Love delivers O’Brien’s seventh 1000 Guineas win

Trainer Aidan O’Brien’s modern day stranglehold of the 1000 Guineas, England’s first major race of the season for 3-year-old fillies, continued Sunday.

Under patient handling by jockey Ryan Moore, Love burst from just off the pace to the lead in the Newmarket stretch, undeterred going the mile trip in each contender’s first race off the bench owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It marked O’Brien’s fourth 1000 Guineas victory in five years and his sixth overall dating back to 2005.

Despite the conditioner’s dominance, Love wasn’t the one to beat. Away at 4-1, on the U.S. tote, she was the second choice in the field of 15 behind Quadrilateral, the previously unbeaten daughter of Frankel.

Cloak Of Spirits, the pacesetter, held for second as Quadrilateral chased in third in the 1000 Guineas.

A daughter of Galileo, Love was bred in Ireland by Coolmore. She was twice a group winner entering Sunday with scores in last year’s Silver Flash Stakes (G3) at Leopardstown and the Mogylare Stud Stakes (G1) at the Curragh.

Love was one O’Brien opted not to try at the Breeders’ Cup last fall at Santa Anita Park. She had most recently been third in the Oct. 11 Bet365 Fillies Mile (G1) at Newmarket, site of Sunday’s signature win.