The biggest weekend on the American autumn racing calendar is finally here and it’s time to end all the prognosticating, pontificating, speculating and admiring of every runner that hits the track at Keeneland Race Course. Simply put, it’s time for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Future Stars Friday leads off the two-day smorgasbord with five races for 2-year-olds, including the championship defining $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Those two races almost always determine the year’s Eclipse Award winners and figure to do so again in 2020. Toss in three turf stakes and it’s a more-than-sufficient appetizer to Saturday’s main event.
Plenty of starts from the 2020 Saratoga meet will be on hand Friday, including Simply Ravishing in the Juvenile Fillies and Jackie’s Warrior in the Juvenile. They could lock up titles with victories but each face tall tasks.
Speaking of tall and tough assignments, how about picking winners of the races? It’s always a challenge but the handicapping trio from This Is Horse Racing – Joe Clancy, Sean Clancy and Tom Law – are back trying to pick some winners and pad the bankroll for Saturday. They’re joined by The Saratoga Special’s leading handicapper John Shapazian, handicapper Charles Bedard and regular contributor Paul Halloran. John led the way last year with four winners at Santa Anita, while Sean and Tom picked two apiece.
The five races will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network on cable from 2-6 p.m. ET.
Here are the picks for Breeders’ Cup Friday:
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2). Post time 2:30 p.m. ET
The Wesley Ward show opens the championship. Keeneland-based trainer pre-entered a ton and wound up with four in the field and three AEs. Golden Pal stands out among the quartet off his blast-off effort in the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga. He drew post 14, which doesn’t hurt in a big field or a turf sprint in our eyes. Who are the potential spoilers? How about Second Of July? He won at 68-1 in his debut and the Grade 3 Futurity at 15-1. Ward’s After Five chased Second Of July home in the Futurity, while stablemate Into The Sunrise cuts back to sprint after close fourth in the Grade 2 Bourbon.
John: Golden Pal, Cowan, After Five.
Joe: Golden Pal, Lipizzaner, Second Of July.
Tom: Golden Pal, Second Of July, Momos.
Sean: Golden Pal, Second Of July, Cowan.
Charles: Amanzi Yimpilo, Golden Pal, Mighty Gurkha.
Paul: Golden Pal, Cowan, Into The Sunrise.
How wide open is this one? Consider that Mutasaabeq could be the highest-priced favorite of the weekend and he’s 5-1 on the morning line off victory in the local prep, the Grade 3 Bourbon Oct. 4. The European contingent looks strong as always, with Group 1 winner Sealiway, New Mandate, Cadillac, Battleground, Go Athletico, Davilwala and The Lir Jet looking to give the foreign invaders a ninth win in 14 editions of 1-mile stakes.
John: Sealiway, Mutasaabeq, Battleground.
Joe: Gretzky The Great, Battleground, Mutasaabeq.
Tom: Mutasaabeq, Sealiway, Gretzky The Great.
Sean: New Mandate, Battleground, Sealiway.
Charles: Sealiway, Gretzky The Great, Fire At Will.
Paul: Battleground, Cadillac, New Mandate.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Post time 3:50 p.m.
Unbeaten, unbeaten, unbeaten and unbeaten. Something will give when Simply Ravishing, Dayoutoftheoffice, Girl Daddy and Princess Noor navigate the 1 1/16-mile trip for $2 million. The New York-bred Simply Ravishing probably gets the nod – despite the morning line of 9-5 for Princess Noor – off blowout victory locally in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades. She’s 5-2 on the line, along with Schuylerville and Frizette winner Dayoutoftheoffice, who carries the pride of Ohio by way of Thistledown and Belterra Park. She never raced there but trained up to her Grade 1 stakes at those out-of-the-way venues.
John: Simply Ravishing, Princess Noor, Dayoutoftheoffice.
Joe: Simply Ravishing, Vequist, Princess Noor.
Tom: Simply Ravishing, Dayoutoftheoffice, Girl Daddy.
Sean: Simply Ravishing, Princess Noor, Girl Daddy.
Charles: Princess Noor, Simply Ravishing, Crazy Beautiful.
Paul: Vequist, Simply Ravishing, Dayoutoftheoffice.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Post time 4:30 p.m.
The Europeans aren’t as plentiful or deep in here but still could factor. Aunt Pearl, winner for the Grade 2 Jessamine on the course, Grade 2 Miss Grillo winner Plum Ali and Wesley Ward’s Group 1 Prix Morny winner Campanelle represent the home team. Chad Brown has won it five times, including three straight from 2016 to 2018, and sends out Editor At Large.
John: Plum Ali, Aunt Pearl, Campanelle.
Joe: Alda, Plum Ali, Mother Earth.
Tom: Campanelle, Aunt Pearl, Mother Earth.
Sean: Campanelle, Aunt Pearl, Nazuna.
Charles: Aunt Pearl, Plum Ali, Nazuna.
Paul: Plum Ali, Madone, Editor At Large.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1). Post time 5:15 p.m.
Big field and a big question. Jackie’s Warrior brings 4-for-4 record to his first start around two turns. That’s what everyone has been asking all week, can speedy son of Maclean’s Music stretch to two turns. He won the 1-mile Champagne without issue last time at Belmont Park, turning back rival Reinvestment Risk again. Likely the biggest favorite of the day, Jackie’s Warrior takes on 13 led by Essential Quality, Reinvestment Risk, Sittin On Go and King Fury.
John: Jackie’s Warrior, Reinvestment Risk, Sittin On Go.
Joe: Jackie’s Warrior, Likeable, Reinvestment Risk.
Tom: Jackie’s Warrior, Reinvestment Risk, Essential Quality.
Sean: Jackie’s Warrior, Essential Quality, Reinvestment Risk.
Charles: Jackie’s Warrior, Essential Quality, Reinvestment Risk.
Paul: Essential Quality, Keepmeinmind, Jackie’s Warrior.
