O’Brien’s Two-Year-Olds Signal Breeders’ Cup Strength
Elle
Nov 6th 2025
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With another potential powerful impact, Aidan O’Brien’s training unit seems to be in line for the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar Future Stars Friday. Their recent performances of the hopeful juveniles in various locations of Europe have been a loud and clear signal of their preparation for the global scene.
One of the worldwide racing phenomena that the Irish trainer is, he went on to win and create so much buzz in three Group 1 races in England and France. He is the one whose name came up again and again when people talked about top class young horses of his stable over the weekend.
At Doncaster, Sandown, and Saint-Cloud, O’Brien’s young horses delivered performances that strengthened their credentials for the Breeders’ Cup. The combination of tactical discipline, late-race stamina, and professional maturity was evident, leaving analysts confident about their prospects at Del Mar.
In the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud, Henry Longfellow produced a measured run to take the Group 1 event with authority. After Ryan Moore had the colt under control, the horse relaxed in the pocket and then flashed a brilliant turn of foot to quickly distance himself from the other horses. This display was a great repeat of O'Brien's method of getting his young horses ready for their optimum performance at the exact time.
Meanwhile, in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, Diego Velazquez displayed both composure and determination to secure another top-level win for the Ballydoyle operation. The colt’s smooth acceleration in the final furlong drew comparisons to O’Brien’s past stars and future stars who went on to Classic success the following spring.
Observers have often pointed to O’Brien’s ability to balance patient conditioning with race-day precision. His horses are rarely over-raced, allowing them to build confidence and strength with each appearance. That philosophy was visible again this weekend, as his entries showed both freshness and focus in their races.
Speaking after the wins, O’Brien credited his Coolmore team at Ballydoyle and the Coolmore ownership group for maintaining the stable’s high standards. “These horses have been handled carefully from their first day in training,” he said. “It’s about building their confidence and giving them the right experience before they meet tougher opposition.”
That structured approach continues to pay dividends. Many of O’Brien’s Breeders’ Cup runners arrive in California having raced in major European events, often against older or more seasoned opposition. The experience of running on varying ground conditions also helps them adapt quickly to the fast turf at Del Mar.
At the next Breeders’ Cup Future Stars Friday, O’Brien will have a range of youngsters from different divisions, in which he will be active. From the looks of it, Henry Longfellow might race in the Juvenile Turf, and Diego Velazquez could either aim at the Juvenile Turf Sprint or the Juvenile Turf, depending on the weather. A trendy point to a juvenile filly named Opera Singer, carrying on a brilliant finish to her season, she will likely be in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
O’Brien’s Breeders’ Cup record is impressive to say the least. In fact, he has been the driving force behind quite a few victorious horses throughout the different years, and in most cases, his well-mannered European runners have prevailed over the ill-fated American ones, thus causing fans to lose their favorites. His horses’ ability to settle early and quicken late has proven particularly effective in U.S. races that tend to favor tactical speed.
This year’s edition carries additional intrigue given the strength of American 2-year-olds, led by trainers like Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown. However, O’Brien’s contingent appears ready to challenge them head-on, and recent European results suggest his stable is peaking at the ideal time.
The importance of O’Brien’s triumph over the weekend was not only limited to Europe. On these very days, major racing events were held in Australia and Japan, notably the Cox Plate and the last stage of the Japanese Triple Crown. However, it was O’Brien’s juveniles’ races that caught the eye of the racing press worldwide, thereby showing the far-reaching influence of his stable.
He is now fully concentrating on Del Mar, where he will have to get used to the new time and place after the journey. It doesn’t take the Ballydoyle team, which is from quite far, to figure out how to transport horses from one continent to another in such a way that they can stay in good shape during the trip and arrive healthy and fit.
Before the Breeders’ Cup weekend, the excitement is really palpable when people wonder if O’Brien is going to be able to take his recent triumphs in Europe over to the U.S. His juveniles have already demonstrated the ability and the maturity needed for the top tier, and the new runs of them are definitely signals that the squad is willing to carry on their achievements in the Golden State.
With his current roster of precocious colts and fillies, Aidan O’Brien once again finds himself at the center of attention heading into one of racing’s most prestigious weekends. The message from Europe was clear: Ballydoyle’s next generation is on the rise, and Del Mar may be their next stage for global recognition.
