Aidan O’Brien has just landed in California to face some disappointing news as two of his top horses were assigned unfavorable starting positions at the Breeders’ Cup.

O’Brien’s impressive season has positioned him near a remarkable milestone, requiring only three more Group 1 victories to tie his own world record of 28 top-level wins in a single year. Additionally, he needs just one more win to become the most successful trainer in Breeders’ Cup history.

The master from Ballydoyle has eight opportunities to enhance his current tally of 20 Cup victories over the upcoming Friday and Saturday races. Among his contenders is Minnie Hauk, the runner-up in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, competing in the Breeders’ Cup Turf event.

His other main prospects include two-year-olds Precise, the winner of the Fillies’ Mile, set to race in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf, and Gstaad, the second-place finisher in the Dewhurst Stakes, participating in the Juvenile Turf.

In a compact turf course like Del Mar, trainers seek to avoid wide starting positions; however, both of O’Brien’s horses were unlucky in the draw. Precise will start from the outermost stall, number 13 out of 13, while Henri Matisse will break from stall 14.

Following the draw results, bookmakers quickly adjusted their odds, lengthening Precise to 11-10 from Evens and widening Gstaad’s odds to 11-10 from 4-5.

William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps commented on the situation, expressing concern for the European contenders and their challenging starting positions at the tight Del Mar track, potentially impacting their chances in the upcoming races.

Despite the setbacks, O’Brien can find solace in the past success of Henri Matisse, who triumphed in the Juvenile Turf at the same venue last year despite starting from stall 12.

Observing his horses on the track for the first time, O’Brien shared positive feedback, mentioning that they appeared content and relaxed. He outlined the schedule for the upcoming days, indicating that the horses would continue their preparations leading up to the races.

Regarding the unfavorable draws, O’Brien maintained a pragmatic outlook, acknowledging the luck factor involved and trusting in his jockeys’ assessments of the situation.