Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf: Bobby's Kitten makes statement in Pilgrim

Bobby’s Kitten left no doubt that he is the top 2-year-old on turf in North America and likely will be favored in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1. With Javier Castellano aboard, Bobby’s Kitten blew away the field in the Grade 3 Pilgrim at Belmont Park on Sunday.

The Pilgrim was one of three Win and You’re In races for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf held Sunday, and Bobby’s Kitten, trained by Chad Brown, is the only horse coming out of the races who will take advantage of the fees-paid berth that comes with winning.

Karakontie, who won the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp, is reportedly being turned out for the year. The Grade 3 Bourbon at Keeneland lost its Win and You’re In status when the race was washed off the turf and moved to the main track. Trainer Wayne Catalano said Poker Player, who won the Bourbon, is being pointed to the Juvenile Turf.

Bobby’s Kitten received a 91 Beyer Speed Figure for his dominant win over stablemate Shadow Banking in the Pilgrim. Brown said that if both came out of the race in good shape, they would make the trip to Santa Anita for the Juvenile Turf.

Last year, Brown finished second and third behind George Vancouver in the Juvenile Turf with Noble Tune and Balance the Books. Noble Tune was sent off as a slight favorite due to his win in the Pilgrim.

In the West, Diamond Bachelor lost his undefeated status when he finished second in the $100,000 Zuma Beach at Santa Anita on Sunday, but he may have gained valuable experience when Julien Leparoux eased him out of a potential duel with Station House, who was gunned to the lead by Gary Stevens.

Diamond Bachelor, trained by Patrick Biancone, couldn’t hold off Aotearoa, who made a late move along the rail, but he held on well to finish a clear second over Got Shades. Aotearoa is not Breeders’ Cup-eligible, and his trainer, Leonard Powell, said the horse wasn’t likely to run in the Juvenile Turf.

Another possibility for the Juvenile Turf is We Miss Artie, who won the Grade 1 Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity for trainer Todd Pletcher at Keeneland on Saturday. The Breeders’ is a Win and You’re In race for the Grade 1, $2 million Juvenile, but We Miss Artie’s two wins came on turf and Polytrack, so it is possible that owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey will transfer the fees-paid berth to the Juvenile Turf.

We Miss Artie doesn’t get the automatic berth that comes with winning a Win and You’re In race, but he’s a Grade 1 winner, so there isn’t much doubt that he’ll be part of the field if Pletcher and the Ramseys decide to go in that direction.

Pletcher also trains Bashart, who had a rough trip while finishing second in the Bourbon Stakes. Bashart won the Grade 2 With Anticipation on turf at Saratoga in his previous start.

Officials at Breeders’ Cup said they are working on gathering information regarding which European-based horses are coming for the Juvenile Turf and should have a good idea early this week. European-based horses have won four of the six editions of the Juvenile Turf.