Lake Victoria's flawless record remains intact after she struck in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.
Aidan O’Brien’s Frankel two-year-old was ridden by Ryan Moore on an inside line in the opening stages of the one-mile contest, with the filly significantly tightened up for room on the first bend.
Lake Victoria appeared to briefly lose her balance, but Moore soon got her back on an even keel and was able to regain momentum on the rail.
In the straight she was switched out to find some racing room and when asked was easily able to pull away to a comprehensive success, extending her unbeaten run to five races and adding a third top-level success after victories in the Moyglare and Cheveley Park Stakes.
O’Brien was full of praise for Moore’s ride given the trouble Lake Victoria encountered in the initial exchanges.
He said: "Whether she got crowded or was bumped I’m not sure, but Ryan was further back than he wanted to be. He was in a terrible position but he gave her a brilliant ride
"The lads (Coolmore) decided to give her a bit more time (after the Cheveley Park) and come here and Ryan was very confident.
"Ryan says she will be a miler and we will train her for the Guineas. Hopefully she will get a mile and a quarter.
"We will let her thrive over the winter with the colts and then we will map out plans for all of them into the new year."
Moore was in no doubt about Lake Victoria’s class before the race and felt she had stamped her authority in style.
He said: "She had very strong form, all she needed was normal racing luck she had her share of that and she was much the best.
"I had no concerns about the distance she had won over seven at the Curragh and to me there was no doubt that she would get the mile – she was way too good for them.
"Going forward, she’s more of a miler and probably a Guineas filly."
Reflecting on the incident on the first turn, Moore added: "She got pushed into the fence and that was that. They had gone pretty quick and by the end of the back (straight) most of them were done.
"She jumped very well but there were quite a lot of them wanted to lead, there wasn’t much space."
The filly is owned by the Coolmore triumvirate but runs in the colours of Michael Tabor, who is eager to see what the filly achieves in the future.
He said: "Something happened that I couldn’t quite see but she showed she is special under a great ride.
"She ranks very highly with some of our best fillies, only time will tell how good she is."
Henri Matisse makes it 20 BC wins for O'Brien
Henri Matisse came out on top to land the Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.
Aidan O’Brien’s colt and his rivals were made to wait in the stalls after Aomori City broke through the starting gates and had to be reloaded.
When the field got away, the winner’s class showed as he overcame a wide passage to soar to success on a fruitful day for Ryan Moore and the Coolmore team.
Henri Matisse was O’Brien’s 20th Breeders’ Cup winner, equalling the record of the great D Wayne Lukas.
"It’s incredible, we all know what a special man he is. I’m honoured to be anywhere close to his record," said O’Brien.
"I’m delighted for everybody. What can you say about Wayne? He rang me earlier in the week and he told me about this track, how to ride it and what to do and what not to do.
"He was saying about the Classic and how he thought we should ride our horse (City Of Troy). We feel very grateful and really privileged that he was so good to tell us everything – honoured really.
"I remember Wayne came down and told us what to do about the pony (when Giant’s Causeway ran in the 2000 Classic), then he said 'I’ll come down and I’ll do it for you’.
"That was the Giant’s Causeway time and ever since he’s been such a help to us, we’re just so grateful to him. What a special man."
Henri Matisse won his first three starts and then finished second in the National Stakes, prompting O’Brien to try him in blinkers in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
The trainer said: "He went to the front in the National Stakes and dinked a bit. Then he had another legitimate excuse when I put blinkers on him.
"Ryan thought in France we did the wrong thing in putting blinkers on him, he was a little bit shy and he got a bad bump early and got a bit of a fright.
"He had to come through the bad ground and Ryan said to put a line through the run, there were a good few things went wrong.
"We always thought he was a very good horse, he’s another Wootton Bassett, an unbelievable talent.
"He’s not finished article yet but Ryan gave him a brilliant ride, he’s a beautiful horse, a very well bred horse.
"It’s so special and one thing about them is they get better every week.
"Ryan thinks he’ll be a miler, which means he’ll be a Guineas horse."
Moore was impressed with the manner of Henri Matisse’s victory over Iron Man Cal, with Aomori City having made up late ground to take third.
The rider said: "He won that very easily, he showed us ability right from the start but things didn’t go his way in the National Stakes.
"A couple came out today and he was drawn 12 but he was easily the best. It was a very good performance."
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