The long season of thrilling victories, stunning upsets and rising stars culminates at Del Mar.
Yes, Breeders’ Cup weekend is finally here, and it kicks off with Future Stars Friday, a quintet of Grade 1 stakes showcasing the leading 2-year-olds who will be the key players in 2025, and beyond.
Chancer McPatrick. NYRA/Coglianese Photo.
Will this year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile crown another champion?
The $2 million Juvenile is the feature event, the race that kicks off the road to next season’s Triple Crown in earnest.
The other four Breeders’ Cup races on the Friday card are: the $2 million Juvenile Fillies, the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint, the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf and the $1 million Juvenile Turf.
There are five undefeated colts in the Juvenile field: Chancer McPatrick, East Avenue, Gaming, Jonathan’s Way and Shin Believe who won his debut in Japan and now steps up to face North America’s top youngsters.
The draw split the two favorites as far apart as possible.
East Avenue, the 5-2 favorite ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, drew the rail. Chancer McPatrick, the 3-1 second choice, landed post 10, the outside slot with Flavien Prat aboard.
The outside draw should not be a major problem for Chancer McPatrick, the “Beast from the East.” He is an electrifying closer who has, as they say at the racetrack, “came from out of the clouds” to post three impressive wins in New York, including a pair of Grade 1 victories in the Hopeful at Saratoga and the Champagne at Aqueduct.
In each race, he was far back in the early stages before launching his winning bid.
“He’s a very exciting horse for this race, and the future,” trainer Chad Brown said.
All of Chancer McPatrick’s wins have been one-turn races at a mile or less. In the Juvenile, he will go 1 1/16 miles around two turns for the first time.
He may need to be a little closer in California, where early speed goes a long way.
Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert Eyes Sixth Juvenile Win with Strong Trio
Speed is a big edge for East Avenue. If he breaks well, the rail will put him in play, and in immediate control of the race.
East Avenue drew rave reviews for his two victories in Kentucky. He led all the way most recently in a dominant 5 1/4 length score in the Breeders Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.
“Since Day 1, you couldn’t help but love him. He’s always been a lovely looking horse,” trainer Brendan Walsh said.
It wouldn’t be an important 2-year-old race in California without Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in the mix.
Baffert owns five Juvenile victories, tying him for the lead with D. Wayne Lukas, and he comes well represented by the trio of the unbeaten Gaming, a son of 2018 Juvenile champ Game Winner (post 7, 8-1), Citizen Bull (post 6, 10-1) and Getaway Car (post 2, 20-1).
The last Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar was in 2021, and Baffert won that Juvenile with Corniche.
Jonathan’s Way (post 5, 9-2) has shown encouraging versatility in his two wins: rallying from seventh to take a maiden race at Saratoga before posting a front-running victory in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Three-way battle in Juvenile Fillies
The race to determine the division leader looks like a showdown featuring Immersive, unbeaten in three starts including Grade 1 wins in the Spinaway at Saratoga and the Alcibiades at Keeneland (post 3, 3-1); Baffert’s Non Compliant, winner of the Oak Leaf (G2) at Santa Anita (post 7, 9-2) and Scottish Lassie, the nine-length winner of the Frizette (G1) at Aqueduct (the 5-2 favorite from the post 10, the outside slot).
The other favorites on Friday
Japan’s Ecoro Sieg is the 7-2 favorite in a field of 12 for the Juvenile Turf Sprint; Lake Victoria, trained by Irishman Aidan O’Brien is the 8-5 favorite for the Juvenile Fillies Turf in a field of 14; and New Century, trained by Andrew Balding, is the 5-2 favorite in a field of 14 for the Juvenile Turf.