Colin Keane and Ger Lyons pictured after their famous success © Photo Healy Racing
Magnum Force showed a superb turn of foot to take the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar.
The Ger Lyons-trained colt took a neat line to lose very little ground from stall four in the hands of Colin Keane.
In the straight he was tucked behind the leaders but accelerated to pull away and secure a comfortable success on the line.
Arizona Blaze ran on at the finish to take second for Adrian Murray, making it an Irish-trained first and second, with home runner Governor Sam taking third.
“I knew he’d need some luck in running and he got it,” said Keane.
“His last two runs in England were very good, albeit he was beaten and things didn’t really go to plan.
“We were well placed, he’s a horse with a lot of natural pace and thankfully I chose the right route in the straight.”
Lyons was delighted to see Magnum Force turnaround recent Doncaster form in the process of victory.
He said: “My horse had a late start to the season, he loves fast ground and when he ran at Doncaster, I vowed that if the horses that beat him were going to the Breeders’ Cup then we should.
“Hopefully we will get him home safe and sound, we’ll let him down and the sky will be the limit next year.”
Lyons was eager to praise Keane, who is set to be crowned Irish champion jockey for sixth time on Sunday.
He added: “Colin is the most underrated champion jockey on planet earth and I would like to see him on the big stage more.
“He’s had maybe three rides at the Breeders’ Cup and he’s won two. It’s about the time the world woke up to him.
“It’s fantastic, it’s a huge credit to the horse, a huge credit to my team. Big thanks to my owner, there’s plenty of us guys at home who can do this if we get the horses.
“The secret to training winners is getting the horses, it’s a simple as that. If a clown like me can train a winner at the Breeders’ Cup, anybody can!”
The Mick Appleby-trained Big Mojo had finished a length and a quarter ahead of Magnum Force in the Flying Childers at Doncaster last time, but was beaten into fourth.
Appleby said: “He had to go very hard to get a position but he battled away. The ground was a bit quick for him.”
Jockey Tom Marquand added: “He really needs six furlongs on a track like that.”
Archie Watson’s Flying Childers winner Aesterius was also in the line up but after racing prominently under James Doyle, he dropped back to finish sixth.
The rider said: “We got into a good position on the turn but he weakened in the straight.”
Aidan O’Brien’s pair of Whistlejacket and Ides Of March finished fifth and seventh respectively, with Shareholder coming home 12th for Karl Burke.
