For the majority of its existence, the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) has been a playground for Europeans.
In its first 12 editions, from 2007-18, the turf stakes for 2-year-olds was captured eight instances by a starter primarily based abroad. Even in these 4 races gained by American horses—one in every of which was a juvenile educated by Wesley Ward who had began his profession in the US after which made two begins in Europe earlier than successful on the World Championships—Europeans completed second twice.
There have been solely two instances in that span when a horse from abroad didn’t end both first, second, or third.
“Over time, some superb Europeans have come over right here for this race,” stated four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, who is taken into account America’s premier turf coach. “They at all times advantage consideration.”
But the final two years, with some assist from Brown, the script has been flipped.
Individuals gained the final two renewals—the primary time that has ever occurred—and they’re well-positioned to bid for a hat trick Nov. 5 at Del Mar when a discipline of 14 will break from the gate within the two-turn, one-mile take a look at.
The U.S. contingent is headed by Portfolio Company , who finished second in the Pilgrim Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park, Tiz the Bomb , who earned a free, “Win and You’re In” spot in the Juvenile Turf by capturing the Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland, and Slipstream who won the Futurity Stakes (G3T) to gain a WYI spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) but will run in the longer Juvenile Turf instead.
Bass Racing’s undefeated Annapolis , one of the favorites for the Juvenile Turf off a win in the Pilgrim, dropped out of the race last week because of ankle chips.
Brown, who captured the 2019 Juvenile Turf with Structor , said that after racing 1 1/16 miles in the Pilgrim, the shorter mile distance at the World Championships should benefit Portfolio Company, a son of Kitten’s Joy owned by Klaravich Stables.
“I don’t think he’ll mind the cutback to a mile,” Brown said about the colt bred by Ken and Sarah Ramsey who was also second in the With Anticipation Stakes (G3T).
Phoenix Thoroughbred’s Tiz the Bomb is two-for-two on turf with victories in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Stakes and the Bourbon Stakes for trainer Ken McPeek, who will be chasing his first Breeders’ Cup victory after six second-place finishes, five of them in juvenile stakes.
In posting a three-quarters-of-a-length victory in the Bourbon, the son of 2015 Juvenile Turf winner Hit It a Bomb bred by Spendthrift Farm overcame breaking through the starting gate, an incident that rarely portends a winning effort.
“I think for this horse definitely the (Juvenile Turf) is ideal,” said McPeek, who also has nine third-place finishes in Breeders’ Cup juvenile stakes.
Jump Sucker Stable’s Slipstream will be trying two turns for the first time in the Juvenile Turf but displayed a strong late kick in the six-furlong Futurity, rallying from eighth to prevail by a length.
The son of More Than Ready bred by Burleson Farm and McKenzie Bloodstock has won two of four starts for trainer Christophe Clement.
“Going from the deeper turf courses of the east, to out west, it’s a lot easier to carry speed and Christophe would rather have a horse stretching out into the mile race than cutting back,” said Steven Duncker, part of the Jump Sucker ownership group. “I’m not sure if Slipstream is a classic stayer by any means, but Christophe feels that a mile should hit him right between the eyes. Christophe has always liked Slipstream.”
Other top American hopefuls include Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Dakota Gold , a New York-bred Freud colt who won the $500,000 Nownownow Stakes at Monmouth Park in his first begin on turf for coach Danny Gargan. The California-based Mackinnon , a son of American Pharoah , also merits consideration after winning a pair of mile turf stakes, the Zuma Beach Stakes and Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes, in his last two starts for owners ERJ Racing, Madaket Stables, and Dave Kenney and trainer Doug O’Neill.
The European contingent includes Godolphin’s Albahr , a Dubawi homebred who won three of four starts overseas before shipping to Canada and securing a “Win and You’re In” spot by taking the Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine by 2 1/4 lengths as a 3-5 favourite for coach Charlie Appleby.
Appleby, a two-time winner of the Juvenile Turf, and Godolphin, which has a trio of wins within the stakes, will ship out one other Dubawi homebred in Modern Games , who captured the Tattersalls Somerville Stakes (G3) at Newmarket among his three wins and a second from five starts.
Dubawi, who stands at Godolphin/Darley’s Dalham Stud Hall, will also be represented by Dr. Ali Ridha’s Dubawi Legend , who exits a runner-up finish in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes (G1) at Newmarket. He owns a record of 1-1-1 in three starts for trainer Hugo Palmer.
