D. Wayne Lukas has some company atop the record books as the winningest trainer in Breeders' Cup history.
With two victories Nov. 1 on the first day of the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar—first by Lake Victoria in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) and then by Henri Matisse in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T)—Irish training legend Aidan O'Brien matched Hall of Famer Lukas as a 20-time Breeders' Cup winner.
"It's incredible, obviously, and we all know what an unbelievably special man Wayne is," O'Brien said, noting that he spoke by telephone with Lukas earlier in the week to discuss tendencies of racing at Del Mar. "I'm honored to equal his record. He's the most special man and always been such a help to us."
The tie could potentially be broken Nov. 2 on the event's second day. Lukas starts Seize the Grey in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and O'Brien has multiple runners, including City of Troy in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, close behind Lukas and O'Brien with 19 victories, also has starters Saturday.
Though heavily favored Lake Victoria's win was anticipated, Henri Matisse came into the race with some apparent drawbacks, including having a wide draw and form tarnished by problematic ways in two earlier defeats. Despite these losses, O'Brien, the 55-year-old "Master of Ballydoyle," marched on with Henri Matisse into the Juvenile Turf, optimistic that removing blinkers and catching firm ground could result in improvement.
It did. The young colt settled kindly in 10th in the 12-horse Juvenile Turf under Ryan Moore before kicking into gear on the second turn and swinging wide for the stretch run. He outkicked runner-up Iron Man Cal by a neck down the stretch. Aomori City rallied for third after breaking through the starting gate before the race and running in last early.
The winner ran a mile in 1:34.48 following splits of :22.65, :46.31, and 1:10.50 set by Dream On, who would weaken to fifth. The winner, who gave O'Brien a record-extending seventh win in the Juvenile Turf, returned $9.80 for a $2 wager as a slight public choice.
He earned $520,000, upping his bankroll to $783,148 with a record of 4-1-0 in six starts for owners Merriebelle Stable, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Susan Magnier—the latter three affiliated with the international racing and breeding powerhouse Coolmore.
While the winner had clear sailing down the stretch, the same was not true of Godolphin's Al Qudra, who clipped heels while trying to shoot a narrow gap between horses. He lost his balance, and though jockey James Doyle stayed aboard, the rider's right foot came out of his stirrup, and they lost all chance. Al Qudra finished eighth.
Stewards conducted an inquiry, examining the horses to the inside and outside of the opening, but made no change, determining that Al Qudra did not have a clear path.
Iron Man Cal, trained by Phil D'Amato for Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables, was the top-performing American horse under Antonio Fresu.
"Unbelievable. Just an amazing effort, so proud of him," said Little Red Feather managing partner Billy Koch.
Jockey Ryan Moore notched his 16th overall victory at the Breeders' Cup, many of those for O'Brien.
Coolmore representative M.V. Magnier praised the winning jockey and trainer during the postrace press conference.
"I'm very lucky and privileged to be sitting beside these two greats. Simple as that," he said.
Henri Matisse is a son of Wootton Bassett, who stands at Coolmore in Ireland, out of the group 1-winning Pivotal mare Immortal Verse. He is his dam's third graded stakes winner.
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