Sun Goddess hit the top of the stretch and explodes to take the Juvenile Fillies Turf, Courtney Snow/Past The Wire
Breeders’ Cup Press
LEXINGTON, Ky, – On a sunny fall day in Kentucky, Sun Goddess (IRE) dazzled. The filly was a three-length winner of the $1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) on Friday at Keeneland, likely locking down Cartier Award honors as Europe’s outstanding 2-year-old filly with her fourth Grade/Group 1 win of the season.
“She’s a special filly,” trainer Aidan O’Brien said. “She did everything we have asked her to do, and everything we have asked her to do has been so unbelievably natural.”
O’Brien won his 22nd Breeders’ Cup race, at least momentarily breaking his tie with Bob Baffert as the event’s all-time leader by wins before Baffert answered right back by winning the Juvenile with Hughes. Both trainers, who are active the rest of the weekend, surpassed the late, great D. Wayne Lukas, who finished his career with 20 wins, during the 2025 event.
Heavily-favored Sun Goddess ($3.70), an Irish-born daughter of Sioux Nation and out of the Starspangledbanner mare Etoile Bleu, was bred in Ireland by Owenstown Bloodstock. She was purchased at last year’s Goffs UK Premier yearling sale by Avenue Bloodstock, on behalf of Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier, and now races for the affiliated Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.
Sun Goddess won just once from her first three starts, although she was second in her other two outings, including the Albany Stakes (G3) at the renowned Royal Ascot meeting. Since then, she has been on a tear, winning five straight races coming in to the Breeders’ Cup by a combined 15 1/2 lengths. The Breeders’ Cup marked her fourth career Grade/Group 1 win, as she also won the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh against colts, as well as the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh and the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, both back against fillies. In the latter, she defeated Libertango, who flattered her earlier in the day with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1).
With that form, Sun Goddess was one of the weekend’s heaviest favorites, and a perfect trip sealed her fate. The filly and Ryan Moore found an outstanding stalking spot in third on the outside, a bit closer than her usual style, as a result of moderate fractions set by Seneca Park, who managed to clear the field to save ground from toward the outside and still tick off the opening quarter in 24.16 seconds on a turf course that was very firm at the end of a dry week in Lexington.
“She was probably five places closer than we thought she would be, but Ryan played it well,” O’Brien said.
Sun Goddess made headway of her own accord to take over a clear second position as Seneca Park continued unchallenged through a modest half-mile in 48.83 seconds. But the favorite was breathing down her neck around the far turn – and, once straightened away into the stretch, pounced. Sun Goddess lengthened her stride and cleared with devastating ease, spurting clear by 2 1/2 lengths. With Moore keeping her to task to keep focused, she was not threatened to the wire.
“She’s been very good all year,” said Moore, who won his 17th Breeders’ Cup race. “I’ll be honest, I don’t think you saw the best of her today. The ground’s a little bit more dead than I expected it to be. The pace was very slow … She’s probably two or three levels above them.”
Sun Goddess stopped the clock in 1:36.10 for the mile.
Green Empress (IRE), who was second to Sun Goddess in the Moyglare Stud before bouncing back to win the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1), was a fine second once again. She closed from sixth at the half into the slow pace to be second by a neck over Curracloe.
“It was a slow time,” jockey Dylan McMonagle said. “I was probably one spot too far back, but had to just deal with it. She’s came home good and she’s ran a cracker.”
After Curracloe, making just her third start, it was another three-quarters of a length to Amusingly, followed, in order, by Alwaysanangel (IRE), Scommessa Sicura (IRE), Ballinea Star (IRE), Domestic Agenda, De la Renta, Silent Beauty (IRE), Quibbler, Seneca Park, Vanta, and Luminous Beauty. A full field went in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, with also-eligibles Silent Beauty, Luminous Beauty, and Quibbler, in order, all drawing in. Go for Launch and then Serenas Ghost had been scratched earlier in the week, and Citrus Springs was scratched Friday morning.
Race Quotes:
Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien (Sun Goddess (IRE)): “She’s a special filly. She did everything we have asked her to do and everything we have asked her to do has been so unbelievably natural. She’s better ridden back and coming at horses, because when she gets to the front, she doesn’t do much, but today she just totally dominant, wasn’t she. She was probably five places closer than we thought she would be, but Ryan played it well. When you put a strong pace in front of her, you see what happens. The European form held up well. Very good form.”
Winning jockey Ryan Moore (Sun Goddess (IRE)): “She’s been very good all year. I’ll be honest, I don’t think you saw the best of her today. The ground’s a little bit more dead than I expected it to be. The pace was very slow…
“She’s probably two or three levels above them, and Joe’s (O’Brien) filly (Green Empress) was second again – that’s how it’s been all year.”
Second-place trainer Joseph O’Brien (Green Empress (IRE)): “Both fillies ran super. I think (the further the better) with (Green Empress), we’ll see.”
Second-place jockey Dylan McMonagle (Green Empress (IRE)): “It was a slow time. I was probably one spot too far back, but had to just deal with it.
“She’s came home good and she’s ran a cracker.”
Third-place trainer John Murtagh (Curracloe): “I was hoping that she would run like that. She’s a very nice filly. Her temperament is really, really good. She’s not the finished article yet. I do think that after today it will bring her on. We always thought she would be a really nice 3-year-old going forward. She ran excellent behind two very good fillies. It was a very promising third and her best days are ahead of her.”
Third-place jockey Ben Coen (Curracloe): “I had a nice run around. She ran great. Hopefully she’ll strengthen up and do well from 2 to 3. Competitive race. It’s only her third start.”
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