Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint: Ward, as usual, holding pocket rockets

In its 126 prior runnings, the historic Futurity at Belmont Park has been won by racing greats such as Domino (1893), Colin (1907), Man o’ War (1919), Citation (1947), Tom Fool (1951), Native Dancer (1952), Nashua (1954), Bold Ruler (1956), Secretariat (1972), Affirmed (1977), and Holy Bull (1993).

But in more recent history, with a general trend toward more sparse campaigns for top horses, the Futurity’s importance has changed. Lemon Drop Kid (1998) was the last Futurity winner to emerge and take one of the following spring’s classics. Overanalyze (2012) is the most recent winner to win any subsequent Grade 1.

To keep up with the times, the Futurity has been re-imagined for its 127th renewal, moving from dirt onto the turf and picking up status as a Win and You’re In automatic qualifier for the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in four weeks. The Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity, set for Sunday, is one of a pair of juvenile turf sprint stakes at Belmont Park this holiday weekend. Monday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Matron for fillies has also been shifted from dirt to turf. Although the race is not designated as a Breeders’ Cup qualifier, it still figures to produce some starters for the new race.

Belmont was not the only track to make shifts in its fall stakes schedule in response to the addition of the Juvenile Turf Sprint to the Breeders’ Cup program. The $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, formerly a dirt sprint for 3-year-olds, and the revived and reconstituted $200,000 Indian Summer Stakes on Sunday at Keeneland both also award automatic berths into the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

With the picture for the Juvenile Turf Sprint still wide open, a sizable contingent was expected for each of this weekend’s prep races – with representation around the country expected from Wesley Ward, who is known for his prowess with juveniles. Ward, who had a strong spring-summer meet at Belmont, was expected to have a handful of starters for the Futurity and Matron, including the intriguing filly Dragic, who Ward said was under consideration for both spots. After beginning her career on dirt, with a maiden victory in April and a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes in California, Dragic moved to the turf and finished third against males in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile at a mile.

“Prior to going out to California, I breezed her on the grass at Keeneland and it was an eye-opening breeze,” Ward said. “Her pedigree suggests no turf at all, but if you watch her moving over the grass, she’s certainly taken to it.”

The Futurity is expected to include Joyful Heart, cutting back for trainer Brian Lynch after finishing third in the Grade 3 With Anticipation Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Saratoga.

“It’s the first year, so we’ll see how it goes,” Lynch said. “If you got a quick 2-year-old, it’s good. I mean, Wesley will probably dominate that race, but our guy is pretty quick. He broke his maiden impressively in his second start here, and was third in the With Anticipation, but he’s probably better off sprinting, so we’ll take a crack at that.”