Minnie Hauk won the Yorkshire Oaks in York. (Brendan Ó hUllacháin photo)
Frankel’s filly will compete against the boys in the Turf
A closer look at Breeders’ Cup
Aidan O’Brien aims for a record-extending eighth victory in the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on Saturday with Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s superstar 3-year-old filly, Minnie Hauk (IRE), a striking daughter of Frankel, named after the famous mezzo-soprano opera singer of the same name.
This year the decorated Bay has recorded consecutive victories in the Cheshire Oaks (Listed), Epsom Oaks (G1) and Irish Oaks (G1) against second-year fillies before crushing the Yorkshire Oaks (G1) against older fillies. She was sent off as the 5-2 favorite in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1), took the lead on the way home and was caught in the final steps by The Aga Khan’s Daryz (FR) – her first run against open company. She looks to reclaim the spotlight as she breaks from post 8 of 14 as the 8-5 morning line favorite under Christophe Soumillon.
“She did everything right in the Arc,” O’Brien said. “She has a little habit all the time, she waited a little bit and if she went there she wouldn’t be anywhere close to winning. We didn’t know how good she was until she got into an older race and that’s what she did. Obviously Christophe said Mickael (Barzalona, aboard Daryz) followed him all the way and literally got him on the line. Mickael gave an incredible ride and Christophe gave an incredible ride and that’s just the way it is. she would win the Arc this year and that’s just how it was.
“She came out of the Arc really well, so everyone seems really happy with her since then,” O’Brien continued. “It was always possible that she would come here because she likes fast terrain, she is fast, she stays and she is tactical, so the guys agreed to let her come. I’m looking forward to it. For us to have her here and wait to see what she will do. It’s big expectations and it’s something to look forward to.”
Minnie Hauk, sold for $1,955,860 at the 2023 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, is a half-sister to talented Juddmonte color bearer Tilsit, while dam Multilingual is a half-sister to star sire Kingman. She performs on the racecourse in direct proportion to her pedigree promise and, after Found (IRE) in 2015, seems to be the second second-year filly to choose the Turf for her connections.
Star filly MINNIE HAUK is the 8/5 morning line favorite for the @Longines #BreedersCup Grass! pic.twitter.com/QyfSyvylUB
— Breeders Cup (@BreedersCup) October 30, 2025
Soumillon will ride her for the second time on Saturday, certainly looking for a bit of redemption.
“Christophe always rode for us for a long time when he got out,” O’Brien explained. “He’s a brilliant rider and incredibly talented, but also a great judge of pace and a great judge of a horse. He has a lot of finesse and is very charismatic. A really great rider. When he goes out and rides those races, he wants to win. She usually breaks well and Christophe will decide what to do with her.”
Minnie Hauk enters the Turf rated at 123 – 1lb higher than main rival Rebel’s Romance and 5lb better than Found in the same race. Found entered the Turf second in the Champion Stakes (G1).
“She looks good and happy since she got here and everyone seems happy with her, which is important,” O’Brien concluded. “She is similar to Found, yes, in that she is clearly a very good filly and was just beaten in the square earlier in her race.”
#Minnie #Hauk #Ready #diva #moment