The 38th Breeders’ Cup World Championships is back at ole Del Mar, where the Turf meets the Surf.
Europeans entrants are plentiful and most have stated that the turf course will be to their liking, calling it more like ‘sponge’ than a hard turf footing. Indeed, the weather at Del Mar has been on the cool side, foggy too, a bit unusual by San Diego standards.
A rash of scratches including the latest, JACK CHRISTOPHER, the 9-to-5 favourite for the Juvenile on Future Stars Friday, has taken a bit of steam out of the 14-race event, which already has two small fields (Filly and Mare Sprint – Juvenile Fillies).
The lone Canadian-bred in the Breeders’ Cup this year is CHANNEL MAKER, who drew into the Turf, the race in which he was third last year at Keeneland. Channel Maker, bred by Ivan Dalos, is a warrior, earner of $3.2 million, but he has been far below his best form this year.
The marquee race, the $6 million BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC (G1), run Saturday at 8:40 p.m Eastern, pits the once-beaten ESSENTIAL QUALITY (Tapit), a 3-year-old, and his stablemate KNICKS GO (Paynter) at 1 1/4 miles with other 3-year-olds HOT ROD CHARLIE and MEDINA SPIRIT in the nine-horse field. Older horses ART COLLECTOR and MAX PLAYER are in the mix as well.
Let’s begin by offering some options for wagers for the 2-year-old races today, Nov. 5, Future Stars Friday.
FRIDAY, NOV. 5 – “FUTURE STARS FRIDAY” – (Post times EST)
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) 5:50 p.m.
12 babies at 5 furlongs on turf, this will be more like a Quarter Horse race than anything.
4- VERTIGINOUS, a filly from shrewd British trainer Brian Meehan, won a listed stakes race in September in a hand ride and is 20-to-1 in the morning line.
1- TWILIGHT JET, another Euro, has the rail but he is quick and with 10 races this year, very experienced.
8- AVERLY JANE one of two for US trainer Wesley Ward, has never lost in four races.
7- ARMOR, a group 3 winner in England, was a bit delayed in this latest Group 1 outing.
$2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) 6:30
Only 6 fillies in the field and the 4-to-5 favourite is (6) ECHO ZULU, unbeaten in three races in New York. She is from the first crop of Gun Runner.
7- TARABI has looked well for trainer Cherie Devaux, freshened since getting some abrasions in Spinaway.
6 – ECHO ZULU is tough to pick against, but there, I did it!
2- HIDDEN CONNECTION, by Connect, is unbeaten in two races, interesting.
5- JUJU’S MAP had a big win in the Alcibiades.
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) 7:10
A field of 14 and a quick run to the first turn.
13 – MISE EN SCENE is a buzz filly from England but she has a nasty post. Had trouble in a Group 1 last time but beat Wild Beauty who had sone the Natalma Stakes at Woodbine
1- PIZZA BIANCA has the rail for owner Bobby Flay. Trainer Christophe Clement is currently 0 for 40 in the Breeders Cup! This gal was a good second at Woodbine in the Natalma.
6- HELLO YOU (IRE) worked hard to win the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket Sept. 24 for young, up and coming trainer David Loughnane.
12 – MALAVATH is an interesting one from France and Ryan Moore has been lured to ride.
5 – BUBBLE ROCK tries her first route distance off a Grade 3 sprint win in New York for Brad Cox.
$2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) 7:50
The scratch of morning line favourite JACK CHRISTOPHER (Munnings) on Thursday threw this race into wide open status.
Do we lean to the California hotshots trained by Bob Baffert – Corniche (post 11) and Pinehurst (post 8), co-bred by Toronto’s John Fielding? I will toss out some price plays to go along with favoured Corniche:
3 – OVIATT CLASS was a closing third behind Corniche in the Grade 1 American Pharoah. He is a Bernardini guy who does not have much early lick and he will need some pace to run at.
12-CORNICHE won the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes easily but it was not an overly fast race – not as fast as his maiden win. $1.5 million juvenile purchase this year has big money Mike Smith on board.
10 – COMMANDPERFORMANCE is a maiden for Todd Pletcher but he was a clear second to Jack Christopher in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont.
9 – PINEHURST has two sprint wins and stamina on his dam’s side.
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) 8:30
Post position may hurt favoured 14 – DUBAWAI LEGEND with James Doyle up but he is a nice colt from England.
1- MODERN GAMES has won three of his five races in England and is a Dubawi colt from the Charlie Appleby yard.
6 – MACKINNON has looked really good in his workouts and training. Light on Beyer Figures but had a rough trip last time and still won.
14- DUBAWI LEGEND has to overcome that wide post.
2 – ALBAHR won the Grade 1 Summer at Woodbine and has Frankie Dettori.
4- DAKOTA GOLD is unbeaten in two races including a rich stake at Monmouth over ‘off’ turf and he ran fast. A son of Freud.
Modern Games, entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and trained by Charlie Appleby, at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California on November 04, 2021. Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders’ Cup/CSM
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