At $2 million, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile is the richest 2-year-old race in North America. The 1 1/16 mile race, restricted to male 2 year-olds, is often a preview of the stars of the Triple Crown races for the following year.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Jack Christopher & Corniche to battle in Breeders' Cup Juvenile

UPDATE: NOV 14 - Jack Christopher Has SCRATCHED

In the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) at 1 1/16 miles, Speedway Stables' Corniche broke his maiden going wire-to-wire at Del Mar on Sept. 4, and then was a front-running 3 ¼-length winner of the "Win and You're In" American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park for trainer Bob Baffert.

Rustlewood Farm's Pappacap finished second in the American Pharoah. Trained Mark Casse, Pappacap, a son of 2017 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Gun Runner, won the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar in August.

Lucky Seven Stable's Rattle N Roll, trained by Kenny McPeek, also earned a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series victory into the Juvenile when he came from off the pace to score a 4 ¼-length victory in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 9.

Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, and Peter Brant's Jack Christopher, trained by Chad Brown, gained a free berth into the Juvenile by winning the Oct. 2 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.

Kazuo Kato's Jasper Great, a Kentucky-bred son of the late 2016 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Arrogate, won on debut by 10 lengths on the all-weather surface at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan on Oct. 9 for trainer Hideyuki Mori.

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Jasper Great

Japanese-trained 2-year-old Jasper Great turned heads in his lone start, a 9-furlong 2-year-old maiden at Hanshin Oct. 9 in his home country. Bounding home to win by 10 lengths, the son of Arrogate (from the late Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner's first crop) brought back memories of his father in the process. The victory even caught the attention of American racing publications and it would not be a surprise to see the impressive colt garner attention ahead of this year's TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

Trained by Hideyuki Mori and owned by Kazuo Kato - whose Jasper Prince was 14th in 2020's Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) - the gray appears to have every right to live up to his name.

Impeccably bred, Jasper Great's dam is the stakes-winning Shop Again (a daughter of inaugural Breeders' Cup Classic champ Wild Again) and was sold for $200,000 at Keeneland's September 2020 yearling sale to his trainer. He is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Power Broker. Power Broker was fifth in the 2013 Juvenile.

Hideyuki Mori, whose previous starters four starters have gone unplaced in the Breeders' Cup, has proven he can ship a longshot around the world to run well, otherwise. This year, his sophomore Pink Kamehameha (JPN) shocked the $1.5 million Saudi Derby field with a strong victory and his stable star Matera Sky was second in both the 2019 $2.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) and the 2020 and 2021 editions of the $1.5 million Saudia Sprint on The Saudi Cup's undercard.

Pappacap

Gun Runner, the 2017 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner, looks to be well represented by several members of his first crop in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships juvenile races, including Pappacap who finished second in the Grade 1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 1.

A homebred for Rustlewood Farm and trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Pappacap has had a busy summer. After starting his career with a 2 ¾-length victory in a Gulfstream Park maiden special weight, Casse put the colt on a plane to take on the West Coast.

That proved to be a successful move when the front-running Pappacap earned his first graded stakes victory in his first attempt in the Best Pal Stakes (G2) at Del Mar. Getting a feel for the track in preparation for the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) in November, Pappacap was also taught how to channel his speed and rate off horses.

Jockey Joe Bravo was pleased with how willingly the colt rated, which is usually a question mark for young speed demons.

"I was glad to see how well he settled in behind those two (horses) up front," Bravo said. "His race in Florida, he just was pure speed. You don't know if that's the way they like to go. But he showed another dimension today. Mark Casse sends them out ready."

Seeing the colt succeed is no surprise to his trainer. Pappacap completed his early training at Casse's farm in Ocala, Florida, and gave indications that he'd be a star.

"Pappacap has been a horse, from the time we started breezing at our training center in Ocala, that always seemed a little extra special," Casse told TVG News in September. "George and Karen Russell are small breeders, but wonderful people and we're very excited for them."

Once the colt won his debut, Casse ran the idea of preparing Pappacap in California for the Breeders' Cup past the Russells, and they readily agreed.

The Russells' Rustlewood Farm started its first horse as owners in 2000 and has only seen its stable make more than 50 starts in one year just once, that coming in 2016. Pappacap is one of three graded stakes winners for them. Pappacap will be the first Breeders' Cup starter for Rustlewood Farm.

Pinehurst

One year after winning the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) with Authentic, the colt's co-owners, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, return this year with Pinehurst in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1).

Just like Authentic's early days on the track, they are again joined by an ownership group that includes SF Racing and Golconda Stable among a group of 10 high profile owners.

Pinehurst made an easy debut to his career with a nearly wire-to-wire victory by a half-length in a Del Mar maiden special weight Aug. 1. But, it was in the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) in which Pinehurst made his argument for being a favorite in the Juvenile with a romp over the same track he'll running on in November.

In command from the start, the others never had a chance with Pinehurst sailing home by 4 ½ lengths under Mike Smith.

Pinehurst continues going from success to success from the sales ring to the racetrack. The colt was sold for $180,000 as a weanling at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale and proved to be a successful pinhook when more than doubling that price as a yearling at the Keeneland September Sale. Pinehurst was signed for as a yearling by SF Bloodstock and Starlight Racing with Madaket Stables also on the ticket.

Co-breeder, Fred Hertrich III has seen three horses bred under his name run in Breeders' Cup races - all in juvenile races. Boys at Tosconova, co-bred with McCarthy Livestock, finished second in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) for Hertrich's best finish as a breeder.

Though not a rookie in the horse business, John D. Fielding, the other co-breeder, will be seeing a horse bred under his name make its first Breeders' Cup start when Pinehurst lines up in the Juvenile.

Double Thunder

A son of 2010 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Super Saver, Double Thunder convinced his connections to go to the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) after finishing second in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1).

The Todd Pletcher trainee has raced exclusively in stakes since breaking his maiden on debut in June and has more than held his own. He won the Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) by an eye-catching 4 ¾ lengths and two starts later took out the Sapling Stakes.

Outside of his debut over a short 4 ½ furlongs, Double Thunder has proven to be a late closer. Often seen lengths behind the leader, the colt's late run sets him up well if there is a fast pace in a race.

"If you look at all of his races it seems like he breaks a little slow, a step slow, but he always seems to come running. So, I didn't think that would be an issue. We were actually waiting for him to go longer," Pletcher's assistant Anthony Sciametta said after his Sapling Stakes victory. "I'm pleased with the way he ran. He took dirt, he got in trouble by coming in and going out, so it wasn't the best of trips and he still won."

Double Thunder will become the third runner in four Breeders' Cup races for Super Saver. That stallion earned his first winner from his first crop when Runhappy impressively won the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).

Double Thunder is one of two pre-entries for Pletcher in the Juvenile and will be the fourth Breeders' Cup runner for his owner Phoenix Thoroughbreds, who is looking for its first win.

Double Thunder's breeder WinStar Farm is no stranger to having horses from its breeding program in the Breeder' Cup. The farm bred Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) winner New Money Honey and Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Tourist with their other runners including Swiss Skydiver, Funny Cide, and Bolt d'Oro. Among their winners as an owner is 2010 Classic victor Drosselmeyer.

Commandperformance

It isn't often you see a maiden contest the Breeders' Cup, but Commandperformance is no ordinary maiden.

The son of 2011 Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) runner-up Union Rags has been second in both his starts and proved to connections that he fits in this class when second to likely TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) favorite Jack Christopher in the Champagne Stakes (G1). Among those he beat that day were Hopeful Stakes (G1) winner Gunite and Stanford Stakes (G3) winner and Hopeful Stakes runner-up Wit.

"The horse put himself in a great spot," jockey Tyler Gaffalione said after the Champagne Stakes. "I had a great position going down the backside. I was able to see everybody in front of me. Going around the turn, I started to get him into gear and he kept responding. His gallop out was great. He seems like he'll love the distance going forward."

A $220,000 yearling purchase, Commandperformance has the pedigree behind him to break his maiden in the Grade 1 Juvenile.

His father was a hard-luck second in the race and maternal grandfather Tapit has seen multiple runners place in Breeders' Cup races.

A young stallion, Union Rags hasn't yet had a Breeders' Cup winner, but has had eight starters in the races. Among those are 2017 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) third Paradise Woods, who has the best placing of any of his runners.

It isn't unheard of for a colt to break his maiden in the Juvenile. Good Magic won the 2017 Juvenile as a maiden and interestingly, he had a similar trajectory to Commandperformance with a second on debut at Saratoga before finishing second in the Champagne.

Commandperformance's Breeders' Cup connections run deep on the human side as well.

He is trained by 11-time Breeders' Cup winner Todd Pletcher, who trains the colt for the partnership of Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable - the same team that campaigned 2019 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Vino Rosso.

2024 BREEDERS' CUP RACE SCHEDULE

What is the Breeders' Cup Juvenile?

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Grade 1) finally produced a winner that would deliver a Kentucky Derby (G1) victory with Street Saver winning the derby in 2007. With only one Kentucky Derby winner to date, this $1.5 million race of the Breeders' Cup thoroughbred championship events is regarded more as a measure of 2-year-old form, as it is basically intended to be among the Breeders' Cup races, and less as a reliable yardstick of classic potential.

In the past 20-plus years, the Juvenile has only been able to field one Derby winner, and has only produced a couple classic winners - Preakness Stakes (G1) 1995 victor Timber Country and 2007 victor Curlin, have in fact, won this race. With regularity, however, the Derby winner and other classic winners have been in the beaten Juvenile field, suggesting that classic winners were either not sufficiently precocious to win the Juvenile or found its distance to be too short for their best efforts. The Breeder's Cup Juvenile has been run at 1 1/16 miles since 2003. It was originally a 1-mile race in 1984, 1985, and 1987, and was run at 1 1/8 miles in 2002.

Chief's Crown won in the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile held in 1984 at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. He finished second or third in all of the following year's classics, as well as triumphed in the Travers Stakes (G1) against 3 year olds and the Marlboro Cup Handicap (G1) against older horses. He had the 3 year old title and Horse of the Year honors in his sights until he finished fourth as the favorite in the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships Classic (G1) in 1985.

Coming in at second to Chief's Crown in the 1984 Juvenile was Tank's Prospect, who won the following year's Preakness Stakes. Tiring to finish third, beaten only by 1 1/2 lengths, was Spend a Buck, the Derby 1985 winner, who was voted 3 year old male champion and Horse of the Year.

Subsequent editions of the Breeder's Cup Juvenile would see this pattern being repeated. Alysheba, finishing third in the 1986 Juvenile, won the following year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and was also voted 3 year old male champion. Bet Twice, who finished fourth in that same year's Juvenile, triumphed over Alysheba at the Belmont Stakes (G1) in the next year.

Pine Bluff, who placed seventh in the 1991 Juvenile, won the following year's Preakness Stakes. Sea Hero, seventh in the 1992 Juvenile, won the 1993 Kentucky Derby. Tabasco Cat, finishing third to Brocco in the 1993 Juvenile, became a dual classic winner in 1994 for D. Wayne Lukas, the leading trainer of Juvenile winners. Point Given, who came off a close second-place finish in the 2000 Juvenile, won the 2001 Preakness, Belmont, and Travers Stakes. Retired with an injury after Travers, Point Given was voted Horse of the Year and champion 3 year old male in 2001.

The Juvenile event of the Breeders' Cup races held in 1991 at Churchill Downs was arguably the most memorable running of the series.

Losing an equally close decision was the best sire of the late 1990s, Storm Cat, who simply failed to last the one-mile distance of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 1985 at Aqueduct. Capote, winner of the 1986 Juvenile, would never win again but would become a successful sire, getting 1996 Juvenile winner Boston Harbor.

The Juvenile event of the Breeders' Cup races held in 1991 at Churchill Downs was arguably the most memorable running of the series. French-trained Arazi broke from the outside post position, blew by the field on the final turn, and romped to a 5-length victory. Voted 2 year old male champion off that one North American start, Arazi was hampered by knee problems early in his 3 year old season. He finished eighth as the favorite in the 1992 Kentucky Derby.

Similarly, Favorite Trick was voted Horse of the Year in 1997 following an overwhelming victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. His contemporaries, however, would catch up with him at age three, leaving him to finish eighth in the Kentucky Derby.

At the 2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Wilko snagged the championship at 28.30 odds with jockey Lanfranco Dettori. 2005 Belmont Stakes and Preakness Stakes champ Afleet Alex won second at 3.00 odds with jockey Jeremy Rose, and Sun King placed third at 6.90 odds with jockey Edgar Prado.

In 2003, 27-1 longshot Action This Day made another memorable finish at the Juvenile event of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships when he shocked the crowd with a last to first run. Jockey David Flores kept him back in last early, then on the turn, split rivals passing seven horses in upper stretch. Inside the final furlong, Action This Day collared his stablemate 9-1 shot Minister Eric and won going away by 2 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:43 3/5.

Recent Breeders' Cup Juvenile Winners