Balantina, after BC Juvenile Fillies Turf win, may race on two continents in 2026

DEL MAR, Calif. - Balantina may have a two-continent campaign in 2026.

The winner of Friday’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Balantina is set to return to trainer Donnacha O’Brien’s stable in Ireland this week. O’Brien said on Saturday that Balantina will run in a Group 1 1000 Guineas race in May, followed by the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at a mile at Royal Ascot in June.

Balantina, owned by Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Reeves Thoroughbreds and Lissa Ann McNulty, has won 2 of 6 starts and earned $574,440.

Balantina has been nominated to the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh on May 24. The Group 1 English 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse in Britain will be run on May 3.

Later in 2026, the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Keeneland will be considered. The race is typically run on the third Saturday of October.

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“I think we’ll see her back in the states,” O’Brien said. “She seems to suit the style of racing over here.”

Donnacha O’Brien, 27, is the son of Aidan O’Brien, who is tied with California-based Bob Baffert as the all-time winningest trainer in Breeders’ Cup history with 21 victories.

Joseph O’Brien, another of Aidan’s sons, has Breeders’ Cup wins both as a jockey, with the Aidan O’Brien-trained St Nicholas Abbey in the BC Turf at Churchill Downs in 2011, and as a trainer, with Iridessa in the Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita in 2019.

Atsila, trained by Donnacha O’Brien, was scratched from Saturday’s BC Filly and Mare Turf on the morning of the race, and will remain in California. She will be transferred this week to trainer Richard Baltas, according to Phillip Shelton, racing manager for co-owner Medallion Racing.

Shelton said Atsila will be considered for the Grade 1 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.

Donnacha O’Brien described the scratch of Atsila as “unfortunate.” She was withdrawn on advice of veterinarians.

Atsila, by the Lope de Vega sire Phoenix of Spain, has won 2 of 7 starts. Earlier this year in Ireland, Atsila won the Group 3 Athasi Stakes at a mile at The Curragh in Ireland in May, and was third in the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown Racecourse on Sept. 13.

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