Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Rigney Racing's 'TDN Rising Star' Jonathan's Way (Vekoma), seventh at a well-backed 5-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, is being aimed at the GII Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs Nov. 30. The previously unbeaten GIII Iroquois Stakes winner returned to trainer Phil Bauer's Louisville base with a five-furlong bullet in :58.80 (1/76) Nov. 16. "Hopefully, we'll put that behind us and run well in the Jockey Club," Bauer said. "He's shown great energy since he shipped home. That's the main reason why we even considered...

DEL MAR, CA - Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert had three chances at a record-extending sixth winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar Friday. And none of them were favored. Let go at odds of 15-1, Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) made every pole a winning one while leading home a one-two-four finish for Baffert's powerhouse stable. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to Gaming (Game Winner) in second. Irish raider Hill Road (Quality Road) rallied from last of 10 to tag 'TDN Rising Star' Getaway Car...

The opening pool for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Friday in advance of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile with "All Other Colts and Geldings" topping the list as the 4-5 favorite. 'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) was the second choice at odds of 9-1. Other Breeders' Cup 'Rising Stars' included in the pool included East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) at 11-1 and Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) at 19-1. Total handle for the pool, the first of six, was $174,785, a 6.4% increase from the same pool last year. The...

Who do you like? TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack makes his picks for Breeders' Cup Friday at Del Mar. Race 7: GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies--#4 La Cara (12-1) Pocahontas winner La Cara continues to improve with experience for trainer Mark Casse, and if her pedigree is any indicator (she's bred on the same Street Sense x Bernardini cross as Maxfield), another move forward could be coming in this two-turn debut. Her versatile running style adds to her appeal. Will also be using the maiden of two starts Snowyte,...

DEL MAR, CA -- It's showtime. Featuring 14 Grade I races worth more than $34 million in purses, the Breeders' Cup World Championships, with an emphasis on World, return to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for a third time, beginning with the 'Future Stars Friday' program. Ideal conditions with sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 60s are expected. A total of 179 horses were entered for the two-day Championships, including a record 67 international participants from nine different countries as well as three previous winners. A stacked renewal of...

DEL MAR, CA - The 'Grizzly' is sitting on go. After a light training session on Tuesday, 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) turned in her first local gallop in the pre-dawn hours at Del Mar on a brisk Wednesday morning. The GI Kentucky Oaks heroine and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff 4-5 morning-line favorite displayed her typical high energy and was an absolute handful beneath exercise rider Danny Ramsey throughout her powerful 1 1/2-mile gallop. "Good?," trainer Kenny McPeek asked Ramsey as Thorpedo Anna was heading off the track....

Despite never having raced on the dirt in his two seasons at the races, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's champion and 'TDN Rising Star' City of Troy (Justify) was assigned gate three as the 5-2 morning-line selection in a full field of 14 and will be ridden by Ryan Moore in Saturday's $7-million GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar. Deemed by trainer Aidan O'Brien--a two-time runner-up in the Classic (Giant's Causeway, Declaration of War)--'the best he's ever trained,' the son of G1SW Together Forever (Ire)...

The first pool of the 2025 Kentucky Derby Future Wager opens Wednesday, Oct. 30 at noon and features 10-1 individual favorite in 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Breeders' Futurity winner East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro). The pool includes 38 individual betting interests as well as options for "All Fillies Foaled in 2022" and "All Other Colts and Geldings Foaled in 2022." Bettors can place $2 Win and Exacta wagers on horses in Pool 1 with betting to conclude Friday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. before the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile is...

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner), an impressive winner of last fall's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland and most recently third as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 3, returned to the races in style with a runaway victory in the opener at the Big A Saturday. Favored at 2-5 and racing with first-time Lasix, he was ridden by John Velazquez to keep pace in second, set his sights on Gun It (Tapit) approaching the quarter pole...

On a weekend of stellar 2-year-old racing with a plethora of Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' berths on the line, Citizen Bull (c, 2, Into Mischief--No Joke, by Distorted Humor) closed out Saturday's graded action with victory in the GI American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita. He earned a fees-paid entry to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and gave his trainer, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, a 13th win in the American Pharoah, which had previously been branded both the Frontrunner Stakes and Norfolk Stakes at different times. Winning...

Godolphin homebred East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro), tabbed as a 'TDN Rising Star' following a runaway debut victory sprinting with an 86 Beyer Speed Figure at Ellis Park Aug. 24, romped in front-running fashion by a geared-down 5 1/2 lengths while making his two-turn debut in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. Favored 'Rising Star' Ferocious (Flatter), a $1.3-million OBS March breezer and runner-up behind unbeaten GI Champagne Stakes winner Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) in the GI Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Sept. 2, was second-best after an...

'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) ran by them all to remain unbeaten and provide his freshman sire with a rolling Grade I double in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Champagne Stakes at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. McKinzie's Scottish Lassie, a debut third as the favorite at Saratoga, broke her maiden in style with a runaway success in the GI Frizette Stakes one race earlier on the card. Favored at 1-2, Chancer McPatrick broke like a shot from his outside draw--not the case in either of...