Aidan O’Brien has landed in California only to face disappointing news as two of his top contenders drew the least favorable starting positions at the upcoming Breeders’ Cup event.
O’Brien’s remarkable season has positioned him close to setting a new record in horse racing, needing just three more Group 1 victories to match his own world record of 28 top-level wins in a year, and one win away from becoming the most successful Breeders’ Cup trainer in history.
The esteemed Ballydoyle trainer has eight opportunities to enhance his current tally of 20 Cup wins over the weekend, with Minnie Hauk, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up, set to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Among his other notable prospects are the two-year-olds Precise, winner of the Fillies’ Mile, entered in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf, and Gstaad, runner-up in the Dewhurst Stakes, participating in the Juvenile Turf.
In the context of the compact turf course at Del Mar, trainers typically prefer inside draws, yet both of O’Brien’s horses face challenges with Precise starting from the 13th stall out of 13 and Henri Matisse from the 14th position.
Following the draw results, bookmakers reacted swiftly with William Hill adjusting Precise’s odds to 11-10 from Evens and extending Gstaad’s odds to 11-10 from 4-5.
Lee Phelps, a spokesperson, commented, “The recent Breeders’ Cup draw has dealt a blow to two prominent European contenders, Aidan O’Brien’s Precise and Gstaad, who have drawn unfavorable post positions 13 and 14. Consequently, we believe their chances have diminished on the tight Del Mar track.”
While Henri Matisse managed to triumph from stall 12 at the same event last year, O’Brien remains optimistic despite the challenging draws.
After observing his horses on the track for the first time, O’Brien shared during the Breakfast at the Breeders’ Cup show, “They appeared content. Everyone seemed pleased. It was their initial outing on the track to familiarize themselves with the surroundings.”
He added, “They will head to the starting gate on Wednesday, visit the paddocks on Thursday, and return to the track on Friday.”
Regarding the unfavorable draws, O’Brien remarked, “That’s just how it goes. We will consider Christophe Soumillon’s input. The draws are simply luck of the draw.”