A week from today (Friday), is the weekend racing fans wait for all year. The top horses from around the globe will travel to Del Mar Race Course for the 2021 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
The action kicks off on Friday, November 5th, with Future Stars Friday. All five Breeders’ Cup races on Fridays card are restricted to 2-year-olds.
Let’s take a look at what you need to know about each of those races.
JUVENILE TURF SPRINT: Distance: 5 furlongs on turf. Post time: 5:50 p.m. Eastern. Wagering Menu: Win/Place/Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Jackpot Super Hi-5, Double, Pick 3, Pick 5. Background: This race is still wet behind the ears, having been run for the first time in 2018. Trainer Wesley Ward has dominated this race so far, having Won it twice in three editions. Both his Winners went off as the favorite.
JUVENILE FILLIES: Distance: 1 1/16 miles on dirt. Post Time: 6:30. Wagering Menu: Win/Place/Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Jackpot Super Hi-5, Double, Pick 3, Pick 4, Juvenile Fillies–Distaff Double. Background: One of the original seven Breeders’ Cup races, the Juvenile Fillies has been a staple of the Breeders’ Cup since the first edition of the event in 1984. The Winner of this race is almost automatically voted the Champion 2-year-old filly. This race is typically not friendly to favorites. MY MISS AURELIA in 2011 and SONGBIRD in 2015 are the only favorites to Win this race in the past decade.
JUVENILE FILLIES TURF: Distance: 1 mile on turf. Post Time: 7:10. Wagering Menu: Win/Place/Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Jackpot Super Hi-5, Double, Pick 3. Background: This race was held for the first time in 2008. U.S.-based fillies have historically done very well in this race. Only two Europeans, FLOTILLA in 2012 and CHRISELLIAM in 2013, have prevailed.
THE JUVENILE: Distance: 1 1/16 miles on dirt. Post Time: 7:50. Wagering Menu: Win/Place/Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Jackpot Super Hi-5, Double, Juvenile–Classic Double. Background: The biggest race of Friday afternoon, the Juvenile features the top 2-year-old colts and geldings in the country. Most of its Winners, including ESSENTIAL QUALITY who Won last year, go on to take the Eclipse Award as Champion 2-year-old male.
JUVENILE TURF: Distance: 1 mile on the turf. Post Time: 8:30. Wagering Menu: Win/Place/Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Jackpot Super Hi-5, Juvenile Turf–Turf Double. Background: Future Stars Friday wraps up with the Juvenile Turf, which was first held in 2007. Historically, Europeans have held a hammerlock on this race. They Won nine of the first 12 editions of the race. Their grip has loosened somewhat in recent years with U.S.-based runners Winning in 2019 and 2020.
Beginning next week the Daily Racing Blog will take a look at some of the fields for the upcoming Breeders’ Cup World Championships. So be sure to stop back and see who we like.
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