Breeders Futurity (BC) (Grade 1)- $500.000 Purse
KEE- For Two Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
October 7, 2017
The picture for the BC Juvenile will become a lot more clear after this weekend. The big race is approaching, and the 14th running of the Breeders Futurity at KEE provides a great opportunity for a horse to punch a ticket to the big race. The list of recent past winners is probably not quite as impressive as the list of the Champagne, but going back a little further, the likes of Fusion and Skeleton Key have won in the past. Looking at recent non-winners, though, you’ll see the likes of Carneyman and Edwin Drood. This race still has plenty of history to go along with it. The winner of the 2016 race, Coin Flip, has only been in the money (in eight starts) once after his victory here. So, there are no certainties. Our field has nine going to the gate, let’s meet them now!
#1- Subutai (EasyMoney Stables, ridden by F Geroux)- Got his career off to a strong start, taking home the Grade 3 Bashford Manor in late June. Since then, the trainer did not get the results he was looking for and made his promising horse pay after running fourth in the Iroquois by giving him the snip. This will be his first race since the geld, and he looks like a candidate to be the type of horse to respond well to it. We’ll see. If he wins, geld an underachiever in your barn in appreciation.
#2- People Doubted (Mb Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- One of three entries for the trainer, and one that seems like he will get better and better each time the races get longer. I liked his last victory, even though it was “just” an allowance. He went a mile, went to the lead, and stayed there, and would pull away at the end. So, if he jumps out to the lead now, don’t be a person that doubts his intention to win the race, but that’s how he rolls.
#3- Liverpool Hurricane (Saratoga Stud, ridden by R Bejarano)- Purchased after one race by the current trainer from Kopites in private sales for $60.000, and has won once in three starts. This is a big jump forward for him, though I like his works, and if you feel the horse has a shot, this is time to take a chance. However, I would have liked to have seen a better performance in the GG allowance he ran in three weeks ago. Perhaps there was a good reason for that.
#4- Badge (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by R J Albarado)- The Niagra colt comes into the race finishing second in the Sapling Stakes, which is a race that his sire won back in the day. So far, his only winners circle trip was in his maiden, but he has two solid second ungraded races which show his potential. He’s going to need to be a little better here then he was in the Sapling, otherwise, look for him to be in the middle of the field.
#5- Table Stakes (Barcelona Farms, ridden by D Van Dyke)- This is a very untested horse. Just two weeks ago, he made his racing debut at PLN and annihilated the field to the tune of an eight length victory. There is no time to wait or rest if the trainer feels he is BC capable, and he did with that race in impressive fashion. Obviously, he has never faced this type of field before. He’s really a complete unknown in this field, but not as much as the next one.
#6- Having A Blast (Mb Stables, ridden by K J Desormeaux)- This one has also raced one time, but unlike Table Stakes, he did not win. In July, he ran second in a maiden race. It’s interesting to me that he has not raced since then, and is entered here, since he could have had other chances in other preps instead of resting in his stall. He’s worked nicely, but I’ll lean towards another of the trainer’s entries.
#7- Controlled Lion (Our Athletes, ridden by C S Nakatani)- After two good looking wins, Controlled Lion went to DMR for the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes, and while he was within a length, could only muster a seventh place run. He’s only raced out west so far, and his resume is highlighted by taking the SA Juvenile, an ungraded $100.000 event in July. Based on a couple works recently, I am not certain if he wants this distance, at least at this point in his career against this opposition.
#8- Edge Of Chai (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Back on Labor Day, the trainer enjoyed a 1-2 finish in the Grade 1 Hopeful at SAR between Centerpiece and Edge Of Chai. Today, these two have gone their separate ways with Centerpiece running at BEL in the Champagne, and Edge of Chai running here in the Breeder’s Futurity. It was a strong effort in the Hopeful, but that’s not all Edge Of Chai has done. He also won the Fager, of the always tough FL Sire Series, in August. His 97 SRF turned in the Hopeful is the highest of any of these. His 93 in the Fager is the second highest. This makes him the one to beat.
#9- Its Now Or Never (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by D Moran)- His name sums up the racing weekend for BC aspirations. As far as his own chances, his name holds true as well. He’s shown talent, winning his first two races, but has not as of yet been able to translate that into success at the stakes level with two off the board finishes. I like him though, and believe he will be a surprise if some of these don’t take kindly to the distance.
Prediction: 8-1-4-3
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
