Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes Racing Roundup

©2018 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby takes us Friday to Churchill Downs with it’s iconic Twin Spires where GAME WINNER has been tabbed as the 8-5 morning line favorite in the 35^th running of the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1). Post time is 6:05 p.m. ET in what appears to be a contentious race.

Undefeated in three starts, Game Winner comes into this race for Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert off a win in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

GAME WINNER had speed three deep then dueled outside a rival, took a short lead into the stretch, inched away under urging past the eighth pole and won clear.

Game Winner dueled with Rowayton to the far turn then pulled away in the stretch to win by 4½ lengths.

Candy Ride, the sire of Game Winner, was bred in Argentina and during his racing career he was undefeated in six starts.

In his maiden debut as a three-year-old, Candy Ride won the Premio El Quimico, a six-furlong sprint, by 12 lengths. He went on to finish the season with a win in the one-mile Gran Premio San Isidro (G1) by eight lengths and another win by eight lengths in the one-mile Joaquin S de Anchorena (G1).

As a four-year-old, Candy Ride was shipped to America where won his U.S. debut in an 8 ½ furlong Allowance Optional Claiming race at Hollywood Park on June 7, 2003. A month later, he ran on the turf winning the 9-furlong American Handicap (G2) and in August, Candy Ride was able to carry his speed to a 3¼-length victory in the 10-furlong Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) in a record time of 1:59.11.

Game Winner has a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® but his Behavior Index makes him competitive in this race.

A long shot I like is STANDARD DEVIATION (12-1) who comes into this race with a 1-0-1 record in two starts for trainer Chad Brown including a third-place finish in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

STANDARD DEVIATION was back early along the four path, fanned into the seven path entering the lane, rallied in the stretch, made a bid but flattened out late in the drive.

Standard Deviation ran wide throughout at the back of the herd and made a powerful move on the far turn to get up for a third-place finish.

Curlin, the sire of Standard Deviation, was an outstanding racehorse that compiled an 11-2-2 record in 16 career starts with $10,501,800 in career earnings.

Curlin did not start as a two-year-old. But, at the age of three, Curlin was 6-1-2 in nine starts with $5,102,800 in earnings including wins in the Rebel Stakes (G3) and Arkansas Derby (G2) en route to a third-place finish in the 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1). He went on to win the Preakness Stakes (G1) and he finished second in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

Other important stakes wins include the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), twice, Dubai World Cup (G1), Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), Woodward Stakes (G1), and the UAE Jaguar Trophy Handicap.

In six crops as a stallion, Curlin has sired the 2013 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Palace Malice and the 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Exaggerator. In addition, Curlin produced the classic-placed runners Good Magic (second, 2018 Kentucky Derby), Tenfold (third, 2018 Preakness), Ride On Curlin (second, 2014 Preakness), Keen Ice (third, 2015 Belmont) and Irish War Cry (second, 2017 Belmont).

With an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®, Standard Deviation is the best-bred colt in this herd and he was a yearling (Hip 1630) we profiled at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Standard Deviation has the breeding to win and he has room to improve in his third start of the season. It remains to be seen if he can step up to earn graded stakes honors.

CODE OF HONOR (5-1) comes into this race with a 1-1-0 record in two starts for trainer Claude McGaughey including a second-place finish in the Champagne Stakes (G1). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

CODE OF HONOR brushed with SUCCESSFUL ZIP after stumbling badly at the break, moved over into path two by the conclusion of the backstretch, came under a ride for the drive home, angled out approximately five wide, was momentarily errant acting to some stick work in mid-stretch, continued onward in a more professional manner afterwards and rallied for the place.

Code of Honor stumbled at the start and was at the back of the herd, early on, but he made a “strong” rally to get up for second at the wire.

Noble Mission, the sire of Code of Honor, is a full brother to Classic Champion Thoroughbred Frankel and multiple Group Stakes winner that compiled a 9-6-2 record in 21 starts with $2,202,887 in career earnings.

Noble Mission finished second in his only start as a two year old racing in the United Kingdom.

As a three-year-old, Noble Mission was 3-3-0 in seven starts with wins in the maiden weight for age race, Qatar Racing Newmarket Stakes and Bet365 Gordon Stakes (Group 3). He finished second in the Popetelecom.com.co.uk Fairway Stakes, King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) and the Worthingtons Champion Shield Navigation Brewery St. Simon Stakes (Group 3).

At the age of four, Noble Mission was 1-0-2 in six starts with a win in the Tapster Stakes. He finished third in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise John Porter Stakes (Group 3) and the Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes (Group 3).

Noble Mission was 5-2-0 in seven starts at the age of five with victories in the Betfred Gordon Richards Stakes (Group 3), Betfair Price Rush Huxley Stakes (Group 3), Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1), Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Group 1) and the QIPCO Champion Stakes (Group 1). He finished second in the John Porter Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes (Group 3) and the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (Group 1).

With an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®, Code of Honor is the second-best-bred colt in this herd. If he starts good and runs closer to the pace, I look for Code of Honor to be tough in this race.

COMPLEXITY (5-2) is also trained by Chad Brown and he comes into this race undefeated in two starts with a win in the Champagne Stakes (G1). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

 COMPLEXITY away in good order, quickly established control, was confidently ridden showing the way towards path two, was still on hold as the third fraction was being finalized, even with many pursuers now being called upon for much more themselves, scampered away to his largest lead when switched over to a drive in the vicinity of the three sixteenths pole, appeared to switch back to the wrong lead, that is the left one, a few strides beyond the eighth pole, held sway.

Complexity looked good and led from the start to earn graded stakes honors and a trip to winner’s circle.

Maclean’s Music, the sire of Complexity, was an exceptionally fast colt that, in his one and only career start, recorded a 114 Beyer Speed Figure – “The highest debut Beyer since the advent of Beyer Speed Figures.” To see his debut race, click here.

Currently, Maclean’s Music stands stud for $25,000 at Hill ‘n Dale farm and he’s the sire of Classic Champion Thoroughbred Cloud Computing (2017 Preakness Stakes), California Music (G2W), Wicked Lick (G2PL), Rockshaw, Swing and Sway, and Made Me Shiver.

Complexity has a D Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® ranking, but his Behavior Index could potentially make him competitive in this race.

Honorable mention goes to Mind Control (20-1), Well Defined (20-1), Tight Ten (30-1) and Gunmetal Gray (10-1).

*****

A total of 35 prep races comprise the USA Road to the Kentucky Derby. In addition, there are seven races on the European road and four races on the Japan road to Derby glory.

2018/2019 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Game Winner, 10, Bob Baffert, $360,000

2. Knicks Go, 10, Ben Colebrook, $314,085

3. Complexity, 10, Chad Brown, $275,000

4. Cairo Cat, 10, Ken McPeek, $86,490

5. Signalman, 4, Ken McPeek, $100,000

6. Code of Honor, 4, Shug McGaughey, $100,000

7. Tight Ten, 4, Steve Asmussen, $67,900

8. Gunmetal Gray, 4, Jerry Hollendorfer, $60,000

9. Call Paul, 2, Jason Servis, $170,000

10. Rowayton, 2, Jerry Hollendorfer, $96,000

11.+Standard Deviation, 2, Chad Brown, $50,000

12. Pole Sitter, 2, Brad Cox, $17,950

13. Sombeyay, 1, Todd Pletcher, $158,500

14. Tobacco Road, 1, Steve Asmussen, $52,400

15. +Aurelius Maximus, 1, Chad Brown, $30,000

16. Jefe, 1, Keith Desormeaux, $18,000

          + = Horses picked as yearlings on our 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sales list.

EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Royal Marine (IRE), 10, Saeed bin Suroor, $264,968

2. Magna Grecia, 10, Aidan O’Brien

3. Mohawk (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $128,702

4. Japan, 10, Aidan O’Brien, $75,316

5. Phoenix of Spain, 4, C. Hill

6. Broome (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $140,871

7. Sydney Opera House (GB), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $40,956

8. Mount Everest (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $24,254

9. Anodor (FR), 2, Freddie Head, $99,215

10. Western Australian (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien

11. Cape of Good Hope (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $41,515

12. Power of Now (IRE), 2, Michael O’Callaghan, $11,489

13. Boitron (FR), 1, Richard Hannon, $44,917

14. Victory Command, (IRE), 1, Mark Johnston, $35,108

15. Circus Maximus (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien

16. Sovereign (IRE), 1, Aiden O’Brien, $5,106