Run at 1 mile on the grass course, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, restricted to male 2-year-olds, is often a forecast for the top turf horses of the future.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf

The $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at 1 mile, the closing race on Future Stars Friday, has an overflow field of 14 entered.

2022 Juvenile Turf Contenders at Keeneland

Breeders' Cup Press release by Ren Carothers

#1 Victoria Road (IRE) (8-1)

Victoria Road comes in with a ton of underbelly, having three wins and two runner-up finishes in seven starts. Those three victories were his last three starts. Two back he beat Blue Rose Cen, who went on to win the Gr3 Prix d'Aumale and Gr1 Criterium des Pouliches. Victoria Road then successfully stretched to 9 furlongs in the Gr3 Prix de Conde. He's a son of Deep Impact's Saxon Warrior (JPN), a multiple Gr1W (Racing Post Trophy, Two Thousand Guineas), who was campaigned by the same connections. Victoria Road's dam, Tickled Pink (IRE), is a Gr3W daughter of Invincible Spirit and she hails from a tremendously deep family, as her half-sister, MGr1W Halfway to Heaven (IRE) is the dam of MGr1Ws Magical (IRE) and Rhododendron (IRE), both of whom put together stellar resumes much too long to list.

Suffice it to type, by the time Magical was retired, she was a seven-time Gr1 winner with over $6.2M in earnings, part of which were collected running second in both the 2018 and 2020 Breeders' Cup Turf. Rhododendron picked up three Gr1 victories, was second in the 2017 Filly and Mare Turf, and has since produced, on a cover of Deep Impact, two-year-old sensation August Rodin (IRE), who just gave O'Brien a record-breaking 11th win in the Gr1 Vertem Futurity Trophy and is now the early favorite for the Espom Derby.

#2 Packs a Wahlop (6-1)

He debuted over sloppy/sealed going at Gulfstream Park, but since heading to California and switching to the grass, he's rolled a natural hat-trick, including a 4-1/4 lengths score in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf, and a 2-3/4 lengths win in the G3 Zuma Beach. He's a son of Giant Causeway's son Creative Cause. Creative Cause won the G1 Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita ahead of a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile of 2011.

Packs a Wahlop is a half-brother to the stakes winning Sheltered Bay, and his dam, City by the Bay, is a multiple stakes-winning daughter of the late City Zip. He has been well represented in the Breeders' Cup, with his own progeny taking five championships: Work All Week (2014 Sprint), Dayatthespa (2014 Filly and Mare Turf), Catch a Glimpse (2015 Juvenile Fillies Turf), Finest City (2016 Filly and Mare Sprint), and Bulletin (2018 Juvenile Turf Sprint).

#3 Curly Larry and Mo (30-1)

Curly Larry and Mo drew into the official field and exits a maiden special weight victory taking them the whole mile at Keeneland. It was just the colt's second start on the grass, and the first around the two turns. He is a first-crop son of Uncle Mo's Mo Town, who put up triple digit Beyers in both grass starts, one of those being a victory in the G1 Hollywood Derby.

He's out of the Maria's Mon mare Marialua, who is a half-sister to G3 winner Honolua Storm (Eclipse Handicap). The family also includes French Oaks (Gr1) winner Confidential Lady (GB) and Triple Crown champion Affirmed.

#4 Silver Knott (GB) (3-1)

Breeder: St Albans Bloodstock

Charles Appleby won this race last year with Modern Games (IRE). He is back with a Juvenile Turf contender, but not with Mysterious Night (IRE) who punched a ticket to the race in the G1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine. Instead, he saddles another Godolphin runner named Silver Knott (GB), who has been knocking heads with the likes of the formidable Chaldean.

For perspective, Chaldean's only loss in five starts was his debut. He has since won four in a row, including the Gr3 Tattersalls Acomb, Gr2 Coral Champagne, and Gr1 Darley Dewhurst. Silver Knott only two losses came when in against Chaldean, which were the debut and then in the Champagne where the going was listed as soft and he didn't take to it. Silver Knott came back to win the Gr3 Autumn, putting up a career best Timeform rating of 102.

Silver Knott is a son of French Derby victor Lope de Vega (IRE), who has sired Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf champs Newspaperofrecord (IRE) and Aunt Pearl (IRE), who won in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Silver Knott is out of Gr1W God Given (GB), by Nathaniel, who was a multiple Gr1W himself and went on to sire the great Enable, who wowed us collecting a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Breeders' Cup Turf double in 2018.

A note that must also be made is that God Given is a half-sister to a multimillionaire named Postponed (IRE). He amassed over $7M with Gr1 wins in the Dubai Sheema Classic, King George VI & Queen Elizabth, Juddmonte International, and Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup.

#5 Battle of Normandy (20-1)

Battle of Normandy exits the Pilgrim, in which the yielding ground may have taken its toll, as he was ultimately seventh, beaten 10-3/4 lengths. He had finished just a neck short to Bobby O the start prior in the G3 With Anticipation, wherein he had drawn the rail, the going was good, and the pace was slow. Another 1-1/2 lengths back in third was the eventual Bourbon victor, Andthewinneris.

The debut is of interest, too. Battle of Normandy won it by 2-1/4 lengths over Joseph O'Brien trainee Alexis Zorba, who, before being brought to the United States, had put in two runner-up performances behind Blackbeard and Little Big Bear, both of whom are Gr1 winners.

As for pedigree, Battle of Normandy is by 2018's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile victor, City of Light, who capped his career with a 5-3/4 lengths score in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational. Dam, Adorable Miss, was a multiple stakes winner on grass, with wins in the Honey Ryder and Martha Washington Stakes. She's also a daughter of 2004's Eclipse champion grass horse, Kitten's Joy, and her full-sister, Noble Beauty, won the G3 Pucker Up Stakes. Their dam, Money Huntress, is an unraced daughter of Mineshaft, but her own mother, Favorite Funtime by Seeking the Gold, won the G1 Santa Maria Handicap.

#6 Andthewinneris (5-1)

Andthewinneris won his way into the Juvenile Turf taking the G2 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes. The colt had won his debut on grass in a Keeneland maiden special weight back in April before running third, 12-1/4 lengths back of Gulfport, on dirt in the Bashford Manor. He repeated the finish, but closed the margin to 1-3/4 lengths behind Boppy O, while favored in the G3 With Anticipation over turf listed as good at Saratoga.

Pace set up nicely in the Bourbon, with Panama (GB) getting the half in :45.81, 3/4s in 1:10.89 before folding inside another Oscar Performance scion, Deer District, who held for 2nd when Andthewinneris came closing for a final, stakes-record time of 1:41.27.

Andthewinneris is out of Run Like the Boss, a daughter of Scat Daddy, and her dam, Seekitana, is by Unbridled's Song. This brings us to the colt's maternal great-grandmother, Santona (Chi), who was champion grass mare in in Chile. The family also includes other G1-winners in Al's Gal (E.P. Taylor) and Ivar (Brz), who was named champion two-year-old colt in Argentina before being imported and becoming a G1 winner in the States.

He won the 2020 Shadwell Turf Mile ahead of a 4th place finish in the BC Mile, a placing he bettered in 2021, getting the show spot at Del Mar. We most recently saw Ivar in action in the "Win and You're In" Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1), wherein he ran just 1-1/2 lengths back of Annapolis in second.

#7 Really Good (30-1)

Really Good was third in the Bourbon, which is also where he had finished the start prior in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile, 3-3/4 lengths back of Reckoning Force, who finished seventh at Keeneland. Really Good had gone off as the favorite that day, having previously won his debut at Saratoga - a race in which Reckoning Force had finished 4th while making his stateside debut.

He is a son of Hard Spun out of the Smart Strike mare Means Well. Her mother was a multiple G2W with scores in the First Flight and Gallant Bloom Handicaps. The family also includes millionaire Mean Mary, G1 turfer Jack Milton, and Breeders' Cup Juvenile/Eclipse champion two-year-old male, War Pass.

#8 I'm Very Busy (9-2)

The Pilgrim runner-up, I'm Very Busy, is trained by Chad Brown, who also conditioned his Preakness winning sire, Cloud Computing. Between the wide draw, yielding ground, and lack of experience other than a maiden special weight score, the fact that I'm Very Busy did not come through as the favorite can be forgiven - especially when he was only beaten a length.

I'm Very Busy is a half-brother to Grand Kisses, who won the Lady Charles Town Stakes. Their dam, Two Kisses, is by Kissin Kris. Kissin Kris was 6th in the 1992 Pilgrim Stakes, but later became a G1 winner, taking the 1993 Haskell Invitational. He also got the show dough in that year's Breeders' Cup Classic behind Arcangues and Bertrando. Two Kisses' full-sister, Kiss Me Twice, won the Florida Breeders' Distaff, but it is their half-brother, Answer Lively, you would most likely recognize, as he won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Eclipse champion honors in 1998.

#9 Nagirroc (20-1)

Nagirroc actually won berth into the Juvenile Turf Sprint by seizing the G3 Futurity at Belmont at the Big A, but opts to go the mile distance in the Juvenile Turf instead. He was making his second start for trainer Graham Motion in the Futurity, and off a win over the surface back in September.

He hadpreviously run second on debut at Indiana Grand for then-conditioner Jim Corrigan. The final time was 1:09.36, and though he won in 1:08.58 scoring on the front end in the start prior, he showed further figure progression, notching an 82 Beyer.

Nagirroc is a son of G1 winning, multi-millionaire, and Claiborne stallion, Lea, whose final career start was a runner-up performance to Liam's Map in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Naigrroc's dam, Emma Spencer (IRE), is by Gr3W/MGr1P Zamindar, a full-brother to 1992's champion two-year-old across the pond, Zafonic. Emma Spencer is a half-sister to Gr1P runners Johann Strauss (2nd Racing Post Trophy, 3rd Jebel Hatta) and Mythical (3rd Criterium de Saint Cloud). The extended family also includes 2010's Sovereign champion grass mare, Miss Keller, and 2016's St. Leger (Gr1) victor, Harbour Law.

#10 Webslinger (20-1)

Webslinger made a ½ lengths score look dominate, getting to stretch to a mile for the first time on the grass. He had previously debuted in a dirt sprint at Ellis Park before they tried the grass at 5.5 panels over the good going at Saratoga. He did not have the easiest of trips that day, yet was beaten only a length in the end. The Nownownow at Monmouth is a two-turn mile and though he had an outside draw, he really appreciated getting to stretch those legs.

He is owned by D.J. Stable and trained by Mark Casse, and is a son of Constitution, winner of the 2014 Florida Derby and 2015 Donn. He is out of the Hard Spun mare Arana, and his second dam, Sunny Nature (GB) is by Sadler's Wells. Sunny Nature is a half-sister to Gr3 winner Clearing, who was also second in the Gr1 French Two Thousand Guineas. The family also includes Gr1/G1 winners Raintrap (San Juan Capistrano, Canadian International), Sunshack (1993 hwt 2yo colt in France), Polish Summer (Dubai Sheema Classic), Meteor Storm (Manhattan), Ice Breeze (Prix Royal Oak), and Stand to Gain (Sydney Cup).

#11 Reckoning Force (20-1)

Perhaps that reckoning is coming... Reckoning Force had originally debuted in Ireland before being brought over by Joseph O'Brien to compete at Saratoga. He showed some ability, but after settling for fourth to Really Good, he then finished third to another fellow entrant, I'm Very Busy, who went on to run second to Major Dude in the G2 "Win and You're In" Pilgrim. The third start was the charm, winning the Juvenile at Kentucky Downs. He was then shifted to another great trainer in Brendan Walsh for the Bourbon, but unfortunately, he did not get a smooth go of it and crossed the wire seventh, but only 5-1/2 lengths off Andthewinneris.

Reckoning Force is by Air Force Blue, who was champion two-year-old in Europe. The first dam, Alasema, is by a Belmont winner in Jazil. The second dam, Abby Road (IRE) is by Danehill and was a stakes winner in England. The third dam, which would be Reckoning Force's maternal great-grandmother, Bells Are Ringing by Sadler's Wells, is a ½ sister to Unbridled's Song. Bells Are Ringing also produced graded stakes winning turfers Ballagh Rocks and Eh Cumpari.

#12 Mo Stash (20-1)

Mo Stash makes the dance off runner-up performance to Private Creed in the Indian Summer. He will now stretch to the mile for the first time, but pedigree would suggest that is well within range. He is another son of the aforementioned Mo Town and out of the Smart Strike mare, Making Mark Money.

That makes Mo Stash a half-brother to Hidden Stash, who was second in the G2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby after a show dough go in the G3 Sam F. Davis. The female family is pretty potent, having produced the likes of G1 winners like Maxfield, Sky Mesa, and even Juvenile Fillies/champion two-year-old Outstandingly. Other graded-stakes winners turned sires are in the mix, too, like Tepin's daddy, Bernstein, Wise Dan's daddy, Wiseman's Ferry, and Good Samaritan.

#13 Major Dude (10-1)

The Pilgrim winner, Major Dude, finished a length the better of I'm Very Busy, with Lachaise in third. That was the colt's first start on grass, and he was coming into the race off a third-place finish in the Sapling, which was won by stablemate Lost Ark.

Major Dude is a son of Spendthrift sire Bolt d'Oro, who was precocious and classy. He won the first three starts of his career, including a 7-3/4 lengths romp in the G1 FrontRunner Stakes. He was favored to win the 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but finished third that day. As a three-year-old, he still showed talent, but had to settle for second, a head behind McKinzie, in the G2 San Felipe and then second again, this time to eventual Triple Crown champion Justify, in the G1 Santa Anita Derby. Bolt d'Oro is himself a son of the potent Medaglia d'Oro and out of the A.P. Indy mare Globe Trot, which is quite interesting when you factor in that Major Dude's dam, Mary Rita by Distorted Humor, is out of the A.P. Indy mare Possibility.

Possibility, meanwhile, is out of the undefeated Hall of Famer (and Distaff champ) Personal Ensign, who also produced 1995's Juvenile Fillies victress, My Flag, who then produced Eclipse/Juvenile Fillies champion Storm Flag Flying, both of whom collected further G1 wins beyond their two-year-old seasons. Personal Ensign is also the dam of Miners Mark (G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup), Traditionally (G1 Oaklawn Handicap), Our Emblem (2nd G1 Carter Handicap), Proud and True (3rd G3 Baltimore Breeders' Cup Handicap), and Salute (2nd G2 Demoiselle), the latter of which went on to produce millionaire Mr Speaker, whose wins include the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational.

#14 Gaslight Dancer (30-1)

Gaslight Dancer is the second entry for the connections. He was second last out to Nagirroc in the Futurity after pressing the pace throughout, and was ultimately denied a neck on the wire. Gaslight Dancer had actually gone off as the favorite in the Futurity, because the second start of his career, the first on grass, was a commanding gate-to-wire win by five lengths at Kentucky Downs.

Like Battle of Normandy, he is a son of City of Light. The colt's dam, Raindrops Droptops, is by Medaglia d'Oro and a half-sister to G3 Tempted winner Summer Raven, who went on to produce millionaire Lewis Bay, in addition to two other graded stakes winners in Misconnect and Winslow Homer. Gaslight Dancer's second dam, Rahy Rose, is also a half-sister to another millionaire, Wild Rush, whose accomplishments include G1 wins in the Carter and Met Mile.

2023 BREEDERS' CUP RACE SCHEDULE

About the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old horses, run on a grass course at a distance of one mile. It is part of the Breeders' Cup thoroughbred championships, the de facto year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing. All Breeders' Cups to date have been conducted in the United States, with the exception of the 1996 event in Canada.

The Juvenile Turf was run for the first time in 2007 during the first day of the expanded Breeders' Cup at host track, Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. The race received Grade II status in 2009.[1] The American Graded Stakes Committee further upgraded the race to Grade I status for 2011

Run at 1 mile on the grass course, the Juvenile Turf, restricted to male 2-year-olds, is often a forecast for the top turf horses of the future.

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Breeders Cup' Juvenile Turf Winners