Breeders' Cup Juvenile: Hollendorfer has strong pair

Jerry Hollendorfer’s depth in the 2-year-old division is such that even with two of his best colts getting a break, he will still be represented by two horses in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.

With Instagrand and Rowayton on the farm, Hollendorfer will send Gunmetal Gray and Dueling to Churchill Downs for the Juvenile. Remarkably, they will be the first two horses the Hall of Fame trainer has started in the Juvenile.

If the undefeated Game Winner is the measuring stick for the Juvenile, then Gunmetal Gray and Dueling deserve consideration. Both horses have finished second to Game Winner. Gunmetal Gray was beaten 4 1/2 lengths by Game Winner in the Grade 1 American Pharoah on Sept. 29 at Santa Anita. Dueling was beaten 5 3/4 lengths by Game Winner when second in an Aug. 18 maiden race at Del Mar. Dueling came back to win his maiden by 2 3/4 lengths Sept. 28 at Santa Anita.

Hollendorfer, who owns Gunmetal Gray in partnership with West Point Thoroughbreds, said “expectations have been pretty high for this horse off when we first started working him.”

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Hollendorfer also said Gunmetal Gray would be better going longer, so his fifth-place finish going six furlongs in his debut wasn’t a big deal to the trainer.

“We always thought he’d be better going longer,” Hollendorfer said. “That turned out to be the case.”

Dueling also proved better going longer, winning a one-mile maiden race at Santa Anita after finishing second to Rowayton and Game Winner in two sprint races at Del Mar.

“He’s a big, strong horse – pretty doggone good-looking horse, too,” Hollendorfer said. “If he can get in, we want to run him. We want to give him a chance.”

While Flavien Prat will ride Gunmetal Gray, Hollendorfer had not finalized a riding assignment for Dueling as of Wednesday. Mike Smith, who was aboard for his maiden win, has already committed to Well Defined.

Though Game Winner will likely be a strong favorite in the Juvenile, a large field with ample speed could make for a highly competitive race.

“The difference in the Breeders’ Cup might be a different pace scenario,” Hollendorfer said. “Things might set up different in that race than in a short field at Santa Anita.”

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Velazquez makes a switch

There was some jockey shuffling regarding the Juvenile. John Velazquez, who rode Mind Control to victory in the Grade 1 Hopeful, will ride Code of Honor in the Juvenile while Irad Ortiz Jr. has picked up the mount on Mind Control.

Velazquez rode Code of Honor to his debut victory, but elected to ride Mind Control in the Breeders’ Futurity over Code of Honor in the Champagne the same day. Mind Control was scratched the morning of the race due to a temperature. Eric Cancel rode Code of Honor, who stumbled at the start, to a good second-place finish behind Complexity.

Mind Control returned to the work tab Sunday morning at Monmouth Park, breezing five furlongs in 1:02.20, according to his trainer, Greg Sacco.

Sacco said Mind Control would have two more works at Monmouth before shipping to Kentucky on Oct 29.

◗ Manny Wah, a 3 1/2-length allowance winner Oct. 11 at Keeneland, and Mr. Money, a maiden winner going 1 1/16 miles Sept. 28 at Churchill, are both being considered for the Juvenile, according to their connections.