BC Juvenile Turf (Grade 1)- $1,000.000 Purse
CD- For Colts and Geldings Two Years Old
One Mile on the Turf
November 2, 2018
The biggest two days in horse racing are upon us. For those who have horses in this year’s BC, congratulations on that, for it is a remarkable accomplishment. Friday is the day that gets us going, with the action culminating in the BC Classic on Saturday. Official BC races begin with the 12th running of the BC Juvenile Turf. This is a race for male two year olds, running a mile here at CD. It is always interesting to look back at the past history of races like this, but even more so with the two year old division, to see who’s career really took off, and who never really lived up to the expectations. The short term hopes of the fourteen entered in this field is obviously to win, but all have a long term hope that they will be dominant as a three year old as well, and return to the BC in 2019.
Siberian Prince was the winner of this race last season. He’s won two of nine this year, with some sharp wins, but has been inconsistent. The more interesting story is that of the runner-up, Throne Drone. Here is the case of a horse who clearly had his moment to shine in the BC, and nothing else. He only raced three more times, with the last coming in April, and now he is no longer with us. I won’t go through every horse in the field last year, but the overall result of “what happened to them” a year later is largely disappointing. The best success stories would be 10th place finisher Regret Nothing, who has earned $500.000 this year, though just one win (the TAM Derby) and the one who finished next to last, Nitemare who’s won three of nine, and $466.000 in earnings. So, this will be a great race and a great purse awaits, but the future of all for next year will remain an unknown. Let’s enjoy the race. Here’s the field!
#1- Clutch (Aer Stables, ridden by J Talamo)- Sounds like the name of a horse that should do great things in this game. For that reason alone, I hope he has success. Although, it’s probably referencing the dam’s name of Five Speed Trans. Double meaning, even better. Now, the trainer will be hoping his performance here will not refer to his sire’s name, Aggravation. Just a maiden win to his credit thus far, but he had an eye-opening come from behind effort to be second in the $100.000 Zuma Beach in early October.
#2- Grandiose (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J K Court)- There has rightfully been a lot of talk about the two year olds coming out of this barn, so now its time to shine with some big results for them. D J C has two in this field, and this is my preference between them, thanks mainly due to finishing second in the Grade 3 Bourbon last month. That’s always a tough field, and one needs to look no further then this field to see how many are coming out of that race.
#3- Waitomo (Whitewater Stables, ridden by F Prat)- The long time trainer, as of press time, has just one win in 25 starts for 2018, but also has something that many of us do not have, and a runner in the BC. Waitomo has just his maiden win to his credit this year, that one win for the trainer, but picked up a second place check in the Grade 3 Pilgrim in late September at BEL. That race runs a week before the Bourbon, and is another common race that will be referenced as we look through this field.
#4- Into The Light (Mb Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- It will be difficult, if not impossible, for the trainer to have the level of success in the BC that he did last year. As we get going on this year’s BC, that amazing effort deserves another mention here. While he will probably not duplicate that (though amazing if he does), he could start it off with a win in a race that he has not yet won. I like seeing horses that ran in both the Summer Stakes at WO and the Bourbon. For some reason, I just like that specific combination. Into The Light cashed a check in both, but was gelded after the Bourbon. That always adds an interesting twist. Will that help him get the length or so that he needed in two of this race’s top preps?
#5- Face Your Fears (Mb Stables, ridden by J Alvarado)- Right next to his stablemate, this Proud Chai colt has won two of five. While the Bourbon did not go as well as the trainer would have liked (that doesn’t mean it was a bad race, because it was decent), he did get a win just before that in the Grade 3 With Anticipation, which is the Spa’s lead-up race for this stake. The victory was in a tight photo with the one starting on his other side right here. In example one of about a million of why Mb is a better trainer then me, if it were me, I would have gelded this one, and not Into The Light after the Bourbon!
#6- Many Faces (Gdp Inc, ridden by R Bejarano)- As mentioned above, Many Faces finished second to Face Your Fears in the With Anticipation, but he came back and got some sweet revenge in that race I am already talking so much about. That would be the Bourbon at KEE, a race that he won. That gives him incredible street cred in this race, since so many come out of that. That race is slightly longer, though Many Faces actually lost very slight ground in the stretch, so the mile distance should be more of a reason to like him. He has been great on the grass, and he will be a major threat to win. I am making him my pick, since I respect the Bourbon win quite a bit, but he will still need to be at this best. And let’s face it, this race will be about the trip, and Many Faces has a good spot in the gate.
#7- Copper Wench (Estero Farms, ridden by F Pennington)- The trainer will be looking to finish off BC weekend with a big victory, but starts it off with a good looking entry here as well. The great F Pennington is always at his best when on the grass, so with his presence alone, we should see improvement. Not that he needs much, though. A lack of experience at this distance is my main concern, and while the works are fine, I would have preferred to see him in the Bourbon on October 7th at KEE, instead of the Indian Summer (where he was second), especially since his previous race was his only such race going a mile or more, a MTH allowance win.
#8- Clueless Joe (Allinthegate, ridden by J R Velazquez)– After three races, Allinthegate decided what were decent starts were just not going to be good enough, and that there was more potential in Clueless Joe. He would be gelded, and then sent to the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at WO. The new gelding would step up and win the race, over a couple that we see here. Was it the geld, or the first time on turf? Or a combination of both? Interesting that none of the top three from the Summer chose to attempt the Bourbon. It’s a bit of a time squeeze, so the hope is that rest will be best for all of them. Clueless Joe is probably the most rested out of all of them. Very capable, indeed.
#9- Warino (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by A A Gallardo)- There’s nothing wrong with this one, and you could see him being like Nitemare (who is now currently in this barn as well), who was referenced in the opening. The potential is there, but the resume, not as much. His lone win is his debut, coming in a free race, on the main track. His turf debut is impressive, placing second in the OT Juvenile Turf. That starts to get me excited, but his run in the Grade 3 Pilgrim after that, looks a tad flat. Not bad, just maybe a little uninspired. I really think he’ll be like Nitemare, one to watch a lot next year, but maybe not the biggest threat right now.
#10- Hefner (Mb Stables, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Proving that this trainer never rests, on the day prior to the Bourbon when he was excited about this two year olds there, he went out and bought another one. He paid a nice amount, too, getting him for $500.000 from Jader Stable. We’ll see if he lives up to that, as he is yet to race for in the Mb silks. Comes off a third place showing at the Grade 1 Summer Stakes, though his only win at is a SAR maiden. Works are looking very good.
#11- Devils Tower (Smokey Stover, ridden L H Colon)- The colt by Ye Charley went the route of the Pilgrim and the With Anticipation to prepare for this race. In the With Anticipation, Devils Tower reminds us that it was a three way photo for the win there, as he was right there with Face Your Fears and Many Faces. Like Many Faces, he followed that up with a win, that being in the Pilgrim at BEL. In four races, he has a pair of wins, but has always been with the front runners, and has never failed to be in the money. When he won the Pilgrim, it was with a slightly different tactic that had been used before, coming from off the pace. Will he be able to do that again, if the trainer chooses, or will the outside push have another idea in mind?
#12- Z Bleu One (Gdp Inc, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- Anything by Z Jinxed One in a race like this must be feared. Z Bleu One, though, does not have the impressive resume quite yet, and resembles Warino to the point where you have the feeling that his best days are in the future, and maybe not right now. He’s one just once, but the reason he is here is because of his incredible closing effort in the Grade 3 Pilgrim, to get up for third. That came while starting in the 11th post, by the way. More then likely, we will see him trying to win that way again. Ran even with Devils Tower in the stretch there though, so bear that in mind.
#13- Cut The Brakes (Estero Farms, ridden by Alan Garcia)- We are at the point now where the inevitable talk about starting post comes into play. I don’t think this is going to be as much of an issue as others will over the course of the BC weekend. Cut The Brakes started his career well, with two wins, including the early-season KY Juvenile. His only grass start was his last race, placing second in the Summer Stakes. He ran near the front there, and with the outside push, we’ll probably see him looking to get to, or near, the front early here as well.
#14- London Techno (The Sidley Stud, ridden by P Husbands)- This one wins the award for the most starts to date in the field, with seven. That’s fine, but I would have liked to have seen more then just one win, given that. That was his maiden triumph at LS. He looks like he was just waiting to get on the grass, but two stakes so far do not create optimism. With so many from the Pilgrim in this race as well, it’s hard to get excited about his 12th place effort there, missing by eight lengths. Hopefully, that was just because of a factor like blown meters or something. Add in no public works since August, and this starting spot, it’s tough to be excited. It could also make him quite a sleeper if there is more behind the scenes.
Prediction: 6-5-8-3
— NS
Categories: BC 2018-20, Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES, THE BREEDERS CUP
