Aidan O'Brien Reaches Record 23rd Breeders' Cup Victory

Aidan O'Brien captured his 23rd Breeders' Cup win on Friday night at Keeneland, extending his record as the most successful trainer in the history of the American racing meeting. The Irishman achieved this milestone through a double victory in the Future Stars Friday races. Both winners were trained at his Ballydoyle stable in Ireland.

O'Brien finished the day with one win more than Bob Baffert, the renowned American trainer. Baffert had reached 22 wins after his horse Hughes won the $2 million Juvenile on dirt. O'Brien's victories in the turf races for two-year-olds gave him the lead going into Saturday's nine-race card. His son Joseph O'Brien finished second in both of his rides against his father's horses.

In the $1 million Juvenile Turf Fillies, Sun Goddess won her fourth top-tier race of the season. The 4-5 favorite was described by O'Brien as the best two-year-old filly he has trained. She led an Irish one-two-three finish, with Curracloe taking third. Sun Goddess had previously struggled at a half-stride start but recovered to win by less than a second. It marked her ninth start in a campaign that O'Brien called unique.

Jockey Jamie Moore rode Sun Goddess to victory. Moore noted the filly's professionalism and athleticism. He stated that she had not shown her best form today despite winning. O'Brien added that the filly has cemented her status as the favorite for next year's 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. This was O'Brien's third win in this specific race, a record first set 25 years ago with Johannesburg.

Later in the evening, Haffner won the Juvenile Turf for colts. The horse gave O'Brien his ninth success in this category. It was a fifth consecutive win for the Ballydoyle team in this race. Folsom Blues blew the start but still ran well to finish second. O'Brien called Haffner a very classy horse who stays well, comparing him to his sire Justify. The race was competitive, with horses going solid all the way to the finish.

In the final race of the day, British jockey Billy Loughnane won on Libertango. Loughnane had been expected to miss the race due to weight restrictions. He had to drop three pounds below his usual weight to make the mark. Trainer George Boughey initially assigned the ride to local rider Flavien Prat, who was named for the 6-4 favorite. Prat was replaced less than an hour before the start.

Libertango defeated the 33-1 outsider Hell Of A Spin. Loughnane had previously beaten Sun Goddess at Royal Ascot, making the win notable given their prior history. The win capped a breakout season for the British jockey. Prat sought immediate redemption later in the day. He rode Hughes to victory in the dirt Juvenile, keeping the horse unbeaten and establishing him as the Kentucky Derby favorite.