11/3/23

  11  SA   BC Juvenile Turf Sprint – GII     

   $1,000.000        2yo      5f  InTurf         Weight 122lbs   Fillies 3lb allowance

SoCal, The Great Race Place and the big circus comes to town!  We’ve all waited for it, but it’s finally here… BC Weekend and we get things kicked-off with the Future Stars and a host of Juvenile races.  Here’ we look at the full field for the BC Juv Turf Sprint (GII) and we get a little bit of everything in this one… a few fillies have found their way into the gate, many of them have seen each other in lead-up races, but no other race seems to produce so many double-digit odd winners. 

I’m taking Zeus The Great as the top selection, and why not?!  He’s a perfect three-for-three on the lawn, has two stakes wins and just seems to be getting better with each and every start.  He won the KD Juv by two lengths and looked like he could have won by more… enough to get my attention, that’s for sure. 

If it’s BC Day, you have to include Mb Stables in the picture, so let’s put Seeking Attention right in the middle of this one.  She’s won two of three on the green stuff, and as much as I don’t like girls vs. boys, she looks to be a rapid filly that can run with anything.  I’ll buck my own rule and put her on the bottom of my exactas. 

It’s well documented that I’m horrible at baby races, so take all of my Friday picks, throw them in the garbage and call Ali… she’s probably all over this race.  Good luck and congratulations to all entrants!!

Here’s The Field –

He looked good winning his first stakes, over this course and at today’s distance, so if you like home cookin’, this could be the one for you.  He closed some late gap in the Skidmore at SAR, and that may be a sign that this one is just getting better with every start.  Nice 5f work getting ready for this one and he looks to be any type and should be given a big chance.

Three wins from five starts and was close in both of the other races, and we all know the big barn doesn’t play around when the big loot is on the line.  He went wire to wire in the Indian Summer at KEE, and showed speed in both of those other wins… I’d expect him to be on the early gas, if he is going to take this one. 

Was fourth in the fore-mentioned Indian Summer, but does show a west coast stakes win, taking down Cal-bred types in the Graduation at DMR.  Last out was his first turf try, so he could improve off of that race, and will have to if he wants to cash a check today. 

Throw out that maiden voyage (which we can often do) and you have a solid filly.  She broke maiden at ELP, then was third in the Sorority (GIII) before a runner-up effort in the Matron (GIII) over the AQU grass.  She was long odds in both of those races, but that means nothing…  I’m not a big fan of girls vs. boys, but she is intriguing, to say the least. 

The big barn brings a filly to this one, and she did look good winning the Matron (GIII) at AQU, last out.  She was also a solid fourth in the Untapable at KD, and with three wins under her belt, she does not how to get the job done.  Still, girls vs. boys is not to my liking… but she could surprise. 

A single win for this one, breaking maiden at ELP, but he was close in the Futurity (GIII), missing by a whisker after having the lead in the lane.  This is a furlong shorter, so maybe it’s right where he wants to excel and he pulls it off.  Solid work over the course getting ready for today. 

The third part of the big barn’s 3-headed monster, and I really like this colt.  Broke maiden here at first asking, then won his first trip over the sod taking the Futurity (GIII) at AQU, closing like a freight train.  He might have to be a bit closer in this shorter sprint, but he has shown good speed, so…  watch him. 

No stranger to the starting gate, this being his eighth start, and does show a stakes win in the Tremont at BEL in his first start for this barn, after the acquisition.  He was third last out in his first trip over the sod, in the fore-mentioned Futurity (GIII).  He could improve off of that… and will need to.

Broke maiden at first asking, and won the Funny Cide at SAR, taking down empire state bred horses.  Ran a bad one in his first trip over the turf course, so he’s going to need to make some vast improvement if he want any part of this group. 

Got back on the winning side of things last out, taking the Algonquin at WO in his first trip over the lawn, and he did it in fairly quick time.  I don’t think you get 27/1 here today, but he could be a bit of a long-shot (you never know the odds here) and could be a horse to use on those exacta and tri tickets. 

Another filly, but she did prove she could run with the boys in that runner-up effort in the fore-mentioned Algonquin, up north of the border.  She was flying home in that race, and with the size of the field here, she may need to show a bit more early speed or hope for a clear path late, as that seems to be her style… watch her. 

Three in a row, all on the weeds, and your probably post-time favorite… broke maiden on the ELP turf, then took the Soaring Free at WO.  Kept the hot hand going going gate-to-wire in the KD Juv, and that was an impressive race, for sure.  Solid works over this course getting ready for today… he’s my pick. 

Two wins from four starts including the Tyro on the NJ turf, then tired to be fourth in the Algonquin at WO, but he’d been off for 60+ days and may have needed that race.  He’s a horse that could be overlooked a bit, and that could come back to bite you.

Only a single win, but this one has been close in a number of other big races including runner-up finishes in the Bashford Manor, Skidmore and KD Juv.  He was fourth last out in the Futurity (GIII), but was only a half-length back in that one.  Another with some nice works over the course and looks ready to run big. 

Two wins from three starts, but has not seen any type of stakes company and seems to do his best work from off of the pace.  Let’s see if there is a scratch. 

Was last of eleven in his only stakes starts, but has two wins and a second in his other three races.  Would need a miracle to draw in, but let’s see how the week plays out. 

COZMAN  12 / 5                 Willie’s Green Card     1 / 10

https://simracingform.com/2023/10/30/time-to-kick-off-the-big-weekend-its-the-bc-juv-turf-sprint-gii/amp/

Categories: BC 2021-2023