LCD Juvenile ($100.000 Purse)
FG- For Two Year Olds Foaled In LA
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
December 14, 2024

For Continental, the LCD Juvenile was a lot like his last race, the Peluso Memorial Stakes, that he won by a half a length. In that race, he had to carry two more pounds than most of his rivals, and in the LCD Juvenile, he would spot the entire field those two pounds. He still seemed like a good bet and was the post time favorite for the race. We had him as our second choice, instead opting for Sectumsempra, and it would be the two of them in a photo for the win at the end. Continental gets the job done again, giving long-time trainer Barcelona Farms their first win in the race. Jockey J Loveberry is now a two-time winner. Congratulations to them! The race was won in a time of 1:09.12, and that’s a new record for the stake! Let’s take a look at it:

(1/4 Mile- :22.57)- Cryptology is sent out to the lead for Asgar and will lead by a length early in the backstretch. His stablemate, Sincere Leader, holds the rail and is one of the two stalkers. Running to his outside is the Delta Farms- trained, Moeraki Boulder. After a length and a half, we have our other two horses and eventual top two finishers. Continental is on the rail here for Barcelona Farms while Sectumsempra is right beside him for Delta Farms.

(½ Mile- :45.89, Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- The field really tightens up on the exit of the turn. Cryptology is still the leader but seems to be clinging to the advantage entering the stretch as Sincere Leader and Moeraki Boulder are on each side of him. Meanwhile, both Continental and Sectumsempra have been advancing, with Continental looking to move to the outside of Sincere Leader while Sectumsempra goes three wide.

(Finish- 1:09.12)- With a furlong to go, they are five wide across the track, looking as if they were just released out of the starting gate. The advantage here is certainly with the two horses that had been at the back, and Sectumsempra had taken the lead by a neck on the outside. Continental would find room to utilize in the second lane, and now we would see which one of these two would outkick the other. Would the two extra pounds carried by Continental make a difference here? Appraoching the wire, Continental pulled even but Sectumsempra would not give in, and they battled it out to the end. In a photo, it would be Continental grabbing the win over Sectumsempra. Sincere Leader takes third, followed by Moeraki Boulder and Cryptology.

About The Winner- Continental, trained by Barcelona Farms and ridden to victory by J Loveberry, is a two-year-old gelding by Cheveley Park and is out of Cant Hurry Love. He was bred by Mo Mentum Farm in Louisiana as a yearling and was acquired by Barcelona Farms while he was still unraced in the December 2023 auction for $19.200. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his fourth in six starts, and his third stake win. His career earnings are now $192.800.

Track: Fast
Time: :22²  :45⁴  :57³  1:09

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 4 Paid 16.60
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 4 – 3 Paid 47.10

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded