Lake Victoria Delivers in BC Juvenile Fillies Turf

It took just a tick or two under 95 seconds for Lake Victoria (IRE) to answer the question of what on earth a Coolmore homebred filly with classic aspirations was doing so far from home in November of an already flawless 2-year-old campaign, running around two tight turns against a baker’s dozen opponents bent on bursting her perfect bubble. The bay daughter of Frankel (GB) turned the $920,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Del Mar, on the afternoon of Nov. 1, into a preview of wonders to come with an efficient, 1 1/2-length victory over May Day Ready at the end of one mile on the firmest turf she is likely to encounter for a long time. It was almost as easy as it looked. Almost. Breaking from the inside post of the jam-packed gate, Lake Victoria left cleanly enough but was no match for the speedy course specialist, Thought Process, and nifty little Kilwin, who set off past the stands as if sprinting for dollars. Ryan Moore, by now thoroughly familiar with racing on American rails, asked Lake Victoria to hustle along to hold midpack position. She was approaching the first left-hand turn of her life—at least in battle—and collective breath was being held in the camp of trainer Aidan O’Brien. “She jumped very well, and I was just trying to get her a bit of space to get her comfortable,” Moore said. “Then we got pressure from the outside and pushed to the fence, and that was that. When that happens, it’s significant. It puts you at a disadvantage.” Filly and rider kept their cool, though, and by the time the field reached the long backstretch, Lake Victoria had settled about four or five lengths off the half-mile split of :45.37, set by Thought Process. “They were going very quick,” Moore said. “By the time we got halfway down the backside I saw they were done up front.” Still, there was the matter of threading a couple of needles as the front-runners collapsed and others began their runs from behind. Entering the stretch, Moore wisely gave up an inside route, tipped out a couple of lanes, and came running with his filly to a wire that comes up quickly. Lake Victoria left the field in plenty of time to hold the late runners safe. The final time of 1:34.28 was the fastest of the three Juvenile Fillies Turf offerings so far at Del Mar. May Day Ready, under Frankie Dettori, ran back to her narrow win in the Jessamine Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland to hold off third-place Nitrogen, an admirable maiden. Britain’s Fiery Lucy (GB) was fourth, with a break back to Kilwin and a cluster of fillies to 11th-place Heavens Gate (IRE), the winner’s stablemate. Lake Victoria returned $3.40 as the favorite. Lake Victoria made a winning debut at The Curragh in June under Moore, after which Sean Levey rode her to victory in the Sweet Solera Stakes (G3) at Newmarket, and Wayne Lordan was aboard back at The Curragh for her impressive score in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs. Moore got back into the act for her most recent start at Newmarket in the Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) Sept. 28. Dropping back to six furlongs, Lake Victoria romped by three. “Going from seven back to six and on to a mile is a bit unusual,” O’Brien conceded. “But Ryan assured me he thought the mile was well within her scope.” If the hubbub of the Breeders’ Cup experience bothered Lake Victoria, she hid it well. The O’Brien crew kept her in the quiet first stall of the saddling paddock longer than the others, bringing her out for a couple of turns under tack before Moore climbed aboard. She was traced clipped, in deference to Del Mar afternoons that had been warmer than her Ballydoyle home, and paraded with a low-headed stride that presented a racy, stream-lined profile. Lake Victoria followed 2023 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) winner Inspiral (GB) as Breeders’ Cup-winning fillies sired by Frankel. Lake Victoria’s dam, Quiet Reflection (GB), is a daughter of Showcasing (GB) who defeated males in British group 1 sprints. The target now will be the English One Thousand Guineas (G1) at Newmarket May 4, 2025.