Friday Breeders’ Cup Selections

By Rick Francis —-

Race 5) 5 Furlongs. (Turf) Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Grade I. Purse $1,000,000 FOR TWO-YEAR-OLDS
Post Time: 5:00/ 4:00/ 3:00/( 2:00)

11) Slider (Sadler/Berrios); winner of two straight, the last a blistering score here; workouts just as hot.
2) No Nay Mets (Weaver/Ortiz, J.); two straight wins, 3-of-4 in that column; jockey upgrade.
1) Crimson Advocate (Weaver/Velazquez); also a winner of 2-straight, last out in the QE at Ascot.
3) Tiger Belle (McGuinness/Demuro); last of the two straight’s in here, both over soft go’s.

The field from rail out:
# Horse Odds Jockey Wgt A/S M/E Trainer
1 Crimson Advocate (KY) 4/1 John R. Velazquez 119 2 F George Weaver
2 No Nay Mets (IRE) 4/1 Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 2 C George Weaver
3 Tiger Belle (IRE) 15/1 Cristian Demuro 119 2 F Adrian McGuinness
4 Big Evs (IRE) 3/1 Tom Marquand 122 2 C Michael Appleby
5 Givemethebeatboys (IRE) 15/1 Shane Foley 122 2 C Jessica Harrington
6 Starlust (GB) 20/1 Lanfranco Dettori 122 2 C Ralph Beckett
7 Shards (FL) 15/1 Adam Beschizza 122 2 C Kelsey Danner
8 Cherry Blossom (IRE) 12/1 Ryan L. Moore 119 2 F Aidan P. O’Brien
9 Amidst Waves (KY) 8/1 Flavien Prat 119 2 F George Weaver
10 Valiant Force (KY) 12/1 William Buick 122 2 C Adrian Murray
11 Slider (KY) 8/1 Hector Isaac Berrios 122 2 C John W. Sadler
12 Committee of One (KY) 8/1 Cristian A. Torres 122 2 C Steven M. Asmussen
13 Hedwig (KY) 20/1 Umberto Rispoli 122 2 C Eoin G. Harty
14 Asean (IRE) 20/1 Tyler Gaffalione 119 2 F Donnacha O’Brien
15 April Vintage (FL) 20/1 Joel Rosario 119 2 F Peter Miller

Selections: 11, 2, 1,3

Race 6) 1&1/16th Mile. NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Grade I. Purse $2,000,000 FOR FILLIES, TWO-YEARS-OLD.
Post Time: 5:40/ 4:40/ 3:40/( 2:40)

7) Tamara (Mandella/Smith); a lot of hype surrounding this daughter of Bolt d’ Oro; exits a dominant win in the Del Mar Futurity; she appears real, live and a short price.
9) Brightwork (Ortiz/Santana); weakened late last out in G1 Alcibiades but I’ll attribute that to a taxing 2-year-old campaign; bullet work in prep for this suggests she’s back on the button.
12) Just F Y I (Mott/Alvarado); out of Justify, filly has done little wrong and her maiden score proved a big field won’t be a detriment.
1) Candied (Pletcher/Saez); solid win in the Alcibiades proves this one is a threat.

The field from the rail out:
# Horse Odds Jockey Wgt A/S M/E Trainer
1 Candied (KY) 4/1 Luis Saez 122 2 F Todd A. Pletcher
2 Jody’s Pride (KY) 15/1 Flavien Prat 122 2 F Jorge R. Abreu
3 Scalable (KY) 20/1 Jose L. Ortiz 122 2 F Todd A. Pletcher
4 Where’s My Ring (KY) 30/1 Victor Espinoza 122 2 F Val Brinkerhoff
5 Omaha Girl (KY) 30/1 Umberto Rispoli 122 2 F Jorge Delgado
6 Chatalas (KY) 8/1 Antonio Fresu 122 2 F Mark Glatt
7 Tamara (KY) 4/5 Mike E. Smith 122 2 F Richard E. Mandella
8 Esprit Enchante (KY) 20/1 Juan J. Hernandez 122 2 F Peter Miller
9 Brightwork (KY) 12/1 Ricardo Santana, Jr. 122 2 F John Alexander Ortiz
10 Accommodate Eva (LA) 30/1 John R. Velazquez 122 2 F Dallas Stewart
11 Life Talk (KY) 20/1 Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 2 F Todd A. Pletcher
12 Just F Y I (KY) 8/1 Junior Alvarado 122 2 F William I. Mott
13 Alys Beach (KY) 30/1 Tyler Gaffalione 122 2 F Thomas M. Amoss

Selections: 7, 9, 12, 1

Race 7) 1 Mile. (Turf) G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Grade I. Purse $1,000,000 FOR FILLIES, TWO-YEARS-OLD.
Post Time: 6:20/ 5:20/ 4:20/( 3:20)

11) She Feels Pretty (DeVaux/Velazquez); though Beyers pale somewhat to several of these, her clearing win last out at Woodbine against a deep Grade 1 Natalma field puts her first at the line.
12) Hard to Justify (Brown/Prat); game score in last taking the Miss Grillo; trainer Brown has been known to win a couple of these.
14) Les Pavots (Graffard/Barzalona); though Euros ar only 3-of-15 in these contests, No Nay Never filly can fill out exotics.
6) Porta Fortuna (O’Brien/Murphy); after winning the G1 Cheveley, connections have focused on this start; watch out.

The field from the rail out:
# Horse Odds Jockey Wgt A/S M/E Trainer
1 Buttercream Babe (KY) 30/1 Luis Saez 122 2 F Michael J. Maker
2 Flattery (KY) 20/1 Juan J. Hernandez 122 2 F Peter Eurton
3 Buchu (KY) 6/1 Martin Garcia 122 2 F Philip A. Bauer
4 Laulne (FR) 15/1 Manuel Franco 122 2 F Philip D’Amato
5 Content (IRE) 15/1 Ryan L. Moore 122 2 F Aidan P. O’Brien
6 Porta Fortuna (IRE) 5/1 Oisin Murphy 122 2 F Donnacha O’Brien
7 Gala Brand (KY) 12/1 Jose L. Ortiz 122 2 F William I. Mott
8 Life’s an Audible (KY) 15/1 Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 2 F Todd A. Pletcher
9 Carla’s Way (IRE) 6/1 James Doyle 122 2 F Simon Crisford
10 Austere (KY) 12/1 Tyler Gaffalione 122 2 F Brendan P. Walsh
11 She Feels Pretty (KY) 4/1 John R. Velazquez 122 2 F Cherie DeVaux
12 Hard to Justify (KY) 6/1 Flavien Prat 122 2 F Chad C. Brown
13 Dreamfyre (KY) 15/1 Hector Isaac Berrios 122 2 F O. J. Jauregui
14 Les Pavots (IRE) 8/1 Mickael Barzalona 122 2 F Francis – Henri Graffard
15 Go With Gusto (KY) 15/1 Joel Rosario 122 2 F Mark E. Casse
16 Mo Fox Givin (KY) 30/1 Lanfranco Dettori 122 2 F Leonard Powell

Selections: 11, 12, 14, 6

Race 8) 1&1/16th Mile. FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Grade I. Purse $2,000,000 FOR COLTS AND GELDINGS, TWO-YEARS-OLD
Post Time: 7:00/ 6:00/ 5:00/( 4:00)

6) Locked (Pletcher/Ortiz, J.); closed from the rear to finish in driving fashion to take the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity last out; Gun Runner delivers!
10) Muth (Baffert/Hernandez); produced a triple-digit Beyer in taking the G1 American Pharoah in last; home field advantage goes to this one.
1) The Wine Steward (Maker/Saez); NY-bred is but a half-length short of a perfect 4-for-4 record; that half-length short came against the top pick here, nevertheless, don’t discount.
4) Timberlake (Cox/Geroux); giving this Into Mischief colt the nod over the undefeated Baffert (2) Prince of Monoco.

The field from the rail out:
# Horse Odds Jockey Wgt A/S M/E Trainer
1 The Wine Steward (NY) 8/1 Luis Saez 122 2 C Michael J. Maker
2 Prince of Monaco (KY) 4/1 Flavien Prat 122 2 C Bob Baffert
3 Wine Me Up (KY) 15/1 Ramon A. Vazquez 122 2 C Bob Baffert
4 Timberlake (KY) 4/1 Florent Geroux 122 2 C Brad H. Cox
5 Ecoro Neo (KY) 30/1 Yuga Kawada 122 2 C Hideyuki Mori
6 Locked (KY) 7/2 Jose L. Ortiz 122 2 C Todd A. Pletcher
7 Cuban Thunder (IRE) 30/1 Tiago Josue Pereira 122 2 C Adrian Murray
8 General Partner (KY) 8/1 Manuel Franco 122 2 C Chad C. Brown
9 Fierceness (KY) 6/1 John R. Velazquez 122 2 C Todd A. Pletcher
10 Muth (KY) 4/1 Juan J. Hernandez 122 2 C Bob Baffert
11 Noted (KY) 20/1 Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 2 C Todd A. Pletcher

Selections: 6, 10, 1, 4, 2

Race 9) 1 Mile. (Turf) Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Grade I. Purse $1,000,000 FOR COLTS AND GELDINGS, TWO-YEARS-OLD
Post Time: 7:40/ 6:40/ 5:40/( 4:40)

14) Carson’s Run (Clement/Davis); closed from last winning the G1 Summer at Woodbine. Trainer is 23 percent with his 2-year-old starters; post keeps him out of trouble to set up his late run.
5) My Boy Prince (Casse/Rosario); no match two back to the top choice, however colt rebounded nicely to take a pricey restricted contest in last.
2) River Tiber (O’Brien/Moore); 1st test routing and connections will have him rolling.
9) Endlessly (McCarthy/Hernandez); improved in each of his three starts, all at this distance the last in the G3 Zuma Beach; should be a generous price.

The field from the rail out:
# Horse Odds Jockey Wgt A/S M/E Trainer
1 Air Recruit (KY) 20/1 Luis Saez 122 2 C Arnaud Delacour
2 River Tiber (IRE) 3/1 Ryan L. Moore 122 2 C Aidan P. O’Brien
3 Tok Tok (KY) 20/1 John R. Velazquez 122 2 C b H. Graham Motion
4 Can Group (KY) 12/1 Flavien Prat 122 2 C Mark E. Casse
5 My Boy Prince (ON) 8/1 Joel Rosario 122 2 C Mark E. Casse
6 Stay Hot (KY) 20/1 Antonio Fresu 122 2 R Peter Eurton
7 Agate Road (KY) 8/1 Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 2 C Todd A. Pletcher
8 Unquestionable (FR) 4/1 Lanfranco Dettori 122 2 C Aidan P. O’Brien
9 Endlessly (KY) 5/1 Juan J. Hernandez 122 2 C Michael W. McCarthy
10 Fulmineo (MD) 20/1 Tyler Gaffalione 122 2 C Arnaud Delacour
11 Liam’s Journey (KY) 30/1 Manuel Franco 122 2 C Michael J. Maker
12 Mountain Bear (IRE) 12/1 Dylan Browne McMonagle 122 2 C Aidan P. O’Brien
13 Grand Mo the First (KY) 20/1 Hector Isaac Berrios 122 2 C Victor Barboza, Jr.
14 Carson’s Run (KY) 6/1 Dylan Davis 122 2 C Christophe Clement

Selections: 14, 5, 2, 9