Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf: Endlessly continues to improve
?q=100)
In the 16-year history of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, no California-based horse has won or even come close. But this year, no 2-year-old turf horse anywhere in North America has produced anything like a standout performance, which brings hope to the trainer Michael McCarthy.
McCarthy has California’s top juvenile turf-route horse so far this year, Endlessly, who ran his record to three wins from three starts with a convincing tally last Sunday in the Zuma Beach, run, like the Juvenile Turf, over one mile at Santa Anita. At Del Mar, Endlessly won a maiden race and the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. All three of his victories have come by 2 1/4 lengths, but Endlessy is not the same horse now as he was a couple months ago. He worked himself into a perfect trip in the Zuma Beach and earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure, tops for Endlessly and competitive with anyone else in North America.
“The horse is acting like he’s getting a bit more professional with every race,” McCarthy said Tuesday. “He’s finishing off his races nicely. With racing, he’s just getting more professional, schooling better, acting better – all those things.”
Endlessly, by the 2016 Juvenile Turf winner, Oscar Performance, still has a bit of softness to his body, the unsculpted look of a horse with plenty of physical maturation still to come. He just needs a few good weeks, and perhaps he, unlike his California predecessors, can make a dent in the Juvenile Turf.
McCarthy has a second potential Juvenile Turf runner in Ngannou, a two-start maiden who set the pace and held second in the Zuma Beach. McCarthy plans to pre-enter the colt, who might lack qualifications to get into an oversubscribed field.
:: Bet with the Best! Get Free DRF PPs and Cashback when you wager. Join DRF Bets.
McCarthy has a good Breeders’ Cup record – two winners from just 15 runners: City of Light won the Dirt Mile in 2018, Ce Ce the Filly and Mare Sprint in 2021.
◗ Sunday’s Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland was less than definitive vis-à-vis the Juvenile Turf, with 27-1 shot Can Group rallying from last to win by a nose over second choice Noted. The top two, if not others, seem likely to go on to Santa Anita, but only about three lengths separated the first 11 finishers in the Bourbon, a suggestion the race was of modest quality. Mark Casse, who trains Can Group, also has Summer Stakes runner-up My Boy Prince as a potential Juvenile Turf starter. Todd Pletcher, who trains Noted, has Pilgrim Stakes winner Agate Road for Santa Anita.
◗ The Dewhurst Stakes on Saturday at Newmarket could yield a runner or two for the Juvenile Turf, but the leading overseas hopes appear to be Unquestionable and Capulet from trainer Aidan O’Brien.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.