Royal Lodge winner will get BC Juvenile Turf berth

Masekela has found a rhythm in group stakes for 2-year-olds in England in recent months.

After finishing second by a head in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in July, Masekela won the Denford Stakes at seven furlongs at Newbury on Aug. 14.

Those results will leave Masekela a slight favorite in Saturday’s Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at a mile at Newmarket. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 5.

Masekela, an Irish-bred colt by the Scat Daddy stallion El Kabeir, has won 2 of 4 starts for trainer Andrew Balding. The first win occurred in the colt’s debut in a six-furlong allowance race at Goodwood in May and was followed by a fifth-place finish in the Chesham at seven furlongs at Royal Ascot in June.

As the season progressed, Masekela improved. In the Royal Lodge, Masekela will be ridden by OIsin Murphy, who was aboard for the colt’s first three starts.

William Buick rode Masekela in the Denford. Saturday, Buick rides Coroebus, a maiden race winner in his debut in a one-mile race at Newmarket on Aug. 13 as the even-money favorite.

The Royal Lodge drew a field of seven, including Royal Patronage, the winner of the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at seven furlongs at York on Aug. 18.

Masekela and Coroebus tend to run as stalkers, while Royal Patronage is likely to dispute the pace.

The $137,400 Royal Lodge is the first of three consecutive group stakes for 2-year-olds at Newmarket on Saturday.

The undefeated Sacred Bridge will be a standout favorite in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs.

Trained by Ger Lyons for Juddmonte Farm, Sacred Bridge has won four races in Ireland, notably the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes at six furlongs on Aug. 27. Colin Keane has been aboard Sacred Bridge for all of her starts and has the mount in the $343,500 Cheveley Park.

The Group 2 winners Zain Claudette and Sandrine pose a threat to Sacred Bridge after finishing first and second, separated by a length, in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at six furlongs at York on Aug. 19.

Sandrine is a two-time stakes winner at six furlongs – the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes on the July course at Newmarket on July 9.

Saturday’s Group 1 Middle Park for 2-year-olds at six furlongs has a French influence. Perfect Power, trained in England by Richard Fahey, won the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville on Aug. 22, a result that will make him favored in a field of 10 on Saturday.

Christophe Soumillon, who was aboard in the Prix Morny, retains the mount.

Dr. Zempf, trained by Lyons, was second by a head in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at six furlongs at the Curragh on Aug. 8 and will have his English debut in the Middle Park.