The 40th edition of the Breeders’ Cup, thoroughbred racing’s two-day, 14-race extravaganza with more than $31 million in prize money, opens with Future Stars Friday at Santa Anita Park.
Friday’s card features five Breeders’ Cup races, all Grade 1s and all for 2-year-olds. The $2 million Juvenile (race 8, post time 7 p.m. ET) is the premier event with the winner traditionally becoming the early favorite for the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1).
Hall of Famers Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert each have three in a field of 10. Pletcher: Fierceness, Locked, and Noted. Baffert: Muth, Prince of Monaco, and Wine Me Up. Muth is the 7-2 morning-line favorite, and the popular pick of our team.
Breeder’s Cup Juvenile: Picks, Predictions and Odds
The Professor:
1 Muth 2 Locked 3 Timberlake
“Pletcher and Baffert are poised to carve up the spoils. Give the nod to Baffert with Muth, looking for another win on his home track.”
Mr. Tout:
1 Muth 2 Locked 3 Prince of Monaco
“2-for-2 at Santa Anita has won around two turns, which his stablemate Prince of Monaco hasn’t.”
Trifecta:
1 Locked 2 Muth 3 Timberlake
“Pletcher is always loaded with 2-year-old talents; this one looks to be his best right now.”
MrWPS:
1 Prince of Monaco 2 Locked 3 The Wine Steward
“Home track rules.”
Cha-ching:
1 The Wine Steward 2 Muth 3 Locked
“A game second to Locked in the Breeders’ Futurity was the first loss in four starts for The Wine Steward; feel a cork-popping performance is in the cards.’’
Harriet ‘Capper:
1 Prince of Monaco 2 Timberlake 3 Noted
“Undefeated colt keeps getting better and has all the credentials to take this race.’’
| 1 | The Wine Steward | 8-1 | Michael J.Maker | Luis Saez |
| 2 | Prince of Monaco | 4-1 | Bob Baffert | Flavien Pratt |
| 3 | Wine Me Up | 15-1 | Bob Baffert | Ramon Vasquez |
| 4 | Timberlake | 4-1 | Brad Cox | Florent Geroux |
| 6 | Locked | 7-2 | Todd A. Pletcher | Jose Ortiz |
| 7 | Cuban Thunder | 30-1 | Adrian Murray | Tiago Pereira |
| 8 | General Partner | 8-1 | Chad C. Brown | Manuel Franco |
| 9 | Fierceness | 20-1 | Todd A. Pletcher | John Velazquez |
| 10 | Muth | 4-1 | Bob Baffert | Juan Hernandez |
| 11 | Noted | 20-1 | Todd A. Pletcher | Irad Ortiz |
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
