Undefeated Immersive Rolls for winning young fillies

It's hard to imagine a better start to a career than the season for two-year-olds Immersive has put together.

Already a two-time Grade 1 winner, she is entering her biggest test yet, her 4 1/2-length dominance in the $1.82 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Del Mar November 1st bowed at the presentation of the Eclipse Championship Awards.

Training a two-year-old champion filly is nothing new for trainer Brad Cox, who won the 2019 Juvenile Fillies en route to Eclipse honors British idiom . Despite similarities in their careers – both debut winners at Saratoga Racetrack and winner of the Alcibiades Stakes (G1). Keeneland—Cox says Immersive is the best two-year-old filly he has ever trained.

“I think the two-year-old fillies are the best we’ve ever had,” Cox said. “We didn’t have a single win in three classes 1 and 2. We are thrilled with what she has achieved, proud of her and looking forward to next year.”

Immersive brought Cox into the Breeders' Cup winners' circle for the seventh consecutive year, a streak that began with Monomoy girl 's victory in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). In total, the Kentucky-based trainer emerged victorious in 11 world championship competitions.

A stallion bred by Darley himself Nyquist Immersive, who is taking his second win as a sire in the Juvenile Fillies, was the first Juvenile Fillies winner for Godolphin since Tempera in 2001.

“We can’t ask her to do more than she’s already done,” said Michael Banahan, director of blood donation at Godolphin USA. “We couldn’t be happier that we went from winning by three quarters in the first win to what she did today.”

The race went perfectly for Immersive as she established herself in the midfield in the early stages. Trained by Bob Baffert Nooni put in her usual early performance and pulled away from the rest of the field by several lengths, posting quick fractions of :22.00, :44.99 and 1:10.03.

Immersive's runner-up in the first half of the 1 1/16-mile event, winner of the Frizette Stakes (G1). Scottish Lassie She made an early attempt to hold off the 2-1 favorite, which left her coach and her supporters at the window a little worried.

When jockey Manny Franco popped the question at the five-sixteenth pole, she shifted gears and allowed her class to draw level with the leaders at the quarter pole.

“I knew the pace was building up front, so I took my time,” said Franco, who earned his second career Breeders' Cup victory. “I said, 'Let's go, this is the time.' She was there for me.

Take the lead Vodka with a twist and Scottish Lassie on the eighth pole, Immersive managed to stop the time in 1:44.36. She paid $6.00 to win.

The win caps a perfect 4-on-4 campaign with career earnings of $1,622,700. 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Nyquist, who contested the 2024 season at Darley America in Lexington for a fee of $85,000, was also represented by Grade 1 winners this season Tenma , Randomized And John . Johannes will compete in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) on November 2nd. Immersive comes from the winning Bernardini mare gap year .

Vodka with a twistwho had been closest to Nooni in the early stages fought hard to stay second.

“She just fought every step of the way and got beat by a really nice filly,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “She was bought for $2,500 and she doesn’t know it. I think she will continue to develop and I think she will be an even better three-year-old.”

Quickick Second to Immersive in the Alcibiades on October 4, came a close third after spreading the field over several lengths at the start. Her coach, Tom Amoss, said he was surprised at how far she fell back but was proud of her ability to close.

“She really fell out of the gate and put herself in a very difficult position … but in the end she came running,” Amoss said. “If you are a paddock expert and you watch, you can see that our filly is not as mature as some of these other horses. The best is yet to come for her. She’ll get stronger and bigger.”

She hopes to turn the tables on Immersive in the future, as the department's eyes are now focused on being there Churchill Downs May 2 for the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Immersive received 30 qualifying points with their win, bringing their total points to 40. The rest of the top five received points on a scale of 15-9-6-3.

“We would like to think (the Kentucky Oaks) is a possibility,” Banahan said. “We know when you turn the calendar year around, it’s a new year for everyone, and I’m sure there will be other fillies that will raise their hand and be big challengers too.”

“Like Brad (Cox) said, the further they get, the better. Looks like she has a lot of stamina. It’s fast enough to drop even quick fractions.”

Video: NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1)