Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint: Weaver could score a first with a possible three runners
?q=100)
Once again, an overflow cast was pre-entered for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, a popular race that has had also-eligibles scratched from the program each year since it was added as the newest race on the Breeders’ Cup program in 2018. While at least a few of the currently excluded horses seem likely to make the field, there are likely to again be some horses on the outside looking in when final entries are taken Monday.
There were 24 2-year-olds pre-entered this week for the Grade 1, $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint, which will be the first of the five Breeders’ Cup races contested Friday, Nov. 3, at Santa Anita. The race is limited to a field of 12 starters going five furlongs, with as many as six also-eligibles listed on the program in the event of race week scratches.
The 12 horses currently guaranteed a spot in the starting gate, based on Win and You’re In victories, points earned in graded/group stakes, and finally, the evaluation of a Breeders’ Cup panel, are, in alphabetical order, Big Evs, Brightwork, Cherry Blossom, Committee of One, Crimson Advocate, Dreamfyre, Givemethebeatboys, No Nay Mets, Pearls and Rubies, Slider, Tiger Belle, and Valiant Force. The lone Win and You’re In winner is Valiant Force, who earned his spot with an upset win in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes in June at Royal Ascot.
Crimson Advocate also won at Royal Ascot, taking the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes. Despite coming off a lengthy layoff, she is the 7-2 early favorite on Daily Racing Form’s line by David Aragona for this race, followed by another European threat, Big Evs, at 9-2. The third choice is No Nay Mets at 5-1; both he and Crimson Advocate are trained by George Weaver, giving him a strong hand in a race that has the door open for a new winning trainer. None of the previous winning trainers of the Juvenile Turf Sprint – Todd Pletcher (2018), Wesley Ward (2019, 2020, 2021), and Charlie Appleby (2022) – has horses pre-entered. Along with Weaver, the only trainer with two horses currently in the main body of the field is Aidan O’Brien, with Cherry Blossom and Pearls and Rubies.
Two fillies currently in the top 12 for the Juvenile Turf Sprint, Brightwork and Dreamfyre, are likely to run elsewhere. Brightwork has first preference in the Juvenile Fillies and was selected into the main body in the field of 14 there. Although the Juvenile Turf Sprint would keep her around one turn, at which she is unbeaten, she has never started on turf. Dreamfyre has first preference in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and was selected into the top 14 of the bulky 25 pre-entered there. She is coming off a win in her turf debut in the Grade 3 Surfer Girl at a mile.
If those two run in their first-preference spots, Amidst Waves – also trained by Weaver – and Crown Imperial would be the first two on deck to join this field. Crown Imperial has first preference in the Juvenile Fillies Turf but is currently the third also-eligible in that field.
The remainder of the preference list, in order, for the Juvenile Turf Sprint is Starlust, Shards, Hedwig, Dark Vintage, Asean, Pipit, Hidden Class, April Vintage, and Bubby Champagne.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.