Balantina, an Irish Tale That Conquered the Turf at Del Mar

After the late scratch of favorite Precise, the daughter of Ten Sovereigns captured the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Balantina slipped through on the inside, weaving past rivals / BREEDERS' CUP

By Diego H. Mitagstein (Special Correspondent for Turf Diario at Del Mar, California)

DEL MAR, California — The Breeders’ Cup has a way of weaving together stories, generations, and destinies. And on Friday, the tale of the GI John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf was written with an Irish accent. Balantina, a daughter of Ten Sovereigns bred at Ballydoyle and trained by Donnacha O’Brien, produced a dream finish to score authoritatively, giving her young conditioner the first Breeders’ Cup victory of his career.

Racing in the colors of Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, the filly was given a flawless ride by Oisin Murphy, who found daylight along the rail in the stretch and drove her through to victory by 1 1/4 lengths over Pacific Mission (Lope de Vega), with Ground Support (Army Mule) another head back in third.

The British-bred filly stopped the clock in 1:35.70 for the mile over firm turf, sealing a tactically perfect performance executed with surgical precision by Murphy.

“She was fantastic,” the Irish rider said. “When she was stuck on the inside and the gap opened, I had the luck—and the filly—to take it. She’s such a great athlete, that’s why she handled this course so well.”

For O’Brien, who once reached the Breeders’ Cup winner’s circle as a jockey before turning to training, the emotion was unmistakable.

“This is very special,” he said. “Precise (Starspangledbanner) was a champion filly and her absence made things a bit easier, but to win here is just incredible. Oisin was majestic on her. She broke a touch slow, but once she found position on the inside, she had all the luck and all the power she needed. She’s brilliant.”

Balantina arrived at Del Mar with solid European credentials—runner-up at Deauville and third at The Curragh—having shown Group form and having faced Green Spirit (Kingman), widely considered the best French filly of her generation. That foundation, combined with Murphy’s composed hands, proved decisive when everything came together in California.

Out of Balankiyla (Montjeu), the bay filly earned her second win from six starts, boosting her career earnings to $572,440.

The race unfolded at a sharp tempo. Japanese runner Switch in Love (Contrail) blazed the early fractions in :22.33 and :45.96, shadowed closely by Ground Support, while Balantina began to build momentum from midpack. Turning for home, she threaded her way through on the inside rail and, once daylight appeared, surged forward with authority—the race was over the moment she hit her stride.

Del Mar once again bowed to the Irish flag, echoing the triumphs of Aidan O’Brien, Donnacha’s legendary father and the global symbol of Ballydoyle excellence. But this time, the surname was carried by a new voice, a new generation—proof that the legacy remains unbroken.

“To win a Breeders’ Cup with a filly like this—so young, so professional—it’s a dream come true,” O’Brien reflected. “It’s the result of a whole team’s work.”

His tone was calm, but his eyes said it all: pride, emotion, and the certainty of a milestone reached.

Balantina, the filly who grew up under Irish rain, found her crowning moment beneath the California sun.