SportsLens experts give their Breeders Cup tips for the five Friday races involving juveniles at Del Mar. This year’s coverage of the World Championships stateside includes a terrestrial TV broadcast on ITV Racing on Bonfire Night.
The Breeders Cup puts two-year-olds in the spotlight first with age restricted races on the opening day. Set against the backdrop of the Pacific Coast in California, Del Mar combines an exotic location with top-class international horse racing. Read on for expert analysis and Breeders Cup tips for Friday from our tipsters…
Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (9:50)
Wesley Ward, an American trainer familiar to horse racing fans in the UK because of his Royal Ascot raiders, had a strong hand in the Grade 2 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over 5f. Averly Jane heads the betting at 11/4 with Bet365 here after four races unbeaten. They include easy successes at Saratoga and in a Listed contest at Keeneland over re-opposing stable companion Kaufymaker.
Of Ward’s three runners, preference is for Twilight Gleaming who bolted up at Belmont Park before coming to Europe this summer. A daughter of National Defense, she was a gallant second in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot before going one better at Deauville. William Hill are 7/2 about Twilight Gleaming landing the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf.
Another to note in the market here are Larry Rivelli runner One Timer, who is three from three. The best of the British raiders according to the betting, meanwhile, is Glorious Goodwood’s Molecomb Stakes scorer Armor for Richard Hannon. Ireland has Cornwallis Stakes winner Twilight Jet running. Go Bears Go may be overpriced at 25/1 with Bet365 and one who can outrun those big odds each way.
Back Twilight Gleaming with William Hill
NetJets Juvenile Fillies (10:30)
On the dirt, the extended 1m Grade 1 Juvenile Fillies race looks a cracker. Echo Zulu is already a dual winner at the highest level and heads the market on horse racing betting sites, but the form of the Steve Asmussen barn is a concern coming into this meeting. Our Breeders Cup tips suggest this odds-on favourite who likes frontrunning may not be the best value, then.
Elsewhere, Hidden Connection bolted up in Grade 3 company last time out. The runner-up didn’t exactly advertise the form when staying on into fourth behind Juju’s Map on her last start. It’s that one who at odds of 4/1 with William Hill could be worth siding with here. Brad Cox is bang in-form with his runners and won this race two years ago.
Juju’s Map made an effortless step up to elite level when kicking 4 1/2 lengths clear of her closest pursuer at Keeneland. That punched her ticket to the World Championships here. A daughter of Breeders Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map, this extended mile-and-half-a-furlong should really suit her.
Bet on Juju’s Map with William Hill
Juvenile Fillies Turf (11:10)
The Grade 1 Juvenile Fillies Turf race over 1m looks wide-open. Cases can be made for plenty of the runners here. Cairo Memories is one of only two course and distance winners in the line-up, so best odds of 12/1 with BoyleSports look a great each way bet in this contest. Woodbine Grade 1 runner-up Pizza Bianca has strong claims for in-form trainer Christophe Clement too.
Trainer Chad Brown has won this race four times since 2014, so Haughty at 10/1 with Bet365 and Consumer Spending, a 12/1 chance with William Hill, command respect. Most if not all of the home team have been very lightly-raced compared to the European raiders here.
Qatar Racing’s Siyouni filly Miss En Scene, who won the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood this summer, and Rockfel Stakes scorer Hello You look the best of British. The latter improved from fourth behind John Ferguson’s charge to land the Newmarket Group 2 for David Loughnane from re-opposing runner-up Cachet next time out.
Back Cairo Memories each way with BoyleSports
TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (11:50)
It’s looks a match on paper in the co-feature Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile race over the extended mile between the top and bottom horses. Jack Christopher runs for Chad Brown after beating other top two-year-olds in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park when last in action.
This barn produced the winner when the World Championships were last held at Del Mar in 2017. Jack Christopher, a colt by Munnings, was ridden clear of the re-opposing Commandperformance for an easy victory and followed-up on an impressive debut at Saratoga. He is a top-price 7/4 with William Hill for his hat-trick.
However, our Breeders Cup tips suggest that Bob Baffert inmate Corniche can serve it up to the favourite. Also unbeaten, the son of Quality Road has a win at the course and then landed the American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita. Baffert also has Pinehurst and Barossa running, but the barn’s first string is clearly Corniche at 100/30 with William Hill for another victory.
Bet on Corniche with William Hill
Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf (12:30)
Godolphin have two major contenders for the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf over a mile. Modern Games has progressed this season and appears the choice of retained rider William Buick. Trainer Charlie Appleby has taken his time with this son of Dubawi and only stepped him up into Group company on his fifth and latest start.
Modern Games ran on well over on the Rowley Mile in the Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket, so the trip is no problem. He is 3/1 best with BoyleSports, but this is also his trip overseas. The same connections also run Albahr by the same sire. This colt has already made a successful transatlantic raid after landing the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine.
The runner-up has come out and won since, so the form looks good. Albahr likes firm ground, so a top-price 6/1 with William Hill looks a solid each way bet against the favourite. No Breeders Cup tips should forget to mention Aidan O’Brien has a fabulous record in this Juvenile Turf race, so Leopardstown Grade 3 winner Glounthaune, who had the summer off, is also worth an each way play at 9/1 with the same firm.
Of the home team, Tiz The Bomb and Slipstream look most interesting. The former seeks a fourth consecutive win here. Slipstream, meanwhile, should get the trip on his pedigree but tries a mile for the first time. Doug O’Neill runner Mackinnon has two wins over the course and distance.
Bet on Albahr with William Hill
