Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint: Kauai Katie currently on the fence

Will Kauai Katie run? That may be the week’s most compelling question regarding this division. After driving her undefeated record to three with a facile 7 1/2-length triumph in the Grade 2 Matron Stakes at Belmont on Sept. 30, Kauai Katie probably grabbed the role of morning-line favorite for the Juvenile Sprint.

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But, will she run?

“We’ll see,” said trainer Todd Pletcher after the Matron. “We’ll see how she comes out of it and talk with the connections.”

Kauai Katie is owned by Stonestreet Stables, which already campaigns a Juvenile Fillies candidate in Dreaming of Julia, a daughter of A.P. Indy who has won both career starts by a combined 26 3/4 lengths and is pointing for Saturday’s Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont. If Dreaming of Julia runs well in the Frizette, Kauai Katie may go to the Sprint. If not, Pletcher could opt to stretch out Kauai Katie in distance for the Juvenile Fillies or skip the Breeders’ Cup altogether.

Pletcher swept last weekend’s graded stakes at Belmont as Overanalyze overcame a difficult start to run down the speeds in the Grade 2 Futurity. Overanalyze is unlikely to contest the Juvenile Sprint, but runner-up Carried Interest and fourth-finisher Handsome Jack could contend. Carried Interest, making his first start since July 5 after nursing sore shins, was embroiled in a three-ply pace battle with Handsome Jack and favored Weekend Hideaway before putting those two away in midstretch. He was no match for Overanalyze, but may have been compromised by the layoff and the early contested pace. Trained by Rick Violette, Carried Interest is by the crack sprinter Henny Hughes and his strong early speed should play well at Santa Anita.

Although Brave Dave dominated the $100,000 Birdonthewire Stakes at Calder, he is unlikely to run in the Juvenile Sprint as he would have to be supplemented at a hefty fee. Muppet Man, the second-place finisher of the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity at one mile, disappointed greatly in the Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile over the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle Downs. Muppet Man broke awkwardly, failed to show his customary early foot and finished a dull last of nine at even-money. If trainer Jim DiVito continues onward, Muppet Man would make his first start on dirt in the Juvenile Sprint.

Scherer Magic, winner of the Grade 3 Hollywood Juvenile Championship on Cushion Track and third most recently in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Polytrack, is scheduled to make his dirt debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Tim Conway Stakes at Santa Anita. A good performance there will likely propel him to the Juvenile Sprint.

Beholder, scratched by trainer Richard Mandella from last week’s Chandelier Stakes, is lurking under the radar as well as the speedy filly Mechaya. Those two tussle in an allowance sprint at Santa Anita on Oct. 4.