Ireland’s Aidan O’Brien has become the most successful trainer in Breeders’ Cup history with Gstaad’s emphatic victory in the Juvenile Turf.
Despite a tricky wide post in the one-mile race at Del Mar, near San Diego, Gstaad breezed past his rivals as rider Christophe Soumillon timed his late push superbly.
It secured a record 21st Breeders’ Cup win for O’Brien, who surpasses the late D Wayne Lukas, as well as a record-extending eighth in the Juvenile Turf.
“It’s special, Wayne was a special man, unbelievable,” said O’Brien.
“Wayne was such a big help to us all the time and when we had Giant’s Causeway he was such a help. He was there at the barn when we were relatively new here and helped shoe him and he came down to the track with us on his own horse.
“Everything he did was for his horses and his owners. He dreamed a lot and was an incredibly special man.”
While O’Brien senior, who has 26 top-level wins this year, claimed the all-time record at the championships, his son Donnacha O’Brien celebrated his first Breeders’ Cup win.
His maiden triumph came when champion jockey Oisin Murphy rode Balantina to a thundering surprise win in the $1m (£760,292) Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“This is very special. It was fantastic,” Donnacha, 27, said after joining his father and brother Joseph as a winning Breeders’ Cup trainer.
“To watch Dad do it year-in and year-out, and Joseph to get winners – nice to be on the board.”