BREEDERS’ CUP FRIDAY: MIDLANTIC CONNECTIONS
A number of horses with recent starts in the Mid-Atlantic are among the “future stars” set to run on Breeders’ Cup Friday, although only one horse in the big races was bred in the region.
Here’s what’s on tap for the day:
R6 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT
- Two years ago Four Wheel Drive capped off his undefeated juvenile season by winning this event, that coming two races after he won at first asking in the Rosie’s Stakes at Colonial Downs…
- There are 12 entered plus two on the AE; three of ‘em are trained by two-year-old ace Wesley Ward, including morning line favorite Averly Jane (5-2)…
- Five in the field were bred in Ireland…
R7 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES
- Just six are entered in this $2 million contest – tied (with the Filly & Mare Sprint) for the fewest of any race…
- Two of these broke their maidens at Colonial Downs this summer. Hidden Connection (5-2) won a sprint in New Kent by over seven lengths on debut and followed that up with a nine-length win in the G3 Pocahontas for trainer Bret Calhoun. Sequist (15-1) also won at first asking at Colonial, scoring by a length. She was third last out in the G1 Alcibiades for Dallas Stewart…
- Undefeated Echo Zulu is the 4-5 morning line favorite…
- Executive Order looks to bounce back in Maryland JuvenileExecutive Order, a debut winner at Saratoga, leads a nine-horse field into Saturday’s Maryland Juvenile Stakes at Laurel Park.
R8 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
- In 2019 Sharing parlayed a win in the Selima Stakes at Laurel Park to score in this event…
- The tastily named Pizza Bianca is the most tepid of lukewarm favorites, 5-1 on the morning line in a field of 14…
- Consumer Spending (8-1) won the Selima Stakes at Laurel Park for trainer Chad Brown to trigger her trip west. The More Than Ready filly has won two of three, and one of two to run back from the Selima, fourth-place finisher Sparkle Blue, returned to win next out. Junior Alvarado will ride…
- Another locally connected sort is Koala Princess (6-1). Two-for-two, she won at Monmouth Park at first asking and is trained at Fair Hill by Arnaud Delacour…
R9 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE
- Virginia-bred Oviatt Class is 20-1 on the morning line. The Keith Desormeaux-trained Bernardini colt graduated in his third career start and then was third in the G1 American Pharoah. He was bred in the Old Dominion by Godolphin and Morgan’s Ford Farm. Kent Desormeaux will ride…
- Two-for-two Jack Christopher is the 9-5 morning line favorite…
- The top pair from Monmouth’s Sapling Stakes are here in the form of winner Double Thunder (20-1) and runner-up American Sanctuary (30-1). The former, trained by Todd Pletcher, has three wins, including the G3 Bashford Manor. The latter, trained by Christopher Davis, has only a five-furlong maiden score to his credit…
- CT: Septarian off to speedy startTwo-year-old Septarian has hit the ground running, winning first out at Charles Town and then doubling up with a win at Laurel for Javier Contreras.
R10 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF
- The first- and third-place finishers from Monmouth’s Nownownow Stakes are here, while the winner of the Laurel Futurity may be on the outside looking in…
- Nownownow winner Dakota Gold (8-1) ran his record to two-for-two when rallying smartly to win that contest by a couple and will have Luis Saez up for Danny Gargan. The show horse from that event, Coinage (15-1), also is here. The Mark Casse trainee was the beaten favorite in the Nownownow, off at 4-5 following a win in the G3 With Anticipation. Florent Geroux is named…
- Laurel Futurity winner Ready to Purrform (20-1) will need a scratch to draw in. The Brad Cox trainee caught the right trip and won easily in the Futurity and will have Irad Ortiz up if he draws in…
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