Breeders' Cup Friday Begins with $1 million Juvenile Turf

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf is traditionally one of the more complex races to handicap and this year’s renewal is no exception with a strong mixture of European and American talent.  Hootenanny (3/1) is the morning line favorite, boasting a resume that includes wins in the United States and Great Britain as well as a Group 3 stakes placing in France despite just four career starts.  The Wesley Ward trainee was bred in Kentucky and appears to be a major pace factor having raced on or near the lead in each of his races.  The knock against Hootenanny?  He has never raced beyond six furlongs and never won beyond five. 

A host of talented young runners are viable candidates for the win in the BC Juvenile Turf including the rapidly improving Commemorative (8/1), who was bred and raced in Great Britain before shipping for trainer Charles Hills.  Despite making just his third career start last out in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Newmarket, Commemorative easily dispatched his eight rivals and enters the Juvenile with two consecutive wins at the one mile distance. 

Another Euro, War Envoy (9/2), is an obvious player for trainer Aiden O’Brien despite losing his last five starts in stakes competition across the pond.  European-based horses have won six of seven Breeders’ Cup Juveniles since the inauguration of the event in 2007.