73-1 Order of Australia stuns in Breeders' Cup Mile

Order of Australia has gone from Breeders’ Cup also-eligible to Breeders’ Cup champion.

The 3-year-old son of Australia, the longest shot on the board at 73-1, pulled off a remarkable upset Saturday in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. He became the second-longest shot to ever win a race in the championships' history; only 1993 Classic winner Arcangues (133-1) carried a bigger price.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Order of Australia was not even part of the 14-horse field until One Master scratched this week. He had won only two races in his seven-start career and had never finished better than fourth in a stakes.

Order of Australia found a most unlikely spot for his stakes breakthrough in the $2 million Mile at Keeneland. He returned $148.40 on a $2 bet.

O’Brien enjoyed his first Breeders’ Cup triumph since Mendelssohn won the 2017 Juvenile Turf. The trainer had lost with his last 39 Breeders’ Cup starters but pulled off a 1-2-3 finish in the Mile with stablemates Circus Maximus (11-1) and Lope Y Fernandez (18-1) also coming home second and third, respectively.

“It’s a real team effort, we’re very happy," said Pat Keating, traveling head man for O'Brien's operation. "First three home is unbelievable. You need a lot of luck in this game. We’re looking enough to have good horses and  good jockeys. I’m just happy for everyone involved.” 

Together, the O’Brien brigade juiced up the tote board. Returns were $2,117.80 on a $2 exacta, $8,786 on a $1 trifecta and $152,804.80 on a $1 superfecta that included fourth-place runner Ivar.

Adding to the win’s improbability, Pierre-Charles Boudot’s opportunity to ride Order of Australia was a result of fellow jockey Christophe Soumillon testing positive this week for COVID-19. With Soumillon unavailable, O’Brien gave the mount to Boudot, who was originally supposed to pilot the scratched One Master.

“It’s dream come true," Boudot said. "... Order Of Australia is a fast horse, the mile is very good for him and the good ground was perfect. He gave me a nice turn of foot but when he got to the front. He’s a tricky horse as he needs some help to concentrate. I’m over the moon.” 

Boudot and Order of Australia, wearing the No. 15 saddle cloth, broke from the far outside post in the 14-horse gate. To their inside, Grade 1 winner Halladay went out to the lead.

Halladay set fractions of 23.48 and 46.97. Factor This, Kameko, the tepid 5-1 post-time favorite, and Order of Australia ran second through fourth behind the Todd Pletcher trainee.

Order of Australia sat comfortably in the three-path turning for home and had plenty of running left in the tank. With Boudot going to a right-hand crop, the colt rallied by the frontrunners and hit the wire a neck clear of late-running Circus Maximus.

Boudot collected the second Breeders’ Cup win of both the day and of his career, also winning the Filly & Mare Turf earlier in the card aboard Audarya.

Order of Australia is a half-brother to Iridessa, the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine for O’Brien’s son, Joseph O’Brien. Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Anne Marie O’Brien own the Irish-bred winner.

Circus Maximus' second-place finish improved by two positions from his fourth-place finish in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Mile. The 4-year-old Galileo colt won the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) in June at Royal Ascot but is winless in five starts since.

“My horse ran lovely," jockey Ryan Moore said. "He ran a solid race.” 

Lope Y Fernandez is a Group 3 winner in Europe. Jockey Frankie Dettori piloted the 3-year-old Lope De Vega colt, who was seventh in a pair of Group 1 events in his last two starts before shipping to Keeneland.

“He ran very well," Dettori said. "I lost my spot on the turn. That cost me a bit. Then he came in good.” 

Ivar scored the highest-finish of any Mile runner based in North America. The winner of the local Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) last month ran mid-pack most of the way Saturday and made mild gains late to cross fourth.

"It was a very even race," trainer Paulo Lobo said of the 4-year-old Agnes Gold colt. "Lots of Grade 1 winners in there. No excuse.” 

Finishing fifth through 14th, in order, were 2019 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Uni, Halladay, Kameko, Factor This, Siskin, Raging Bull, Digital Age, Casa Creed, March to the Arch and Safe Voyage.