Key events
10m ago
JUVENILE TURF RESULT: HAFFNER COMPLETES O'BRIEN DOUBLE
51m ago
BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE RESULT: HUGHES GRIT TO STAY UNBEATEN
2h ago
JUVENILE FILLIES TURF RESULT: SUN GODDESS SMILES ON SUPPORTERS
2h ago
JUVENILE FILLIES RESULT: EMPHATIC LEAVES NO ROOM FOR DOUBT
3h ago
BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT, AMENDED RESULT:
3h ago
JUVENILE TURF SPRINT RESULT: LATE SUB LOUGHNANE GETS IT DONE ON LIBERTANGO
4h ago
Preamble
That win also moves Aidan O’Brien back into a clear lead in the all-time standings for Breeders’ Cup winners, with 23 career victories at the meeting.
He was briefly tied on 22 with Bob Baffert after the Juvenile, but the standings could well be re-arranged once again during the main Breeders’ Cup card tomorrow.
Once again, Ryan Moore made riding a Grade One winner around this tight turf course look like the easiest thing in the world.
He was quickly away from the stalls, third at the first turn, moved up around the inside leaving the back and then stayed on strongly to the line. Folsom Blues made up several lengths in the final two furlongs but was just too far away from the action earlier on to stand any chance of running Haffner down.
1. HAFFNER (Ryan Moore), 2. Folsom Blues, 3. Avec Toi. 12 ran.
A level break, How’s Al Today and Haffner well positioned early …
Pikachu moves into third, Folsom Blues off the pace …
Haffner makes a move against the rail, now comes around teh leader in the straight.
Haffner finishing best, he’s in front and staying on strongly … it’s Haffner for the win.
Off and running in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf!
They are jig-jogging towards the stalls before the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and now going into the gates. Folsom Blues will be favourite at around 5-2.
A tricky race to unpick, but I think the pace scenario and also the going could play more to the strengths of Haffner than to Folsom Blues so I’ll row in behind Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore to pull off yet another Breeders’ Cup success.
Juvenile Turf, latest betting:
5-2 Folsom Blues, 3-1 How’s Al Today & Haffner 8-1 Avec Toi 12-1 Agate 16-1 bar
In all, there are half a dozen European runners in this race, including the outsiders Sale Shark (Hugo Palmer/Oisin Murphy) and Pikachu (Charlie Johnston/David Egan).
Avec Toi, from the Christopher Head stable in France, and Aidan O’Brien’s second-string, Florida Bay, complete the visitors’ line-up.
21.35 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Grade One, 2yo, 1m, turf
And just like that, we’ve already reached the last of today’s five Breeders’ Cup events, with the Europeans looking to repeat their clean sweep on the turf at the meeting here four years ago.
Even in the late absence of Aidan O’Brien’s Great Barrier Reef, there will be an impressive squad of Euro runners facing the starter, led by Joseph O’Brien’s Folsom Blues, the runner-up behind Amusingly in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last time.
If he wins, he will be the fourth horse to be beaten in the Lagardere and win at the Breeders’ Cup, and he should get the strong pace he needs as a horse that likes to come from off the pace. Florida Bay, Avec Toi and Liam’s Law are all likely to be vying for the lead.
Aidan O’Brien, meanwhile, still has a strong contender in Haffner, the winner of the Grade Two Royal Lodge Stakes last time out.
If there’s going to be an American-trained winner on the turf today, it will probably be How’s Al Today, the winner of three of his four starts including the Juvenile Mile Stakes at Kentucky Downs last time.
The big four came clear in the stretch, but Hughes led coming out of the home turn and his gallop never faltered on the run to the line. He’ll be a serious candidate for the Kentucky Derby next May.
He set off as the 4-5 favourite on the US tote, the same price as Sun Goddess.
1. HUGHES (Flavien Pratt), 2. American History, 3. Salahudin. 6 ran.
He Is No Lie was slowly away, Damavand leads early.
Hughes is now alongside Damavand in front, so-so first quarter in 23.36.
American History and Salahudin in close pursuit of the leaders, they’re turning in and now Hughes has the lead.
Hughes leads, American History in pursuit, Hughes has this in safe keeping though … he’s now five-for-five after taking the Juvenile.
Off and running in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile!
A quote has just dropped from earlier, from Billy Loughnane after his first Breeders’ Cup victory (no doubt of many) aboard George Boughey’s Libertango.
double quotation mark“I can’t put it into words. I never expected to ride the filly at this weight. Thankfully, they have the saunas here so I managed to do the weight. I’ve been working on the weight all week … and a big thank you to George Boughey for putting me back on board.”
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, latest betting:
3-5 Hughes 4-1 Salahudin & American History 9-2 Coach Pope 27-1 Damavand 31-1 He Is No Lie
Damavand, incidentally, represents the US arm of Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation.
Sun Goddess was the first odds-on shot of the meeting and Hughes is likely to be the second. He’s currently 3-5 with the local tote, and a similar price with the British books.
20.55 Breeders Cup Juvenile, Grade One, 1m ½f, dirt
Six runners – for the second year running – is a disappointing turnout for the Juvenile, but it has a worthy favourite in the Bob Baffert’s Hughes, who is unbeaten in four starts.
He won the Grade One American Pharoah at Santa Anita by six lengths, going clear easily under a hand ride.
Todd Pletcher’s American History is also unbeaten – in two – and won the Grade One Futurity over track and trip last time. He was not favourite by any stretch, but picked off the first and second favourites late after they had duelled down the stretch. Another of today’s runners, Coach Pope, was the favourite there and perhaps a little unlucky to get picked off after getting the better of his market rival.
Salahudin is also worth a mention as he attempts to give Baffert a record-extending seventh win in this race. He did not have an ideal trip in the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs last time and did well to win in the circumstances.
It’s been a meeting for the favourites so far and it’s hard to see much beyond Hughes here. There’s no obvious pace in the race after Gaudreau was scratched and Flavien Pratt should be able to settle just off the lead and pick his moment.
A masterclass in no-nonsense race-riding from Ryan Moore, who got Sun Goddess out and across from stall nine to sit second as they went into the first turn. She travelled sweetly from there and it was just a case of when Moore pressed the button.
What a remarkable filly she is: eight runs, seven wins, three Group Ones. And on top of all that, she has the physique and scope to be an even better three-year-old.
She set off as the 4-5 favourite on course, what a gift that looks now.
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