Happy Future Stars Friday!

Five Grade I races today on Future Stars Friday at the Breeders’ Cup as we celebrate the top two year old fillies and colts.

Trivia Question: Which jockey has won the most Breeders’ Cup races?

Race 9 – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – Grade I

One Mile and a Sixteenth on the Dirt for Two Year Olds

1. Intrepido: Had an impressive turn of foot in the American Pharoah over the final sixteenth to run down Desert Gate (87 Beyer). He’s won twice going two turns and has won over this track including breaking his maiden (84 Beyer). Improving speed figs. Gets a piece.
2. Blackout Time: Broke his maiden at Ellis Park (83 Beyer) and then in the Breeders’ Futurity he had a rail trip, moved at the quarter pole but he couldn’t catch Ted Noffey (93 Beyer). Look for a similar inside stalking trip today. Improving colt. Using.
3. Mr. A.P.: Broke his maiden in his third start as he went to two turns at Santa Anita. In that maiden breaker he stalked the pace, swung wide and dueled the length of the stretch to just get the top prize (81 Beyer). This is no maiden race. Too tough of an assignment.
4. Comport: Looked like he had the Iroquois wrapped up at the eighth pole but was a bit green and just got nailed at the wire by Spice Runner (76 Beyer). Two back he got the best of Spice Runner as he stalked and then drew clear (80 Beyer). Not fast enough.
5. Civil Liberty: SCRATCHED with a tendon issue.
6. Litmus Test: The “Other Baffert” is contesting his fourth race since mid-August. In the Del Mar Futurity he was caught four wide and flattened out after briefly looming (82 Beyer). Off that effort he shipped to Keeneland to run in the Breeder’s Futurity at Keeneland where he set the pace but was no match for Ted Noffey (89 Beyer). Might get cooked on the front end.
7. Brant: Baffert trainee is undefeated in his two starts – both of which were over this surface. In the Del Mar Futurity he broke on top and kept going for all seven furlongs earning a 91 Beyer as the 1/9 favorite. That followed a big time 101 Beyer in his debut going five and half furlongs. He has home field advantage and while he goes a route of ground for the first time he is by Gun Runner so more ground should suit. Likely pace setter. Use defensively.
8. Ted Noffey: Runs here after earning a 97 Beyer in winning the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland going two turns for the first time. That win followed a dominate Hopeful Stakes where he won by eight plus lengths (98 Beyer). I don’t think we have found the bottom of this Into Mischief colt given how easily he won those two stakes races. Should track the speed drawn just to his inside. He can get two turns CHECK, he can rate CHECK, he can get the distance CHECK, he’s as fast as any of these CHECK, he is tactical CHECK. Any questions? The Pick.

Picks 8-2-7-1

Race 10 – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf  – Grade I

One Mile for on the Turf for Two Year Olds

1. Heeere’s Johnny: Ran second in both the With Anticipation (73 Beyer) and in the Pilgrim (79 Beyer) where he lost by a head to Bottas. While those were good efforts, he still is a maiden after four races. Needs to show he can finish off a race, this is a tough spot to do so. Passing.
2. Street Beast: Comes here after winning twice at Kentucky Downs including the Juvenile Mile (81 Beyer). In that Juvenile Mile he sat well off an early leader and then moved at the quarter pole to draw away by over five lengths. Does that form translate here? Passing.
3. Outfielder: Broke his maiden for Wesley Ward and then shipped France to contest the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville. In that race he went to the lead but was leg weary late – finishing fourth behind Gstaad, who finished second. He came back stateside and comfortably won an allowance race on the dirt at Churchill. Routes for the first time. Mixed signals.
4. Third Beer: Broke his maiden at Del Mar in a Cal bred race with an inside trip and when he got clear he accelerated impressively (55 Beyer). In the Zuma Beach he was at the back of a compact field and got clear run but was out finished (70 Beyer). Needs to move forward.
5. Let’s Be Frank: Mike Maker trainee comes off a decent third in the Pilgrim Stakes where he had to take back and while he came running late there was too much to do (78 Beyer). Similar effort in his first start while sprinting on the turf. Still a maiden. Could get a slice at a price.
6. North Coast: Has raced five times this year with his best performance coming in July in the Tyro Stakes where he won going seven panels at Leopardstown with a wire to wire job. He was in position in the Group 1 National Stakes at The Curragh but when the running started he was flat finishing behind Gstaad. Might prefer the firmer ground he finds today. Exotics.
7. Gordon Pass: Ran in the Bourbon Stakes after breaking his maiden at Horseshoe Indiana. In the Bourbon he was last and showed a nice turn of foot to get third (72 Beyer). Irad picks up the mount. Will need to close like freight train to get a piece here. Not today.
8. Stark Contrast: Broke his maiden going two turns over this track and then won the Grade III Zuma Beach at Santa Anita (71 Beyer). In both cases he had nice stalk and pounce trips with a good closing kick in the final sixteenth. Much deeper water today.
9. Argos: Won the Summer stakes at Woodbine with an inside out trip where she finished strongly to best several rivals (81 Beyer). He has improved with distance and Prat is up again. Very dangerous.
10. Ardisia: Has run eleven times this year – winning five of those starts. This is his fourth start in forty-two days. Two weeks ago he was second on British Champions day as he stalked the leaders and made a run at the leader but was couldn’t get there. He has raced on two weeks rest before and has performed well although this is quite a ship from England. My bigger concern is the tougher foes he faces today. Passing.
11. Turf Star: Decent second in the Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland where he sat a pocket trip, was blocked, and then just came up short behind Final Score (74 Beyer). Two back he broke his maiden at Kentucky Downs going a mile (53 Beyer). Would need a significant more forward.
12. Bottas: Broke his maiden at the Spa with a nice last to first run (78 Beyer) and then went on to win the Pilgrim where he split horses in the lane as he was full of run (80 Beyer). Lightly raced Clement horse is eligible to move forward in his third career race and hasn’t done a thing wrong in both of this races. He’s won twice already at eight and half furlongs. Tactical and can finish off a race. The Pick.
13. Hey Nay Nay: Undefeated in three starts for John Sadler. Started sprinting on the turf at Santa Anita where he broke his maiden and then went east to Monmouth for the Tyro Stakes where he wired the field (82 Beyer). Next it was back home for the Del Mar Juvenile Turf where he showed he could get a route of ground (78 Beyer) as he picked up his first graded stakes win. Likely pace setter.
14. Gstaad: Aiden O’Brien trainee has finished second in three Group I races. Most recently in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket he was out finished after sitting mid-pack. Two back in the Group 1 National Stakes at The Curragh he took over two furlongs out but lost a head bob. Similar narrow loss in the Prix Morny in August at Deauville after leading late. Tough outside post. He is going longer than he has run to date. Understandable favorite, but likely underlay.
15. Caro Buono: (Also Eligible) Broke his maiden in France and after a poor effort at Chantilly in the Prix la Fleche he shipped to the U.S. and competed in both the Del Mar Juvenile Turf and Zuma Beach Stakes. He finished fourth in both of those stateside efforts and finished behind Hey Nay Nay, Stark Contrast, and Third Beer. Not fast enough.

Picks 12-9-14-6

Trivia Answer: Mike Smith has won 27 Breeders’ Cup races. John Velazquez is next with 20.