Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Sun Goddess looms large in Euro-dominated field
:quality(75))
There is no shortage of candidates willing to challenge the European star Sun Goddess in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Oct. 30 at Keeneland.
Sun Goddess, trained by Aidan O’Brien, will be favored in the Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile on the strength of a busy campaign of six wins in eight starts in England and Ireland.
Sun Goddess has risen in prominence in the last 45 days with eye-catching wins by 7 1/2 lengths in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh in Ireland on Sept. 13 and a one-length win in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at six furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse in England on Sept. 26.
:: ON SALE NOW: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages! Get everything you need to win and save big.
The BC Juvenile Fillies Turf will be the first start for Sun Goddess at a mile. The Breeders’ Cup announced Wednesday that 23 fillies were pre-entered – 12 from North America and 11 from Europe.
Only 14 can start. A committee of racing officials put nine on an also-eligible list – five from Europe and four from North America. Aside from Sun Goddess, O’Brien pre-entered the outsider So Lovely, a Kentucky-bred who was fifth in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac behind Green Empress at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris on Oct. 4 in her most recent start.
Green Empress, trained by Aidan’s son Joseph, will be among the next choices behind Sun Goddess in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. She was second to Sun Goddess in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Europe’s next best chance is Amusingly, who beat colts in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at seven furlongs on Oct. 4 at Longchamp after being supplemented to the race for approximately $32,400. Amusingly is trained in France by Francis-Henri Graffard, who won his first Breeders’ Cup race at Del Mar last year, and first race in the United States, with Gezora in the Filly and Mare Turf.
In the 18-year history of the Juvenile Fillies Turf, Chad Brown leads all trainers with six wins, the most recent of which was Hard to Justify at Del Mar in 2023. Aidan O’Brien has won the race twice, including the 2024 running with Lake Victoria.
This year, Brown’s hopes are with the exciting prospect Domestic Agenda, the sharp winner of the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Oct. 3 at Belmont Park to remain unbeaten in two starts. Domestic Agenda is projected to be the third betting choice behind Sun Goddess and Amusingly.
The list of prospective runners is likely to change before entries are taken Monday. Domain Expansion, winner of the Grade 2 Oak Leaf Stakes on dirt on Oct. 3 at Santa Anita, has been pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies on dirt as her first preference.
Go for Launch, the first alternate, has been pre-entered in the Juvenile Turf Sprint as her first preference.
If they do not run in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, a berth would become available for Scommessa Sicura, who was fifth in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile on Oct. 9 at Newmarket.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.