Eighteen-year-old Joseph O'Brien rode St Nicholas Abbey to a driving win in the $2,727,000 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs for his father, trainer Aidan O'Brien.
Joseph O'Brien, at 18 years, 5 month, becomes the youngest jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race. Fernando Jara won the 2006 Classic with Invasor at the age of 18 years, 10 months.
"This is very special. Unbelievable," said his understated father. "It was a wonderful race. He is an amazing rider. It's been a great day. It's been a great day. Thank you very much."
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66052/obriens-team-up-to-win-...
The young man is a talented jock. Very humble in his victory press conference. But this young lad has been on the back of Coolmore, and Ballydoyle horses and won prior so it isn't as big of a surprise. Congrats to Joseph. One more year as a jock, and then off to start his training career.
TicinoParadise 2 weeks ago
With Await The Dawn having nearly died from the fever he spiked after the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes back in August. It's been speculated by some that Aidan O'Brien was using the BC Turf as sort of a wind up or spring board race to go forward to Sha Tin next month for either the G1 Hong Kong Cup over 10f or the G1 Hong Kong Vase over 12f? Await The Dawn's only win at 12f came in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot back in June. But I think ATD may be better suited by 10f than 12f. TJMO.
GBeret83 3 months ago
Both of the horses that Ballydoyle ran in this race are very talented in their own right in St Nicholas Abbey and Await The Dawn. But it was a little tricky trying handicap which one was actually the best bet of the 2 in the race? I suspected with young Joseph O'Brien aboard SNA and with such a talented, seasoned jockey like Julien Leparoux aboard ATD that maybe SNA would be the one sacrificed as the pacemaker? But it turned out being exactly the opposite.
GBeret83 3 months ago