A field of 13 line up in Saturday’s $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. (Photo credit: Keeneland Racecourse).
Saturday’s $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland drew a wide open field of 13 juveniles with the Tony Dutrow trained Don’t Wait Up getting the call.
The colt was a smart looking maiden winner in his second career outing. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez gets the leg up from Dutrow, who has been on a roll, winning at a 29% clip overall in 2021.
The Breeders’ Futurity is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race as well as a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race.
Last year’s winner Essential Quality went on to win the Breeders Cup Juvenile and this year has won five of his six starts including the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers (G1).
Eight of the 13 in the field are exiting the maiden ranks including our second choice Classic Causeway (5-1). The Brian Lynch trainee broke his maiden at Saratoga on Sept. 4 going seven furlongs, drawing away to win by 6 ½ lengths.
The Steve Asmussen trained Stellar Tap seeks to rebound off a fifth place finish at even money in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs. The son of Tapit was a good looking maiden winner in his debut at Saratoga on Aug. 7.
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Stellar Tap Disappoints in Iroquois
Keeneland hosts three other Breeders’ Cup Challenge races on Saturday. The $400,000 First Lady (G1) is a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). The $750,000 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) winner earns a starting spot in the gate for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). The $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) winner stamps a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
Belmont Park hosts three graded stakes on Saturday although just one is a “Win and You’re In” race. The $250,000 Vosburgh (G2) winner earns a fees expenses paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
The $150,000 Matron (G3) drew a full field of two-year-old juvenile fillies that will travel six furlongs on turf. The race could produce a starter or two for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2).
The $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) should be a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). A field of seven will line up including Grade 1 turf winners Gufo, Channel Maker and Japan.
Let’s head out to Keeneland for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Keeneland Race 9 The Breeders’ Futurity G1 5: 15 ET
5 Don’t Wait Up 9-2
13 Classic Causeway 5-1
3 Stellar Tap 9-2
12 Kevin’s Folly 12-1
Don’t Wait Up
The colt took to the mud at Saratoga last out with a sharp looking maiden win going six furlongs. The colt took the field gate to wire at even money in his second career start. The effort was flattered when the runner up Commandperformance came back to run second in the Champagne (G1) in his next outing on Oct. 2. Our top pick was beaten ahead in his debut at 7-1, beaten by Power Agenda who came back to run fifth in the Hopeful (G1) next out. Our top pick is sent out by the Tony Dutrow barn that has been on quite a roll this year, hitting at a 29% clip. The colt has enough pedigree to handle the stretch out to two turns. He is by Upstart out of a Proud Citizen mare. A couple of bullet works on the morning tab since his maiden score.
Classic Causeway
The Brian Lynch trainee was one of the most impressive maiden winners at the Spa meeting. The colt went gate to wire to win by 6 ½ lengths and earned the top last out speed fig in the victory going seven furlongs. The runner up Trafalgar came back to graduate in his next outing on Oct. 2 at Churchill Downs going a mile earing an 81 Beyer. Three others came out of his maiden win to run back including a second and a third. The post is not exactly helpful but this guy does have some early zip. He is by Giant’s Causeway out of the stakes winner Private World ($166,058). The 5-1 morning line looks generous as he likely goes off shorter.
Stellar Tap
The Asmussen trainee dueled for the early lead and drew clear to a good looking maiden win in his debut, winning by 5 ¼ lengths. He returned in Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs where he was sent off at even money in a field of 10. He prompted the early pace, was bumped going into the first turn and taken back to track the early pace, was brushed and bumped in upper stretch and did not have enough punch left late in a fifth-place finish, beaten three lengths. The experience going two turns should help him here and he looks capable of moving forward off his last effort with a better trip. The $250,000 Keeneland purchase us by Tapit out of a Medaglia d’Oro mare and is bred to go long.
Wagering:
WIN: Don’t Wake Up to win at 4-1 or better.
EXACTA: 5 / 1,3,12,13 and 5,13 / 3,5,13
