Prep

Until this morning I had never really thought about how horses prepare to win the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile or Juvenile Fillies. To me those big races were less important than a $10,000 maiden claimer at Ellis Park. As a gambler all I cared about was finding complicated races that the betting public might not understand.

Today is the running of the Saratoga Special, which seeming to be an important prep for a Breeder’s Cup race that is now less than 90 days away. I guess I had some idea of the the different approaches to winning the Kentucky Derby, but I never really considered how to win the Juvenile races.

Let’s look at the last ten winners of each:

2019 – Storm the Court – Eurton – Court Vision by Tejano Run

1. $60,000 Ocala
2. MSW winner Del Mar 8/10
3. 2. Del Mar Futurity – DNF 9/2
4. American Pharoah – 3rd – 9/27

2018 – Game Winner – Baffert – Candy Ride by AP Indy

1. $110,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW winner – 8/18
3. Del Mar Futurity 9/3 -3rd
4. American Pharoah winner

2017 – Good Magic – Brown – Curlin by Hard Spun

1. $1,000,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW 2nd 8/28
3. Champagne Stakes 2nd 10/7

2016 – Classic Empire – Casse – Pioneerof the Nile by Cat Thief

1. $475,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW winner 5/24 at Churchill
3. Bashford Manor winner 7/2
4. Hopeful – DNF 9/5
5. Breeder Futurity – Keeneland winner 10/8

2015 – Nyquist – O’Neil – Uncle Mo by Forestry

1. $400,000 FT two year select sale
2. MSW winner 6/26
3. Best Pal winner 8/8
4. Del Mar Futurity winner 9/7
5. Front Runner winner 9/26

2014 – Texas Red – Desormeaux – Afleet Alex by Jeune Home

1. $17,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW 2nd Arlington 7/3
3. MSW 4th Del Mar 7/25
4. MSW winner Del Mar 8/20
5. Frontrunner 3rd 9/27

2013 – New Year’s Day – Baffert – Street Cry by Dixie Union

1. $425,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW 3rd 8/17
3. MSW winner 8/31

2012 – Shanghi Bobby – Pletcher – Harlen’s Holiday by Orientate

1. $105,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW winner 4/19
3. Track Baron – Belmont winner 6/27
4. Hopeful – winner 9/3
5. Champagne – winner 10/6

2011 – Hansen – Maker – Tapit by Sir Cat

1. Kendall Hansen – homebred
2. MSW winner – Turfway 9/9
3. Kentucky Cup Juvenile – Turfway – 9/25

2010 – Uncle Mo – Pletcher – Indian Charlie by Arch

1. $200,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW winner Saratoga 8/28
3. Champagne winner 10/9

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2019 – British Idiom – Cox – Flashback by Mr. Sekiguchi

1. $40,000 FT yearling
2. MSW winner Saratoga 8/15
3. Alcibiades winner 10/4

2018 – Jaywalk – John Servis – Cross Traffic by Orientate

1. $190,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW 2nd Monmouth 6/23
3. MSW winner Parx 7/24
4. White Creek Stake – Delaware – winner 8/22
5. Frizette winner 10/7

2017 – Caledonia Road – Nicks – Quallty Road by Dixie Union

1. $140,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW winner Saratoga 9/3
3. Frizette 2nd 10/8

2016 – Champagne Room – Eurton – Broken Vow by Bernstein

1. $310.000 Ocala April
2. MSW 2nd 7/16
3. Sorrento 4th 8/6
4. Del Mar Debutante 3rd 9/3
5. Chandeleir 4th 10/12

2015 – Songbird – Hollendorfer – Medaglia de Oro by West Acre

1. $400,000 FT yearling
2. MSW winner Del Mar 7/26
3. Del Mar Debutante winner 9/5
4. Chandelier winner 9/26

2014 – Take Charge Brandi – Lukas -Giant’s Causeway

1. $400,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW Churchill Downs winner 6/22
3. Schuyerville Saratoga winner 7/18
4. Adirondack Saratoga 5th 10/8
5. Pocohantas Churchill 5th 9/6
6. Alcibiades Keeneland 8th 10/6

2013 – Ria Antonia – Jeremiah Engelhardt – Rockport Harbour by Mr. Greeley

1. $9,000 FT yearling
2. Stakes Woodbine 5th 7/6
3. MSW Woodbine winner 7/21
4. Stakes Woodbine 4th 8/22
5. Frizette Belmont 5th 10/6

2012 – Beholder – Mandella – Henny Hughes by Tricky Creek

1. $180,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW 4th Hollywood 6/28
3. MSW winner Del Mar 7/22
4. Del Mar Debutante 2nd 9/1
5. Allowance 10/4 winner 10/4

2011 – My Miss Aurelia – Assmusen – Smart Strike by Sea of Secrets

1. $550,000 Keeneland yearling
2. MSW Saratoga winner 7/22
3. Adirondack Saratoga winner 9/10
4. Frizette winner 10/8

2010 – Awesome Feather – Gold – Awesome of Course by Gone West

1. Homebred – Jacks of Better Farm
2. MSW – Calder 5/1 winner
3. Stake – Calder winner 7/10
4. Stake – Calder winner 8/10
5. Stake -Calder winner 8/28
6. Stake – Calder winner 10/16

Conclusion:

The best conclusion is there are no conclusions.

Half the winners come in with either 2 or 3 preps, the other half have 4 or more.

About half are regally bred and cost $200,000 or more, the other half are not that expensive.

Almost all the winners have a speed/precocity influence in their pedigree, there were really no plodders. I guess that is one solid conclusion.

Only two home breds have won the Juveniles in the last 10 years, and only two from the training sales. Everything else, 16 of 20, has come from yearling sales. This is another conclusion.