Friday, November 2
Juvenile Turf Sprint
51⁄2 furlongs turf, 2YO, $1 million (3:21 p.m)
This new Breeders’ Cup race kicks off the weekend’s festivities. It was contested last year at Del Mar as part of the undercard, and if those results are any indication, the European horses could be tough. There are 31 graded races of 6 furlongs or shorter for European 2-year-olds as opposed to no graded turf sprints for North American juveniles. Leading the six-horse Euro contingent is Soldier’s Call, winner of four of six sprints across the pond who stepped up against older and finished a close up third last time out against Europe’s best sprinters in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp. He runs close to the pace by European standards, but he’ll need to adjust to fractional times that are much faster than what he has experienced and he’ll have to negotiate a turn for the first time. Soft turf would suit him fine. Two horses that finished second to him in previous races, filly Queen of Bermuda (who would love soft turf) and the improving Well Done Fox, will try to narrow the gap. Aidan O’Brien and Team Coolmore will send out two contenders in filly So Perfect, who narrowly lost a Group 1 at Newmarket on September 29, and slow-starting Sergei Prokofiev, an also-ran in that Newmarket race who rebounded with a nice Group 3 score at Newmarket three weeks ago. The other Euro, Pocket Dynamo, is winless in stakes and breaks from a difficult outside post. As for the North Americans, Wesley Ward specializes in turf sprints and he has four going. Unbeaten Shang Shang Shang won the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes in June’s Royal Ascot meet, and Ward has obviously been pointing her to this race because she hasn’t run since. Ward also trains Saratoga stakes winner Stillwater Cove, who turns back from the mile Natalma at Woodbine after tiring near the finish; filly Moonlight Romance, an early speed influence with some potential, and filly Chelsea Cloisters, who has two seconds in turf sprints. One of Todd Pletcher’s few threats this weekend is Gulfstream stakes winner Bulletin, who should battle for the lead but might be compromised by soft ground. Rounding out the North American contingent is fast closing Strike Silver who overcame tons of trouble to win a stakes at Keeneland last month. The inside post could be dicey, though. Big Drink of Water and Euros Comedy, Van Beethoven and Legends of War are also- eligibles that need scratches to get in.
Juvenile Turf Sprint Selections
1st – SOLDIER’S CALL
2nd– SO PERFECT
3rd – MOONLIGHT ROMANCE
Longshot – WELL DONE FOX
Juvenile Turf Sprint
51⁄2 furlongs turf, 2YO, $1 million (3:21 p.m)
This new Breeders’ Cup race kicks off the weekend’s festivities. It was contested last year at Del Mar as part of the undercard, and if those results are any indication, the European horses could be tough. There are 31 graded races of 6 furlongs or shorter for European 2-year-olds as opposed to no graded turf sprints for North American juveniles. Leading the six-horse Euro contingent is Soldier’s Call, winner of four of six sprints across the pond who stepped up against older and finished a close up third last time out against Europe’s best sprinters in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp. He runs close to the pace by European standards, but he’ll need to adjust to fractional times that are much faster than what he has experienced and he’ll have to negotiate a turn for the first time. Soft turf would suit him fine. Two horses that finished second to him in previous races, filly Queen of Bermuda (who would love soft turf) and the improving Well Done Fox, will try to narrow the gap. Aidan O’Brien and Team Coolmore will send out two contenders in filly So Perfect, who narrowly lost a Group 1 at Newmarket on September 29, and slow-starting Sergei Prokofiev, an also-ran in that Newmarket race who rebounded with a nice Group 3 score at Newmarket three weeks ago. The other Euro, Pocket Dynamo, is winless in stakes and breaks from a difficult outside post. As for the North Americans, Wesley Ward specializes in turf sprints and he has four going. Unbeaten Shang Shang Shang won the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes in June’s Royal Ascot meet, and Ward has obviously been pointing her to this race because she hasn’t run since. Ward also trains Saratoga stakes winner Stillwater Cove, who turns back from the mile Natalma at Woodbine after tiring near the finish; filly Moonlight Romance, an early speed influence with some potential, and filly Chelsea Cloisters, who has two seconds in turf sprints. One of Todd Pletcher’s few threats this weekend is Gulfstream stakes winner Bulletin, who should battle for the lead but might be compromised by soft ground. Rounding out the North American contingent is fast closing Strike Silver who overcame tons of trouble to win a stakes at Keeneland last month. The inside post could be dicey, though. Big Drink of Water and Euros Comedy, Van Beethoven and Legends of War are also- eligibles that need scratches to get in.
Juvenile Turf Sprint Selections
1st – SOLDIER’S CALL
2nd– SO PERFECT
3rd – MOONLIGHT ROMANCE
Longshot – WELL DONE FOX
