United States
Sun Goddess reigns supreme in Juvenile Fillies Turf
By Patrycja Szpyra
All hail the reigning Titan of the Turf.
It's not every day that a turf race sees a tour-de-force akin to a runaway performance on the dirt, but 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Sun Goddess (Ire) (Sioux Nation) gave the Keeneland crowd what they paid for with a sensational victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Aidan O'Brien claimed his 22nd Breeders' Cup race with a filly who, as a 2-year-old, is remarkably already a four-time Group/Grade I winner. The daughter of Sioux Nation came into this year-end contest on a five-race win streak and had been the talk of the town since she stepped off the plane.
O'Brien couldn't speak enough to her fantastic condition despite the long year, telling TDN Europe's Adam Houghton that she'd gotten through quarantine like a dream and been 'on springs' in the lead up to Friday.
Swooping by her competition in the final stages, Europe's top filly inhaled the fading front-runner and produced a devastating kick that put any doubts as to whether her long campaign was getting to her to rest.
Green Empress (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), now four times beaten by Sun Goddess and no doubt tired of seeing that rival in front of her, was a game second. Curracloe (Baaeed {GB}) was third ahead of the slow-starting Amusingly (GB) (No Nay Never) in fourth. The top seven spots all went to European entries with the best American result coming from Domestic Agenda (American Pharoah) in eighth.
“(Sun Goddess) was just really natural all the way and from day one,” said O'Brien. “She obviously ran a run or two before Ascot, and she's taken everything in her stride. We could have taken in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket on the way in, but just decided with a view to next year, and just to be sure that she came here fresh. They wanted her here. That's why she's here.
“They wanted her (Sun Goddess) here. That's why she's here.” - Aidan O'Brien
“I suppose our worry today was, we all know what she can do under strong pace out in front. And always the possibility–like Ryan (Moore) said going out–he thought he was going to end up a lot more forward than usual because he wasn't sure what was there was going to take her. So that's exactly what he did. He gave her a beautiful ride. It was all very clean cut, no chances.
“(Sun Goddess) had a lovely day out, yeah, over the moon really.”
“She went completely asleep out there,” said Ryan Moore, adding that his charge hadn't turned a hair in her first trip going two turns. The rider collected his 17th Breeders' Cup race with the win. “She was very relaxed and very comfortable.”
Aidan O'Brien | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Not entirely surprising post-race commentary during the panel considering Moore went on record immediately after the race to say, “I'll be honest, I don't think you saw the best of her today. The ground's a little bit more dead than I expected it to be. The pace was very slow…she's probably two or three levels above them.”
When asked how Sun Goddess might change going into her next season, the camp minced no words about their prognoses for her to improve.
“I would say she's probably going to change a lot through the winter,” said O'Brien. “She's big and she's rangy. She's a super mover. She's a great mind. You'd say there's no doubt looking at her she's going to be more of a 3-year-old than a 2-year-old.”
Pedigree notes: Sun Goddess is the third offspring to the races for Etoile Bleu (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), purchased by Owenstown Stud for 60,000gns (AU$120,000) at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, and already casts a shadow so large, it would take another super horse to run out from under it.
She has a yearling half-sister by Blue Point (Ire) in the wings that is the last registered offspring for the mare thus far. That April-foaled filly was purchased by Cheveley Park Stud for 525,000gns (AU$1.05 million) at the Tattersalls October Sale earlier this month.
Etoile Bleu hails from an accomplished female family and is herself a half to South African multiple Group winner Gibraltar Blue (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), the mother of four black-type runners in that jurisdiction. One of her sisters, Scream Blue Murder (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), is the second dam of G1 Prix Jean Prat hero Thesecretadversary (Ire) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}).
How 'sweep' it is: Euros dominate as Haffner bosses the Juvenile Turf
By Alan Carasso
Team Europe looked to have strength in numbers and quality for the trio of turf races on 'Future Stars Friday' at the 2026 Breeders' Cup, and after Libertango (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Sun Goddess duly bossed the GI Juvenile Turf Sprint and GI Juvenile Fillies Turf, 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Haffner (Justify) completed the sweep with a convincing success in the GI Juvenile Turf for Aidan O'Brien.
In so doing, he was comprehensively reversing the form of this year's G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes with favored 'Rising Star' Folsom Blues (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}).
Given a patient steer from Ryan Moore, Haffner put Avec Toi (No Nay Never) to the sword with a furlong to race and edged away to score decisively, giving Justify a third Breeders' Cup victory. Folsom Blues could do no better than take the photo for second with Avec Toi, who completed the 'TDN Rising Star' 1-2-3. The final time was 1:35.19s.
“He's improving and still growing,” said O'Brien said. “With time and as he covers more distance, he'll get even better. He had a great draw and a good position, so that was a big help.
“I think he (Haffner) will be a classic horse next year. He'll have no problem going 10 (furlongs) and would probably go even farther.” - Aidan O'Brien
“I think he'll be a classic horse next year,” O'Brien added. “He'll have no problem going 10 (furlongs) and would probably go even farther. He's very classy, really.”
Moore was pleased with the trip Haffner sat.
“He was drawn in (four) and the speed horses were inside of me so it was very straightforward,” the winning rider said. “He kept hitting the right spot.”
Pedigree notes: Justify is now the sire of 13 Grade I/Group 1 winners worldwide, having accounted for previous Breeders' Cup scorers Just F Y I (Juvenile Fillies) and Hard To Justify (Juvenile Fillies Turf). Zoffany is now the broodmare sire of four top-level winners.
Dam Earth Strike's (Zoffany) youngest produce are a yearling filly by Not This Time and a full sister to Haffner foaled March 31. The mare was barren to Nyquist for her 2027 produce.
Gold medal performance from unbeaten Hughes in Breeders' Cup Juvenile
By Steve Sherack
Hughes (Into Mischief) remained undefeated and made it a hat trick for his out-of-this-world sire with a two and a quarter-length success in Friday's GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.
The 4-5 favorite and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' raced in a tracking second beneath Flavien Prat as the scratched-down field of six rounded the clubhouse turn.
Traveling nicely as five of them bunched up through a half mile in :46.63–'Rising Star' He Is No Lie (Early Voting) lost all chance after stumbling terribly at the start and trailed throughout– Hughes gained a narrow advantage entering the far turn.
As they straightened, Hughes was more than ready and found another gear to turn back GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner and 'Rising Star' American History (Constitution) and his Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Salahudin (Uncle Mo) to conclude his Championship season with authority a perfect five-for-five.
Hughes becomes the seventh Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner trained by Baffert and his 22nd winner overall at the Championships. Prat, also aboard the Baffert-trained GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up and 'Rising Star' Miss Monica (Early Voting), has now steered 10 Breeders' Cup winners.
“You never know how they're going to respond until they… today at the quarter pole, I thought, 'Well, we're going to find out what he's made of,'” Baffert said. “When a horse came to him, he just caught another gear. You like to see that. Sometimes, they'll come to him–especially when they're going that fast on this racetrack–like I said, he does it, and he does it with ease. He comes back like it didn't take much out of him. He's just a really superior 2-year-old.”
“He's (Hughes) just a really superior 2-year-old.” - Bob Baffert
Baffert added, “Today was his day to shine. Those four colts were really good colts, and we're going to be hearing a lot about them. I think the 2-year-old crop is really strong this year. It should be exciting hopefully next spring.”
Hughes, a US$675,000 (AU$960,000) Keeneland September yearling purchase, is campaigned by the powerhouse partnership of Front Row Club, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Albaugh Family Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan.
Bob Baffert | Image courtesy of USA Today Sports
Hughes was named after New Jersey Devils hockey star Jack Hughes, who famously scored the game-winning goal in sudden-death overtime to beat Canada 2-1 in the Gold Medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
“He was named the night after Jack Hughes did win that gold medal,” Tom Ryan of Front Row Club said. “He was so proud to be an American that night. That's what really struck me the way he said it and he meant it. There was pressure in that, and there's pressure in the fact that my wife is a Hughes. All of a sudden, I had family pressure, the Jack Hughes pressure. It's worked out incredibly well.
“It's a good horse with a great name, turned out to a great story. We're very proud of him. He showed up today in front of a great crowd with a great ownership group.”
Ryan added, “This is the pinnacle of 2-year-old racing right here. This is it, this is Championship racing. He's not let us down. He's five for five now and couldn't be more proud.”
Pedigree notes: Hughes becomes the 10th Breeders' Cup winner and third straight Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner (Citizen Bull in 2024 and Ted Noffey in 2025) for the seven-time reigning champion general sire Into Mischief.
Hughes was produced by the multiple Grade I performer K P Dreamin (Union Rags), who is also responsible for a yearling colt by Elite Power and a McKinzie colt of this year. Her Elite Power colt brought US$400,000 (AU$569,000) from Flying Dutchmen at the Keeneland September sale. This is also the female family of GI Pacific Classic winner Go Between (Point Given).
Libertango worth the 'weight' for champion Loughnane in Juvenile Turf Sprint
By Alan Carasso
Take a bow, Billy Loughnane.
The 20-year-old Loughnane was earlier this month crowned Britain's champion jockey, the youngest to do so in a century. To put that accomplishment into some sort of perspective, Lester Piggott was a comparatively elderly 24 when he secured his first premiership in 1960. A gentleman named Ryan Moore was 23 when taking out his first title.
Pretty good company, don't you think?
Loughnane's 2026 season has been highlighted by his partnership with Europe's champion miler-elect, the brilliant, undefeated Bow Echo (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). That now-retired colt was conditioned by the not-quite-as-young, but equally talented and upwardly mobile trainer George Boughey.
There was additional magic to be made Friday at Keeneland when Loughnane belied his relative inexperience with a perfect steer aboard 9-5 favorite Libertango (Ire) (No Nay Never) overcoming some trouble three furlongs out in a race where there is, by definition, nearly no margin for error.
The recent runner-up in the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes came with a stinging final-furlong flourish once switched out to take out the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint by a widening one and a quarter lengths.
Libertango is the second Breeders' Cup winner for No Nay Never (Meditate {Ire} in the 2022 Juvenile Fillies Turf here at Keeneland) and a first for Loughnane and Boughey.
“She makes my job very easy,” said the winning trainer. “It was probably the most relaxed I've been going into a Group 1 ever. She shipped over here great, the guys on the ground here have done a super job and you can't do it without the people who put the team together. I'm delighted.”
“She (Libertango) makes my job very easy. It was probably the most relaxed I've been going into a Group 1 ever.” - George Boughey
Reflecting on his first victory at the Breeders' Cup, Boughey added: “It feels amazing. For me, it's huge. It's the pinnacle for us, traveling the horses around the world to win a Breeders' Cup is right at the top of it. You saw here there–she makes it easy.
“It's amazing. It's the pinnacle for us traveling horses around the world to win a Breeders' Cup, it's right at the top of it.”
It was something of a miracle that Loughnane was in the saddle on Friday in the first place. Flavien Prat was originally named aboard Libertango, as Loughnane was unable to make the weight. But Loughnane was an 11th-hour call-up after sweating off the necessary excess and took full advantage of the opportunity.
“I do feel a little bit sorry for Flavien, but it's a game of weights and measures and Billy is my stable rider,” the trainer said. “It was a question that I asked the owner and he wanted the consistency.”
Added Loughnane: “I can't put it into words. I never expected to ride the filly at this weight. Thankfully, they have the saunas here so managed to do the weight. I've been working on the weight all week. I feel great doing the weight and a big thank you to George Boughey for putting me back on board. George is a big friend of mine and I'm the lucky one to ride some fantastic horses for him.”
Libertango is the second big-race winner on these shores this season for owner Ibrahim Araci, who campaigns the Hugo Palmer-trained GI Saratoga Derby winner Glacius (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}).
Pedigree notes: Libertango is the 13th elite-level scorer for her sire, whose daughter Amusingly (GB) took out this year's Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere before finishing a troubled fourth in Friday's GI Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland. Her dam Ein Gedi is the 22nd daughter of Oasis Dream to produce a Grade I/Group 1 winner.
The filly is the first foal from her dam, a daughter of Listed Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes heroine Splashdown (GB) (Falbrav {Ire}), whose other produce includes G3 Prix Imprudence heroine Reina Madre (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), also champion 2-year-old filly in Spain, and Aktabantay (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), winner at two of the G3 Solario Stakes for Araci and Palmer.
Ein Gedi is the dam of a yearling full brother to Libertango and foaled her full sister this past March 1.
Nyquist's Emphatic punctuates Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
By Christina Bossinakis
Not falling for the catch-me-if-you-can tactics of a longshot, Gainesway Stables and Andrew Rosen's Emphatic (Nyquist) came from just off the pace to hold safe closing 2-1 favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Miss Monica (Early Voting) at the end of Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland.
Straightening for home several lengths on top as the luckless Miss Monica broke free from the rest, Emphatic was set down for the drive, and despite Flavien Prat's best effort to reel in the late leader, the Brendan Walsh-trainee held on to score by one and a half lengths.
Emphatic's victory gave her Irish trainer his first Breeders' Cup score, while endowing Tyler Gaffalione, who won the 2022 Juvenile Fillies with Wonder Wheel, with his second victory.
“I felt like a winner the entire race,” Gaffalione said. “She broke alertly, put herself in the game early and when I pushed the button, she really responded.”
“I felt like a winner the entire race... when I pushed the button, she (Emphatic) really responded.” - Tyler Gaffalione
“We figured coming out of (Lexi's Charm's) last race, she thought she would be out front again but the only surprise was Miss Monica was not up there early. As far as my filly, I just let her run her race, acted like we were the only ones in there and she gave my confidence the entire race.”
Walsh added, “I'm really ecstatic. She went great and Tyler did a fantastic job. Everybody on my team–hats off to them. They do such a good job with this filly. Thanks to the Antony and Andrew, super people–we're just blessed. It was setting up perfectly. They were rolling.
“When she opened up, I thought she was going to tire a little bit, then she didn't, but Bob (Baffert)'s filly was running at her. But she was in front far enough and finished well. She's a super filly.”
Pedigree notes: Emphatic, whose sire (at Keeneland) and dam sire (twice) have both etched their names in Breeders' Cup history, is out of unraced Convinced, an US$85,000 (AU$121,000) purchase by Four Star Sales in foal to Maclean's Music at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale.
Convinced, who is out of a full sister to perennial leading sire Tapit, is the dam of three other winners from a total of five to race, including Emphatic's full sister Wesawtaylorinparis, placed in the PA-bred restricted Shamrock Rose Stakes in 2025.
Emphatic is the seventh Pennsylvania-bred to succeed at the Breeders' Cup and the first since 2022, when Caravel beat the boys in the Turf Sprint. Champion 2-year-old and G1 Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist is responsible for three prior Breeders' Cup winners.
