BC – Juvenile

Welcome to Stabile’s Breeders’ Cup Preview, an in depth look into each and every Breeders’ Cup race to be held Friday, November 1 and Saturday November 2 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, California. VegasInsider.com handicapper Anthony “the Big A” Stabile will take a look at the contenders in each event, talk about how the race should set-up and provide some strategies on how to get the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to betting on the race. If you want to know what Anthony will be betting on both Breeders’ Cup days, make sure to check back on Friday and Saturday to purchase Stabile’s Breeders’ Cup Picks and Plays of the Day, a look at how he’ll wager on each and every race, available EXCLUSIVELY at VegasInsider.com. To purchase Anthony Stabile Pick Packs, Click to win!

Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Purse: $2 million
Age: 2YO(c&g)
Date: Friday, November 1
Time: 7:03 pm EDT

The History

Is It True upset the great Easy Goer in 1988. Unbridled’s Song out-dueled Hennessy to win the 1995 running in just his third start. Johannesburg shipped in from across the pond and halted Officer’s winning streak in 2001. Street Sense took the first step in breaking the Juvenile/Kentucky Derby jinx by winning it in 2006, with Nyquist following in his hoof prints in 2015. Arazi put on his amazing display in the 1991 renewal at Churchill. In 2014, the Desormeaux brothers, trainer Keith and jockey Kent, teamed up with longshot Texas Red.

Favorites: 12 for 35 (34%)
Shortest: $3.40 (Chief’s Crown, 1984)
Highest: $63.20 (Vale of York, 2009)

Best

Eight Rings has had an interesting start to his career, to say the least, for Bob Baffert.

Rumored to be one of his best two-year-olds, Eight Rings lived up to the billing first out when he powered home by over six lengths in a Del Mar sprint at odds of 3-5, an effort that made him an even shorter price (1-2) less than a month later in the G1 Del Mar Futurity.

In a year that’s been wild one in racing, Eight Rings added to the mayhem when he made a left hand turn soon after leaving the gate and dropped his rider while taking out another rival in the process.

No worse for wear, Eight Rings stayed the course and with a brand-new set of blinkers led from start to finish in the G1 American Pharoah to win by six lengths.

Unlike Eight Rings, Dennis’ Moment didn’t waste any time pulling his antics when he clipped heels and lost his rider in his debut at Churchill Downs in late June.

One month later, trainer Dale Romans actually left Saratoga for the day to watch Dennis’ Moment romp by almost 20 lengths going seven furlongs at Ellis Park in a sparkling 1:21 4/5.

Romans decided to pass the G1 Hopeful at Saratoga to await the G3 Iroquois at back at Churchill. There was seven weeks between the maiden win and the Iroquois and it afforded him the opportunity to get Dennis’ Moment around two turns.

The decision paid off as Dennis’ Moment sat in mid-pack before making the lead on the far turn, eventually winning by almost two lengths while geared down for the final sixteenth of a mile or so. He comes into this off of a similar seven-week break.

Trainer Brendan Walsh sent Maxfield a mile in his debut at Churchill and despite breaking a bit slowly he managed to pass all of his rivals to get up in the last few jumps.

A bit over three weeks later in the G1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on FallStars Weekend, Maxfield again broke slowly in his two-turn debut then launched a powerful, sustained bid from the half-mile pole through the wire to again pass them all, this time winning by a drawing away, five-plus lengths.

Rest

American Theorem looked good breaking his maiden going 5.5 furlongs at Del Mar on debut this summer but appeared to be overmatched by both Eight Rings and this trip when he was a long way back in second in the American Pharoah.

Anneau d’Or romped by eight lengths in his debut going a mile over the turf at Golden Gate but has plenty of pedigree to suggest he’d handle dirt. He’s cross-entered and has first preference in the Juvenile Turf but he is far down on the alternates list and will likely end up in here.

Full Flat ships in from Japan with a maiden win and a pair of off-the-board finishes on his resume, all on the turf. Another with dirt pedigree, he’s the last Juvenile Turf Sprint alternate, his first preference.

Scabbard broke his maiden at Churchill then finished second after breaking a bit awkwardly in the G2 Saratoga Special when he raced under the name Noose. Last out, he found some trouble halfway through the Iroquois but still made up a ton of ground late to finish second.

Shoplifted closed to win his debut and to get second in the G1 Hopeful, both at Saratoga, before failing to fire on the stretch out in the American Pharoah. Unlike most of his fellow East Coast runners, he’s been out in SoCal for quite some time now.

Storm the Court broke his maiden on debut at Del Mar while stalking the pace at over 12-1 before getting taken out by Eight Rings in the Del Mar Futurity. He was a non-threatening third in the American Pharoah.

Wrecking Crew stretches out for the first time after winning his debut at Del Mar going six furlongs then finishing second in both the G2 Best Pal and Del Mar Futurity. This will be his first start in two months.

If I’m Right…

This has the makings of a memorable Juvenile despite the fact that G1 Champagne winner Tiz the Law isn’t here. I believe the three favorites all have legit shots at being real racehorses.

Live Longshot

Shoplifted is better than his effort in the American Pharoah last out. He gets to go long for the second time and has had an opportunity to acclimate to his surroundings. He should be around 20-1.


Anthony “the Big A” Stabile can be heard regularly on the Horse Racing Radio Network from 3-6:00 p.m. ETon Wednesday and 3-7:00 p.m. ET Thursday and Friday. Tune in on Sirius 219, XM 201 or streaming live at horseracingradio.net. He also is a contributor on NYRA-TV as the co-host of Talking Horses and a backup racetrack announcer. Follow him on Twitter @TheBigAStabile