Order of Australia Back for More in Breeders' Cup Mile

After Order of Australia  shocked the world with a 73-1 upset in the 2020 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) at Keeneland, the son of Australia  went on to travel the globe with starts in Japan, England, Ireland, and France.

But when he finished 12th and last seven starts later in the 2021 Keeneland Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) in his stateside return, it appeared his racing days might be over. In fact, the curtain was effectively called on Order of Australia's career by trainer Aidan O'Brien due to a cannon bone injury found after that Keeneland start.

"He got injured at Keeneland, not this time but the year before, and he had to get a couple pins in his cannon, but he's been perfect since," O'Brien said Nov. 1 at the Lexington track, after Order of Australia had led the Ballydoyle string through their morning paces. "We had to give him time, and then starting him back, we had to start slowly. It wasn't about winning, it was about starting, and letting him progress and progress and progress. And everything worked towards this race, this year."

Racing for Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Anne Marie O'Brien, the latter the trainer's wife, Order of Australia returned to the races June 13 with a third behind Baaeed  and Real World  in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot—firing well off the bench in his first start of the season. Next he defended his title in the Romanised Minstrel Stakes (G2) at the Curragh, his lone win of the season, just as in 2020.

A seventh in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) in July may have given pause, but a fourth in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay Le Buffard Jacques Le Marois (G1) in August and a runner-up effort behind Dreamloper  in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1) led to another Lexington visit, where Order of Australia ran a competitive third in the Oct. 8 Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1T), just nosed out for second by Ivar . He shipped back across the pond immediately, and returned to clear quarantine again Nov. 1 with the rest of O'Brien's Breeders' Cup string.  

"He's in good form; we were very happy with him the last (start) at Keeneland, very happy, and he's been very good since," O'Brien said. "This has been his target all year—so gently, gently we have been racing him to keep him competitive, but we haven't really been turning the screw on him.

"That's why he came to Keeneland, the last (race) especially, for this. His work resumed and his intensity of it has ramped up all the time, every week, so it will be interesting. His last works we've been very happy with, and we're looking forward to seeing him run." 

The O'Brien family bred Order of Australia in the name of their Whisperview Trading Limited out of the Danehill mare Senta's Dream , who also produced four-time group 1 winner Iridessa , who took the 2019 Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park, and the late Santa Barbara, winner of the 2021 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) and the Beverly D. Stakes (G1T). Their second dam is the 2002 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Starine.

"His mother, her last three foals were all group 1 winners, and he's by Australia... who is a very, very legitimate, sought-after horse," O'Brien said. "He's unreal; he's a great constitution—you saw him, he led the string today. Very unbelievable personality; big, strong body, great walker, great temperament, and he's quick, and he's tough. All the things you want in a horse."