and she finished best of all to beat Hell Of A Spin by a length-and-a-quarter over five-and-a-half furlongs.

Loughnane had been set to lose the ride to Flavien Prat until he made the weight shortly before the race, and the champion jockey made the most of his second chance. Mussab was promoted to third after Harper’s Corner, who passed the post in that position, was demoted to eighth by the stewards.

Libertango has now won four of her six starts, including the Albany Stakes and the Lowther Stakes, and her only defeats came in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and when chasing home Sun Goddess in the Cheveley Park. Boughey called it a big deal for his operation, describing the Breeders’ Cup as the pinnacle for anyone travelling horses abroad.

Hughes and Emphatic stay unbeaten on the dirt

Baffert briefly drew level with O’Brien when the unbeaten Hughes landed the Juvenile as the odds-on favourite. Flavien Prat had him in front on the far turn, and he found plenty when challenged to beat Todd Pletcher’s American History by two-and-a-quarter lengths, with Baffert’s Salahudin a head away in third. It was Baffert’s seventh win in the race, and Hughes, who is now five from five, is the early favourite for next year’s Kentucky Derby.

Earlier, Emphatic made it four from four in the Juvenile Fillies and handed trainer Brendan Walsh a first Breeders’ Cup winner at the 14th attempt. Tyler Gaffalione kicked the Alcibiades winner clear on the far turn, and she held Baffert’s favourite Miss Monica by a length-and-a-half, with Manuka Honey a further eight-and-a-quarter lengths back in third. “She’s a super filly,” said Walsh.

Commercial notice: This article on GG.co.uk contains affiliate links. The offers we promote come from operators that we trust and our experts have first-hand experience dealing with. If you open an account through one of these affiliate links then GG will earn revenue. However, we ensure that the money earned goes back into improving and enhancing our coverage of horse racing and other sports, as we look to provide an excellent service to our growing audience.