BC Juvenile Turf – Grade I
DMR Race #9 1m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $1,000.000 For Colts And Geldings Two Years Old.
Run since 2007 that first race was won by Angelos Stables with Gold War Paint which was a real enigma as he never managed another top three finish after that race. Barcelona Farms is the key trainer for the race having won three, two more than any other player but their last winner was back in 2015. Quiet Return won this race in 2022 and went on to win the KYD and finish second by a nose in the BC Classic, so a turf bias is not 100% necessary but there are others that have stayed on the grass so it’s a mixed bag as we look for an advantage in picking the winner of the race.
Last year’s winner was Classy City from Asgar, he has gone onto to win a PEN Mile so with the KYD winner taking the year before this race is certainly capable of producing very good horses. Quiet Return owns the race record when taking the race in 133.08 in 2022.
Of the two races held here at DMR The Godfather won in 2021 from a wide gate and coming from midfield and Siberian Prince came from a similar position but was drawn more favorably in gate 3.
Lets take a look at this years field for the BC Juvenile Turf:
1 Alydar D J C Racing Stables Velazquez J R 122 —
15.3hh colt by W W Durant out of Celine
Owned and bred by D J C Racing Stables
Form: 13113
WR 102
Chose this race rather than the sprint and on the evidence of his huge finish in The Summer I think it may be the right choice. The winner of three sprints prior to The Summer he had been racing as a closer and getting the timing pretty good especially in the Skidmore over five and a half furlongs where he ran huge final sectionals to get up by a neck. Drawn this same gate in the grade one last time he went a long way back and at the two furlong from home point look to have no chance, but the pace was strong, and the leaders floundered, and he ran a huge final quarter to be beaten less than a length in the end. He will face the same issues from the gate today and has more horses to get through so a lot of luck will be needed unless the trainer and jockey can come up with a plan to lay him up a bit closer to the pace. If he can find the gaps when he needs them, he is a big chance and will certainly provide an exciting final furlong should he get through.
2 Forever Martian Mo Mentum Farm Conner T 122 —
15.2hh gelding by The Martian out of Posterity
Owned and bred by Mo Mentum Farm
Form: 01020
WR 100
He ran very well in the With Anticipation stalking the lead and holding on for a share of second but then ran an odd sort of race in the Zumba Beach last time losing his way a little mid race and then running on again late. I am not sure whether the instructions had something to do with that effort but with another great draw I would’ve though his best chance was to go with the pace again today and play it safer. He is working strongly suggesting that last effort was just one of those HRP things, but he would need to improve to beat a few that have already beaten him in this race.
3 Zion Birdie La Canada Racehorses Bridgmohan S X 122 —
15.2hh gelding by Zionist out of Great Tweety Bird
Owned and bred by La Canada Racehorses
Form: 4122
WR 103
Stalked Darrow in the Borbon last time from a wide draw and could never mount a serious challenge to the winner going down by a couple of lengths at the end. It was a change of racing style to that which he showed in the KD Juvenile in the race before where he was taken all the way back to last and then flew home late for second again. Though the gaming buttons may have been used I think you could switch those running styles and the results would be the same, but it will be interesting to see which tactic is used today to try and avenge his defeats. His mile work in preparation for this was very good and if things play out for him in the run he is a winning chance.
4 Black Eyed Riggins Racing Hernandez R M 122 —
16.1hh gelding by Black Hawk out of Eye I Eye
Owned by Riggins Racing bred by El Primero Rodeo
Form: 0101
WR 106
Ran a bit flat in the With Anticipation after a maiden win in the wet so it was a little surprising to see him bounce back so convincingly in the Summer Stakes last time recording a strong win in a very slick 1.33 and 1. Bought For $90.000 from El Primero Rodeo his form has a bit of a look of inconsistency about it although with just the four starts that may be a false assumption. He didn’t get the run from the inside box as a closer that he would’ve liked in the With Anticipation so that may be the reason he could only finish seventh, but he was running on well enough at the end and put that effort to bed last time out so maybe it is just best put down to the usual closer’s problem. With a clear run today, he will be a great chance and there is no doubt he will be running his best race at the end.
5 Whiskey Law Maxmillion Farm Jimenez A 122 —
15.2hh gelding by Lawful out of Whiskey To Wine
Owned by Maxmillion Farm and bred by Arkansas Elite
Form: 0102
WR 101
It will be interesting to see if his recent gelding operation can help him improve on his share of second in the With Anticipation but he wouldn’t have to improve much to have a decent chance. He was switched to turf after a poor effort on a muddy dirt track the race before and as you would expect with the turf king he improved markedly. This draw will give him running style choices but he should settle just off the speed which may be a good position to launch a challenge down the stretch. The works are in the ball park and if there is one that has a reason to improve enough to win it is him.
6 East Indies Nakamura Stables Gallardo A A 122 —
15.3hh colt by Schematic Plan out of Apricot Valley
Owned and bred by Nakamura Stables
Form: 11333
WR 101
Has run three good thirds in a row in stakes company with probably his best effort coming last time out in the Borbon when running from a wide gate and keeping on well for the third spot. He was beaten a fair way so will have to find some improvement but that was his first race on turf so the experience may provide that improvement. The trainer sticks with Gallardo who won’t have to work so hard early from this better draw so he is more likely to get into a loose stalk without expending as much energy which will certainly help his chances.
7 Sitting Strangely Riggins Racing Lopez P 122 —
15.1hh gelding by Sitting Bull out of Addressee
Owned by Riggins Racing and bred by El Primero Rodeo
Form: 10233
WR 100
An early starter having his debut in April he was bought for $100.000 after a fair effort in the Royal Palm Juvenile where he ran on late for fifth. Seemingly a deep closer by nature he ran two good placings in dirt sprints but then switched back to the turf to run a big race in The Pilgrim last time recording some of the fastest finishing sectionals. He certainly flashed home in the Pilgrim going into some black books in the process but like a few here in this race and over the BC weekend he will need some luck in running with that style as the race engine will no doubt create some traffic problems in the run through the home turn. He certainly looks to have the ability to win with a clear run and a fast pace.
8 Apples To Aces Ace Racing Stable Cedillo A 122 —
15.3hh gelding by Apples To Oranges out of Chatta Code
Owned and bred by Ace Racing Stable
Form: 020132
WR 102
Took four goes to win his maiden but did so in his first turf and route race so we can probably ignore his first three races. After winning that maiden he went on for a huge effort in the KD Juvenile running on very well for third and beaten less than a length and then went to the Pilgrim last time where he very nearly grabbed the win only going down by a head. He stalked a slower pace that day and looking at his running style may well be suited by a mid-pack position early on should the pace be as strong as expected. Two huge efforts in good form races for a race like this he will be a very good chance to provide a first BC win for the stable.
9 Darrow Mb Stables Franco M 122 —
15.2hh colt by Lunar Eclipse out of Electric Fire
Owned and bred by Mb Stables
Form 11
WR 104
It is always great to see an unbeaten one and this one is two from two with a very impressive win in the Bourbon last time. A winner on debut is rare enough but to win second time out as well is even more of a rarity so this is clearly a serious racehorse. An on-pace runner he is suited by the race engine and made all last time running on very strongly at the end and winning pretty much as he liked. Still an entire and working a slick 1.35 and 1 for the turf mile he will be many peoples favorite to win this, and I see no real reason why he can’t.
10 Aydeehdee Threshold Achard A 122 —
15.3hh colt by Great Caviar out of Neurodiverse
Owned and bred by Threshold
Form 011
WR 104
Looked every inch a staying turf type when winning his maiden, he stepped up on that last time to take the Pilgrim by just a head. He got a sweet run in that grade two but still had to dig deep to hold on and must be a decent chance for a stable that has never won a BC race.
11 Alvin Smedley The Sidley Stud Alvarado F T 122 —
16.2hh gelding by Techfluence Heat out of Loch Awe
Owned and bred by The Sidley Stud
Form: 0214610
WR 102
His record lacks a little consistency, and a lot will depend on which Alvin we see today. Ran a great race to take the OT Juvenile by a neck over the mile in his first turf race but then got lost out the back in the Borbon and was a real no show running home into a never better eighth. His running style from this gate will need some work as the times he has been a no show have been when he has disappeared at the back of the field and his best efforts have come from positions just a little closer to the pace. He has the ability and a trainer who certainly has the knowledge and experience to bring out the best of him, but they will have to to get the result today.
12 Mystic Talent Red Fox Farms Centeno D E 122 —
16hh colt by Mystagogue out of Swett Woman
Owned and bred by Red Fox Farms
Form: 0112
WR 104
After gamely winning his maiden on the dirt he went to the Soaring Free Stakes with a fair chance but won that race like an odds-on favorite. He went to the front early and nothing really had the pace to challenge him as he came home by two lengths without seeing another horse. He then took on the mile in the Summer and had so much pace he was four lengths clear at the six-furlong mark, In the end he faded through the final furlong as you would expect being beaten by Black Eyed. The wide gate speed push will help him once again get away and I think his best chance will be if he goes with that and tries to set up a decent lead again although a slightly more reasonable sectional after the AI takes over from the instructions may benefit him
13 Suit And Tie Mb Stables Buick W T 122 —
16.1hh colt by People Pleaser out of Fashionable
Owned and bred by Mb Stables
Form: 341410
WR 101
I like the fact that this one seems to have quite an adaptable running style as he has gone from an on-pace sprinter to more of a mid-pack router. With this draw he could well get away quickly but then Buick really does like riding them dead, so it is hard to say which the trainer feels is the right tactic. Buick got everything right in the KD Juvenile so maybe they will leave it up to him again but if you compare him to the stable mate that beat him in the Borbon you would have to say he is racing for second place.
14 Ello Santa Mb Stables Gutierrez Mario 122 —
15.2hh gelding by Ben Nevis out of Ello Guvnah
Owned by Mb Stables and bred by Iolaus Racing
Form: 11031
WR 105
You just need $150.000 to buy yourself an entry into the race and this may be the best $150.000 spent all year going on his impressive win in the Zumba Beach last time. He had been sprinting on the dirt in all his previous races with a win in the KY Juvenile and a great third in the grade one DMR Futurity and whilst they were good efforts he looked a different horse last time with some grass under his hooves. He crossed the line in 1.32 and 4 which just shows you how little development there is as that is a good enough time to win a few decent mile races as a four and up. The trainer has a strong hand here and this one with five races under his belt and that mightily impressive win last time may be the best of them.
15 Always Look Eye Maxmillion Farm – Also Eligible – 122 —
Not far off a start and would be an each way chance should he draw in. I think his effort in teh Zumba Beach was OK and his second in the OT Juvenile pretty good but in the unlikely event he gets a start he would be difficult to pick for the win.
16 Mystery Dime Asgar – Also Eligible – 122 —
A good maiden win and a fair third in the Zumba Beach he would be in a similar mold to the AE 1 should he get a start.
17 Blaze All Williams9 – Also Eligible – 122 —
Works are Ok but on form it is difficult to rate him too highly
18 Virtual Sport Williams9 – Also Eligible – 122 —
Interesting that this one has never had a turf start but qualifies as an AE in a BC Turf race, another entry anomaly. A good turf work though says he is probably the best of the AE’s but would need a miracle to make the field.
SUMMARY
Goodness these races don’t get any easier to find a winner. Darrow will be many peoples obvious pick here, he was so impressive the Bourbon that it is hard to go against him. I do rather like his stable mate to beat him though as Ello Santa’s time in the Zumba Beach was so good that I wonder of anything in this field could run quicker.
Certainly, Mb Stables could trifecta this field but there are plenty of good horses here, so it is by no means a given. I rather like Apples To Aces to run a big race and if there was one to run well at possibly good odds it would be him.
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
