Breeders’ Cup winner Lake Victoria takes Irish Guineas

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Lake Victoria rebounded from her only loss when she surged to a 2 1/4-length win Sunday in the Group 1, US$568,425 Irish 1,000 Guineas, a one-mile test for 3-year-old fillies at the Curragh.

Ryan Moore rode the daughter of Frankel into stalking position behind California Dreamer, who set a slow pace on the good turf. Lake Victoria (10-11 in Ireland, 1-4 in the U.S.) pounced in the final furlong and drew away at the finish.

California Dreamer (50-1, 99-1) held on for second, and Cercene (20-1, 39-1) was another 1 3/4 lengths behind finishing third in the field of 12. The winning time was 1:36.38.

In her 3-year-old debut, Lake Victoria finished sixth in England’s 1,000 Guineas (G1) on May 4 at Newmarket.

A Coolmore homebred trained by Aidan O’Brien, Lake Victoria was undefeated in her five starts as a 2-year-old. After debut and Group 3 wins last summer, she added Group 1 scores in the Moyglare Stud and Cheveley Park before her Breeders’ Cup win in November at Del Mar.