BREEDERS' CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

October 30, 2026

Aidan O'Brien

Ryan Moore

M.V. Magnier

Peter Brant

Brook Smith

Haffner

Keeneland Race Course

Juvenile Turf

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back. Another great performance, Haffner in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Aidan, again, what a wonderful performance by this horse. He really has only had the on off race and maybe the ground that day. Just tell us kind of leading into this race your plans for him.

AIDAN O'BRIEN: Thanks. Incredible really. He had that one day where the ground was bad, and at that time, all our horses were running bad. We found they had a low grade infection and needed a little bit of time and came through, and they all changed together.

He won at Royal Lodge, he won at Acomb. It's a pretty tough race to win in York, furlongs. But then he won the Royal Lodge at Newmarket. So got the trip well.

We were a little worried about the easy mile here, but Ryan had him in a great position. Unbelievable that he's got that line again, like the filly in the Turf, Sioux Nation, and he's by Justify, which is so exciting for us.

And to have Justify, we've a lot of mares coming. This is the first year of 2-year-olds that were going to come get the lads and then cover all the good mares. It makes it extra exciting.

Ryan thinks he's going to get 1 1/4 mile next year and could even get more. We think he's a proper Classic contender. Like I said, Ryan gave him a brilliant ride. What can I say?

Like I said, we have a lot of Justify's coming in. They haven't yet. It makes it very exciting for everybody. Thanks to Ryan and M.V. and everybody, and Brook is here, so it makes it extra special.

THE MODERATOR: Glad you could make it in here, and congratulations to you as well.

Ryan, in this race, as compared to the Juvenile Fillies Turf, pace was much quicker. They went very quick up front. You had him right where he needed to be.

RYAN MOORE: He was drawing three -- well, four -- but three and the speed horse were underneath me. So it was very straightforward. He put himself in the right spot. He found a good rhythm. He just was relentless off the bend. So he was in front at the top of the straight, and he was a little bit idle. Every time I asked him, he kept finding more.

So he got up for the line strong.

THE MODERATOR: Kind of to what Aidan said, what you've said as well, is that he looks like he's going to be able to go the Classic distance.

RYAN MOORE: I'd say the way he galloped out 1 1/4 mile, it's not going to be a problem. Like Justify, they seem once they open up their stride, they tend to sustain it, and he's very typical of that.

THE MODERATOR: Owner Peter Brant joining us as well up here. I will go ahead and turn it over to press for questions for the group.

Q. Gentlemen, if you could walk me through your emotions. Aidan, obviously you had two horses scratched in here. Great Barrier Reef was the one that Ryan was going to ride. Walk me through your emotions. Obviously you didn't have as deep a bench, but still got a fifth consecutive victory in this particular race.

M.V. MAGNIER: In fairness to everyone at the Breeders' Cup and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission there, they're doing their level best to keep everything safe. It's like with everything in life, you have to have the right balance, and I'm sure in time everybody will.

In fairness to Aidan, he's done an incredible job with these horses. They didn't run great there six weeks ago, and he managed to turn them around. I think you always fancied Haffner anyway, didn't you?

AIDAN O'BRIEN: We always thought he was a very good horse. I should have mentioned John and his team and Jack. We always thought he was a very classy horse.

To win in Acomb, it's a tough race to win and Ryan loved him that day. All the horses were a little bit under the weather. And to win at Royal Lodge was a tough race.

We were a little worried coming back to a short mile here, but Ryan gave him a great ride. Yeah, just couldn't be happier really.

Q. Quick follow up to that. Aidan, I noticed you watched the race alongside your son Joseph, who of course ran second. I noticed you exchanged words after. What's it like competing in a race against your son, which I imagine is quite typical in Ireland?

AIDAN O'BRIEN: We hate beating Joseph and his lads, and I mean that. But obviously it's business and it's sport. We always do our very best, and we don't give them an inch in any way. We know how hard they work and how important every race is to them.

Obviously they're not lucky enough to have the quality stock that we have. And obviously the lads from John and Sue and Michael, Doreen, Gay and Derrick and Peter, Stephanie, Brook, and Georg and Emily, we're able to -- our stock is so much better. It's tough, and our people that we work with and work for, and obviously Ryan riding.

It's tough, but they're doing great. I'd always say sorry, and I'd always prefer they would beat us, but we don't ever let them beat us in any way. They know that too.

Yeah, it was great the horses ran so well, and Joseph's horses ran very well as well. He has a good runner tomorrow. We hope that all will go well for them.

THE MODERATOR: I want to ask the ownership group, Peter and Brook, with this wonderful group of owners you have together with this horse, kind of take us through with a horse like this and a group like the Coolmore group, what it means for you all in winning a Breeders' Cup race. You've all had so much success in this industry, but on the stage today with a 2-year-old like this.

PETER BRANT: First of all, it's a great honor to be here and compete at this level and win a race like this. I think that it's very important to have a great trainer, have the horse have a chance. Some horses go through anything, but most horses need to be trained and they need to be taught.

So having Aidan O'Brien train these horses is a great honor for us and a great honor to be with him. And of course Ryan Moore one of the greatest riders in the world. It makes a very, very good team.

As far as the Coolmore group, just great partners and great to be associated with. It's fun. It's a great day.

THE MODERATOR: Brook?

BROOK SMITH: Yeah, I'm a part of this, but sometimes I feel like I'm watching it like a drone. It's just magic, right? I've been around a lot of the groups, organizations, nonprofits, profits, boards, but to watch how Coolmore and partners conduct themselves, the discipline they have at sales. Yeah, there's a lot of money paid for these horses, but there's a lot that are passed.

They stick to their plan. They continue to refine it, and it's producing results that are exceptional. It's taken a lot to get here. I've said it before, I think sometimes people don't realize that. To be around something that works so well -- because there's a lot of challenge and a lot of disappointment when it comes to horse racing, and you have to take that in stride. Then you don't want to go too quick, don't want too slow. Even when Ryan's riding, you're thinking now, is it time?

To watch it work and to be a part of it is really kind of almost indescribable.