Already a young classic winner, Tuesday is now a young Breeders' Cup winner.
Campaigned by the Coolmore-affiliated Westerberg, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, Tuesday rallied from seventh—surging past recent Keeneland grade 1 winner In Italian—to post a one-length victory in the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
A daughter of Galileo, Tuesday set a course record in completing the 1 3/16-mile test for fillies and mares in 1:51.88 on firm ground.
"She did everything beautifully today," said winning jockey Ryan Moore. "I thought she would have won a couple of more this year, but she won the (Cazoo Oaks, G1, at Epsom) and a Breeders' Cup. So it's a fantastic double for any racehorse to achieve."
The victory marked the third Breeders' Cup win of the weekend for Coolmore, trainer Aidan O'Brien, and Moore after they teamed on Friday to win the Juvenile Turf (G1T) with Victoria Road and the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) with Meditate.
Tuesday's Breeders' Cup victory ended a four-race losing streak dating back to her classic triumph, a slump that surprised Moore who thought additional group 1 wins would follow after her Epsom triumph. O'Brien noted that while victory would prove elusive in that stretch, he thought the racing experience and fitness were benefitting his young runner.
When Tuesday won the Oaks, she did it on her actual 3-year-old birthday. The races that followed would prepare her to defeat older fillies and mares in the Filly & Mare Turf.
"We had to be very conscious that she was very immature," O'Brien said. "And we had her pointed to this race all year. We knew that she had to compete from the Oaks to now, but we had it in our head that if we trained her hard, we would stop the physical improvement—stop her from maturing. We trained her ready for the races, but every race wasn't a be-all-end-all, if you know what I mean."
Tuesday was ready for her Nov. 5 test.
As expected, In Italian and Joel Rosario wasted no time in moving to the lead and opening a clear advantage through a quarter-mile in :22.82. Back on the same Lexington ground where she had won the First Lady Stakes Presented by UK Healthcare (G1T) in front-running fashion four weeks ago, In Italian settled into swift fractions of :46.38 for a half-mile and 1:10.31 for six furlongs.
In Italian opened a 2 1/2-length lead in the stretch with Lady Speightspeare briefly providing a threat after she got through, but it would be Tuesday that proved the bigger concern for the classy front-runner. After creeping within striking distance in the far turn, Tuesday launched a five-wide drive and quickened once straightened for the drive.
Tuesday caught In Italian inside the sixteenth pole and kicked away. In Italian, who grudgingly yielded the lead, held second while Lady Speightspeare finished third. Nashwa, the 5-2 favorite, settled for fourth.
"She gave me everything she had," Rosario said of In Italian. "She did everything I asked. It was just a little tough starting from the outside."
In Italian's trainer Chad Brown had hoped for slower early fractions.
"She ran great but was going way too fast," Brown said. "I'm really disappointed with the fractions, but what am I going to do. 1:10 for three-quarters is just punishing there. She ran her heart out and I'm really proud of her effort. The winner ran quite well. It was a good horse race—I just wish we could have hit that three-quarter marker in something other than 1:10."
John Gosden, trainer of two-time group 1 winner Nashwa, thought the daughter of Frankel was a bit too far back early.
"Obviously we were a little slow way from the gate and lost the benefit of our post position (3)," Gosden said. "We got a little bit too far back on what is a fast track with a tailwind, then pinned down on the inside—couldn't get out. She finally got out and the race was over, but she was running on very well there."
Moore said when he's competing in a race with a top front-running horse such as In Italian on the front end, he's well aware that a well-timed decision might be needed, but he largely focuses on his filly.
"I can't ride the other horse, I can only try to keep it comfortable for my filly," Moore said. "If you wait a little too long, people might think you're giving her too much to do. But if you move a little early, then you're empty.
"But you just have to trust your horse, and, look, today it worked out. The runner-up is obviously a very good filly."
Tuesday is out of two-time group 1 winner and English highweight Lillie Langtry (IRE), by Danehill Dancer. Tuesday is a full sister to two time classic winner, two-time European champion, and multiple group 1 winner Minding, as well as to Irish classic winner Empress Josephine and to group 3 winner Kissed By Angels.
O'Brien said a final decision has not been made but it's likely that Tuesday will continue racing next season.
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