Irishman Aidan O’Brien has become the most successful trainer in the history of the Breeders’ Cup with Gstaad’s emphatic victory on the Juvenile Turf.
Despite a tricky wide post in the one-mile race at Del Mar, near San Diego, Gstaad flew past his rivals as rider Christophe Soumillon timed his late push superbly.
It secured a record 21st Breeders’ Cup win for O’Brien, who surpasses the late D Wayne Lukas, as well as a record-extending eighth-place finish in the Juvenile Turf.
“It’s special, Wayne was a special man, unbelievable,” O’Brien said.
“Wayne was always such a big help to us and when we had Giant’s Causeway he was such a help. He was there in the barn when we were relatively new here helping him with shoeing and he would come to the track with us on his own horse.
“Everything he did was for his horses and his owners. He dreamed a lot and was a very special man.”
As O’Brien senior, who has 26 top-level victories this year, claimed the all-time championship record, his son Donnacha O’Brien celebrated his first Breeders’ Cup victory.
His first triumph came when champion jockey Oisin Murphy rode Balantina to a thunderous surprise victory in the $1 million (£760,292) Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“This is very special. It was fantastic,” said 27-year-old Donnacha after joining his father and brother Joseph as winning Breeders’ Cup trainer.
“To see how dad does it year in, year out, and how Joseph gets winners, it’s nice to be on the board.”
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