International Horse Profile: True Love

Scouting Report for True Love

Aidan O’Brien has yet to make the exacta in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. It could be significant that his best result, a third with the filly So Perfect (2018), came in the 5 1/2-furlong inaugural on yielding ground at Churchill Downs. The question remains if 2025’s Ballydoyle hopes – True Love, Brussels, and Mission Central – can adapt to five furlongs around a turn on firm turf.

True Love, O’Brien’s most accomplished entrant in the 2025 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, has followed a somewhat similar itinerary to So Perfect. But True Love has achieved more, including a big victory over the colts.

Although True Love had a case on pedigree to stretch out for the Juvenile Fillies Turf, O’Brien reportedly has a stamina scruple about her. She may indeed take more after her sire, the speedy No Nay Never, than her dam. She’s out of Alluringly, runner-up to Enable in the 2017 Cheshire Oaks and third behind her in the Oaks (G1) at Epsom, from the sublime family of Galileo and Sea the Stars.

True Love’s full sister, Truly Enchanting, scored her signature win in the six-furlong Balanchine (G2) as a juvenile. Their half-sister by Galileo, Group 2 winner Lily Pond, placed third in the 1 1/2-mile Munster Oaks (G3).

True Love jumped straight into a listed stakes for her premiere. In the five-furlong First Flier S. at the Curragh, she tangled with the two splashiest maiden winners at the dawn of the Flat season, Lady Iman and Power Blue. True Love vied for the early lead with Power Blue, and ended up outdueling him for second, but neither could match the finishing speed of the odds-on Lady Iman.

Wheeling back in a nearly six-furlong Navan maiden, True Love was hammered into 2-5 favoritism, only to be denied by stablemate Gstaad (Juvenile Turf). True Love looked like a good thing for much of the way, again showing speed to argue the pace, and this time kicking away. But the stiff uphill finish enabled Gstaad to find his best stride, and the colt reeled her in late.

That loss took on greater meaning when Gstaad captured the Coventry (G2) at Royal Ascot, and True Love followed up at the prestigious meeting herself. Reverting to five furlongs for the Queen Mary (G2), she raced in the front rank on the stands’ side but came under a ride past halfway in the strongly-run affair. True Love responded to pull away, leaving Lennilu back in third.

Back up to six furlongs in the Railway (G2) at the Curragh, True Love demolished the boys in stalking style as the 1-2 favorite. The slow pace played right into her hands by making it a test of raw speed in the closing stages. True Love was still on the bridle when she cruised past stablemate Puerto Rico and Power Blue, and she zipped clear in a five-length rout, becoming the first filly to win the Railway since the turn of the millennium. Puerto Rico would come into his own later over further, taking the Champagne (G2), Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1), and Criterium International (G1).

True Love was an even shorter favorite to add the course-and-distance Phoenix (G1), but familiar foe Power Blue turned the tables. As the filly ranged up to challenge, Power Blue rebuffed her. An obvious excuse surfaced when True Love was diagnosed with “mild lameness” post race.

Yet another factor is worth noting. Unlike the Railway, the Phoenix was run at a much faster tempo. The speedy Power Blue opted to deploy his chief weapon early and clocked a rapid 1:09.28 – the fastest Phoenix since its change of venue to the Curragh, according to timing maven Simon Rowlands, in 2002. 

True Love was back to her best in the six-furlong Cheveley Park (G1) at Newmarket. Tracking the pace comfortably, she had to work a bit to subdue Havana Anna and ultimately outstayed her. True Love’s time of 1:11 was faster than the colts’ 1:11.56 in the Middle Park (G1) later on the card (see Brussels). 

Given her robust build, True Love could well have a physical advantage over her contemporaries. It’s less clear if her size and strength can be as decisive around a track that caters more to sharpness.