Storm the Court, ridden by Flavien Prat, wins the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. (Photo credit: Carolyn Simancik/Eclipse Sportswire/CSM)
Five of the 14 Breeders’ Cup races were run on Future Stars Friday at Santa Anita Park on the first of two days of championship horse racing action.
Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock’s Storm the Court ($93.80) fought off a stretch-long bid from Anneau d’Or to post a neck victory in the 36th running of the $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to highlight Future Stars Friday on the opening day of the 36th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita before a crowd of 41,243.
Trained by Peter Eurton and ridden by Flavien Prat, Storm the Court covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:44.93.
The complexion of the race changed at the break as odds-on favorite Dennis’ Moment stumbled leaving the gate and trailed the field of eight as Storm the Court took the lead with Eight Rings and Anneau d’Or in closest pursuit.
Storm the Court maintained a narrow advantage, but at the head of the lane Anneau d’Or ranged up alongside the leader and the battle was on. Storm the Court never let Anneau d’Or by and gutted out the neck victory.
It was 3 ¼ lengths back to Wrecking Crew who finished another 4 ½ lengths in front of Scabbard. Full Flat, Eight Rings, Shoplifted and Dennis’ Moment completed the field in order.
The victory was worth $1,100,000 and increased Storm the Court’s earnings to $1,172,951 with a record of 4-2-0-1.
Storm the Court is a Kentucky-bred son of Court Vision out of the Tejano Run mare My Tejana Storm.
Juvenile Replay
Structor Takes Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
Jeff Drown and Don Rachel’s Structor ($12.60) split horses in deep stretch and collared Billy Batts late to win by a three-quarters of a length in the 13th running of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America at Santa Anita Friday afternoon.
Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Structor covered the mile on a firm turf course in 1:35.11.
The victory for Brown is the 13th in the World Championships but first in the Juvenile Turf. For Ortiz, it is his third Breeders’ Cup victory and second in the Juvenile Turf to go with a triumph by Oscar Performance in 2016.
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Ortiz gave Structor a ground-saving trip in the run down the backstretch as Graceful Kitten set the pace with Billy Batts in closest pursuit. At the head of the stretch, Ortiz swung Structor off the rail and rallied four-wide to surge past Billy Batts for the victory.
The victory was worth $550,000 and improved Structor’s earnings to $709,500 with three victories in as many starts.
Structor is a Kentucky-bred son of Palice Malice out of the More Than Ready mare Miss Always Ready.
Juvenile Turf Replay
Four Wheel Drives Motors to Victory in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint
Breeze Easy’s Four Wheel Drive ($5) was fastest out of the gate and led all the way to turn back Chimney Rock by three-quarters of a length to win the second running of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Friday afternoon to kick off the 36th edition of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park.
Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Four Wheel Drive covered the 5 furlongs on a firm turf course in :55.66. It is the third Breeders’ Cup victory for Ward and sixth for Ortiz.
Four Wheel Drive, who did not make his debut until Aug. 31 in a stakes race at Colonial Downs, quickly opened a daylight advantage and maintained a safe advantage over Chimney Rock from start to finish.
Now undefeated in three starts, Four Wheel Drive is a Kentucky-bred son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the More Than Ready mare Funfair. The victory was worth $550,000 and increased Four Wheel Drive’s earnings to $692,500.
Juvenile Turf Sprint Replay
British Idiom Outduels Donna Veloce to Win Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables’ British Idiom ($7.40) inched away late to defeat favored Donna Veloce by a neck to win the 36th running of the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Friday afternoon at Santa Anita.
Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Javier Castellano, British Idiom covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:47.07. It is the second Breeders’ Cup victory for Cox, first in this race, and 11th for Castellano who also won the Juvenile Fillies in 2013 with Ria Antonia.
British Idiom raced in fifth in the early going as Two Sixty, Bast and Wicked Whisper dueled for early supremacy. On the far turn, Donna Veloce moved four-wide and blew past the leaders at the head of the stretch with British Idiom right behind her.
The two favorites hooked up at mid-stretch with British Idiom pushing ahead at the sixteenth pole and then repulsing another bid from Donna Veloce before pulling clear.
The victory was worth $1,100,000 and increased British Idiom’s earnings to $1,381,250 with a spotless three-for-three record. British Idiom is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Flashback out of the Mr. Sekiguchi mare Rose and Shine.
Juvenile Fillies Replay
Sharing Takes Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable’s Sharing ($29.60) swept to the lead in the upper stretch and then turned back a bid from favored Daahyeh by 1 ¼ lengths to win the 12th running of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday afternoon at Santa Anita.
Trained by Graham Motion and ridden by Manny Franco, Sharing covered the mile on a firm turf course in 1:34.59. It is the first Breeders’ Cup victory for Franco and fourth for Motion, one of which was Sharing’s dam, Shared Account, in the 2010 Filly & Mare Turf.
Abscond set the pace while being closely tracked by Sweet Melania as Sharing raced in the fifth spot with a ground-saving trip,
Straightening into the homestretch, Sweet Melania pushed to the front but was soon joined and passed by Sharing who quickly opened a daylight margin and had more than enough to hold off Daahyeh.
The victory was worth $550,000 and increased the Maryland-bred daughter of Speightstown’s earnings to $730,300 with a record of 4-3-0-1.
Juvenile Fillies Turf Replay
Record Handle on Future Stars Friday
All-sources handle for the 10-race program of the first day of the 36th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park was $56,517,228, a record for Breeders’ Cup Friday and a 5.4% increase over last year’s 10-race Breeders’ Cup Future Stars Friday card at Churchill Downs.
The Future Stars Friday card featured five Breeders’ Cup races for 2-year-old horses, the second consecutive year of grouping all of the juvenile races on the same day since the event expanded to its current two-day format in 2007.
Friday’s attendance was 41,243 and Friday’s on-track handle for the 10-race card was $6,340,351.
Breeders’ Cup Friday attendance and handle history:
2018, Churchill Downs – 42,249; $53,636,272
2017, Del Mar — 32,728; $52,273,883
2016, Santa Anita — 45,673; $49,651,600
2015, Keeneland – 44,497; $46,251,965
2014, Santa Anita – 37,205; $47,666,982
2013, Santa Anita – 35,633; $52,594,370
2012, Santa Anita – 34,619; $48,997,009
2011, Churchill Downs – 40,677; $52,095,202
2010, Churchill Downs – 41,614; $54,889,388
2009, Santa Anita – 37,651; $50,662,945
