In the 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T), Lake Victoria entered as an overwhelming favorite for her Coolmore-affiliated owners and Aidan O'Brien, running to her odds and proving best. Now, the same team looks for a déjá vu moment at Del Mar Oct. 31 in the $1 million race with the Starspangledbanner filly Precise.
Last seen pulling away by 3 1/4 lengths in Newmarket's Fillies' Mile (G1), the dual group 1 winner is already proving O'Brien's early confidence correct.
"I think she's a classic filly," O'Brien was quoted in the Racing Post following her victory. "(Jockey) Christophe (Soumillon) was super confident in her; she cantered at all stages of the race. I'd say there's a lot more to come from her both physically and mentally."
On the Oct. 27 episode of the BloodHorse Monday podcast, Racing Post's David Jennings said O'Brien stated that Precise could be even better than Minding, the 2016 European Horse of the Year and winner of the Epsom Oaks (G1), One Thousand Guineas (G1), and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1).
"He was going beyond Lake Victoria and even going to some of the legends of Ballydoyle," Jennings said. "That was an extraordinary statement to make after her success in the Fillies' Mile."
However, that talent still needs to ship across the pond where several talented American runners lay in wait. Four of those American runners share the same career statistics so far: 2-for-2 with a graded stakes win. Although their records may be similar, their running styles vary.
NBS Stable's Ground Support appears one who will be forward in Friday's 1-mile contest as she took the Oct. 4 Miss Grillo Stakes (G2T) in front-running fashion at Aqueduct Racetrack by 2 lengths for trainer Kelsey Danner over 1 1/16 miles. Spendthrift Farm homebred Brave Deb also has early speed and exits a Surfer Girl Stakes (G3T) victory at Santa Anita Park Oct. 5 where she stalked from second before winning by a length.
Meanwhile, the Jessamine Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland Oct. 3 played to the closers. Mark Dobbin's Imaginationthelady made her move from midpack to keep her unbeaten record intact for trainer Brendan Walsh while Godolphin homebred Infinite Sky and Repole Stable's Time to Dream came from further back to complete the trifecta. All three are daughters of Not This Time and all three rematch Friday.
The final 2-for-2 filly with a graded win is Gary Barber and Peter Deutsch's Final Accord from the Mark Casse barn. After a 1-length win in the 6-furlong Matron Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct, she stretches around two turns for the first time.
A final unbeaten runner in the field is Live Oak Plantation homebred Ultimate Love, who is 3-for-3 between Colonial Downs and Laurel Park with a combined win margin of 13 1/2 lengths. She exits a triumph in the Selima Stakes Sept. 27.
Del Mar, Friday, October 31, 2025, Race 8Entries: John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Ultimate Love (FL) John R. Velazquez 122 Michael J. Trombetta 8/1 2 2Queen of Hawaii (IRE) Dylan Browne McMonagle 122 Joseph Patrick O'Brien 12/1 3 3Imaginationthelady (KY) Lanfranco Dettori 122 Brendan P. Walsh 10/1 4 4Infinite Sky (KY) Flavien Prat 122 Brad H. Cox 20/1 5 5Final Accord (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 122 Mark E. Casse 15/1 6 6Switch in Love (JPN) Ryusei Sakai 122 Yoshito Yahagi 20/1 7 7Celebrity Warrior (IRE) Luis Saez 122 Todd A. Pletcher 30/1 8 8Brave Deb (KY) Mirco Demuro 122 Richard E. Mandella 20/1 9 9Time to Dream (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 Todd A. Pletcher 5/1 10 10Balantina (IRE) Oisin Murphy 122 Donnacha O'Brien 30/1 11 11Ground Support (FL) Adam Beschizza 122 Kelsey Danner 15/1 12 12Pacific Mission (GB) Colin T. Keane 122 Andrew Balding 15/1 13 13Precise (IRE) Christophe Soumillon 122 Aidan P. O'Brien 6/5
