Breeders’ Cup: Tuesday has her day, wins Filly & Mare Turf

Lexington, Ky.

After failing to finish in the money in her last two races on rain-softened ground in France, a 3-year-old named Tuesday (4-1) found the firm footing Saturday at Keeneland much more to her liking.

Ryan Moore rode the Coolmore homebred by Galileo from off the pace to a one-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The win in the 1 3/16-mile race was the third of these two-day championships for Moore and trainer Aidan O’Brien.

The winning time of 1:51.88 set a course record. It went along with six stakes records already set this fall on the drought-hardened grass at Keeneland.

In Italian (5-2), who established early fractions of 22.82, 46.83, 1:10.31 and 1:34.34, was caught in the last sixteenth of a mile and settled for second. Lady Speightspeare (32-1) finished another half-length back in third followed two lengths later in fourth by post-time favorite Nashwa (5-2).

Tuesday paid $10.38, $5.26 and $4.48; In Italian $4.84 and $4.18; and Lady Speightspeare $14.08.

It was Tuesday’s first victory since the Epsom Oaks (G1) on June 3 in England. She since finished fourth in the Irish Oaks (G1), second in the Yorkshire Oaks (G1), fourth in the Prix Vermeille (G1) and sixth in the Prix de l’Opéra (G1), the last two coming on boggy ground at ParisLongchamp.

“She’s a filly that won the (Epsom) Oaks when she was barely 3, and we were conscious of that and we let her dally through the rest of the year," O'Brien said after the race. "We had our eye on this race for her. She’s an amazing filly from an unbelievable pedigree as well. Totally 100 percent homebred which makes this incredible and a privilege for us. Ryan gave her a stunning ride."

O’Brien has 16 Breeders’ Cup wins, the most for any international trainer. Moore has 12 such victories. The two of them also teamed for wins Friday with Meditate in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Victoria Road in the Juvenile Turf.