Del Mar witnessed a stunning upset Friday as 20-1 longshot Balantina (Ire) captured the GI John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a powerful late-running move up the rail.
The Irish filly, trained by Donnacha O’Brien, gave clear signals of her readiness during the post parade, displaying high energy that foreshadowed her breakthrough performance.
“This is very special,” O’Brien said after securing his first Breeders’ Cup victory. “It was fantastic. Precise is a champion filly so when she was scratched it made it a little bit easier for us, but it’s incredible. Oisin was majestic on her.”
Jockey Oisin Murphy, who earned his second Breeders’ Cup win after taking the 2021 GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff with Marche Lorraine (JPN), executed a patient ride despite a slow start.
“She probably ran a bit tired last time at the Curragh but she was just beaten on the line when Tom (Marquand) rode her at Deauville,” Murphy explained. “If she didn’t run disappointing at the Curragh, she’d have been the favorite.”
The victory marked the second Breeders’ Cup win of the day for Medallion Racing partnership, who earlier celebrated with Cy Fair (Not This Time) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
Balantina entered the race as the most experienced runner in the field with five previous starts across three countries. Her campaign began in Ireland with a maiden victory at the Curragh before a third-place finish in the G3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot behind Group 1 winner Venetian Sun (Starman {GB}).
After narrowly missing in France’s G3 Prix Six Perfections Stakes at Deauville, she returned to Ireland for a fifth-place finish in the G2 Debutante Stakes.
Breaking from a wide post position in Friday’s championship race, Balantina settled along the rail as Japan’s Switch in Love (Jpn) (Contrail {Jpn}) set fractions of :22.33 and :45.96. When the field began swarming to the front around the far turn, Murphy found himself boxed in with nowhere to go.
As undefeated Ground Support (Army Mule) burst through to take the lead, an opening appeared along the rail. Balantina accelerated decisively through the gap to clear away for a 1 1/4-length victory over the closing Pacific Mission (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The final time for the mile was 1:35.07.
The win represents the third top-level victory for sire Ten Sovereigns (Ire), a son of No Nay Never who began his stud career at Coolmore before being sold to Turkey for the 2024 breeding season.
Balantina, a €100,000 Arqana August Yearling Sale purchase, is the fourth winner from as many to race for her dam Balankiyla (Fr), who has also produced French GSW Baiykara (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}).
The victory continues a successful family tradition, as second dam Balankiya (Fr) produced GI Secretariat Stakes winner Bayrir (Fr) (Medicean {GB}) and GSP Evershed (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).
Balantina blazes to victory in the $1 Million @JohnDeere #BreedersCup Juvenile Fillies Turf! 💥 #BC25 pic.twitter.com/19RmqCT06a
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup)
Balantina blazes to victory in the $1 Million October 31, 2025
Race Results
JOHN DEERE BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF-GI, $920,000, Del Mar, 10-31, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.07, fm.
1–BALANTINA (IRE), 122, f, 2, by Ten Sovereigns (Ire)
1st Dam: Balankiyla (Fr), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Balankiya (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Balanka (Ire), by Alzao
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. (€100,000 Ylg ’24 ARAUG). O-Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and McNulty, Lissa Ann; B-Summerhill/Lynch Bages/S. Murphy (IRE); T-Donnacha O’Brien; J-Oisin Murphy. $520,000. Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-1, $572,440. *1/2 to Baiykara (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), GSW-Fr, $132,409.
2–Pacific Mission (GB), 122, f, 2, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Big Break (GB) (MGSW-Ire, $154,506), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Fame At Last, by Quest for Fame (GB)
3rd Dam: Ranales, by Majestic Light
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd. (GB); T-Andrew Balding. $170,000.
3–Ground Support, 122, f, 2, by Army Mule
1st Dam: Arch Support (GSP, $159,835), by Arch
2nd Dam: Two Ninety Jones, by Sir Harry Lewis
3rd Dam: Caromist, by Caro (Ire)
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($90,000 RNA 2yo ’25 OBSMAR; $80,000 2yo ’25 EASMAY). O-NBS Stable; B-Champion Equine, LLC (FL); T-Kelsey Danner. $90,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HD, 1 1/4. Odds: 20.60, 14.20, 24.30.
Also Ran: Imaginationthelady, Ultimate Love, Infinite Sky, Queen of Hawaii (Ire), Celebrity Warrior (Ire), Final Accord, Time to Dream, Switch in Love (Jpn), Brave Deb. Scratched: Precise (Ire).
