Happy Future Stars Friday! 

We have five Grade I races today at Del Mar as we celebrate the best two year old fillies and colts.    

Race 9 – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – Grade I 

One Mile and a Sixteenth on the Dirt for Two Year Olds 

1. East Avenue: Speedster successfully stretched out in his second start taking the field the whole way in the Breeders Futurity (95 Beyer). He’ll need to break well to establish position. If he does then he is dangerous. Using
2. Getaway Car: Baffert stretched out this Curlin colt in the American Pharaoh and he was left chasing but ran on well for second (86 Beyer). Other are faster here. Passing.
3. Hill Road: Broke his maiden at first asking on the turf and then jumped into the deep water at the Curragh in a Group 1 and was outmatched. Makes his first dirt start. Don’t see it. 
4. Ferocious: Broke his maiden at the Spa to great fanfare (96 Beyer) but hasn’t reproduced that level as the distances have increased. He had gate issues in the Breeders Futurity and was easily bested by East Avenue. Possible piece of it.
5. Jonathan’s Way: Two for two with a nice win in the Iroquois going the flat mile at Churchill (90 Beyer).  Showed real talent in his first effort where he had to circle the field going six furlongs to win at the Spa (85 Beyer).  Live one.
6. Citizen Bull: Punched his ticket to this race with a win in the American Pharoah where he went gate to wire (89 Beyer). A Baffert dirt runner with speed over a route of ground … Hmmmm. Bullet work earlier this week at Santa Anita. Has won over the track. Possible.
7. Gaming: Two wins to begin his career for Bob Baffert as he now moves to a route of ground off a solid win in the Del Mar Futurity.  Irad takes the mount. Not fast enough.
8. Shin Believe: Broke his maiden three months ago going nine furlongs in his first race. Constitution colt gets the acid test today. Looking elsewhere. 
9. Ecoro Azel: Broke his maiden while sprinting and then followed that effort up with a distant fifth in a stakes race in Japan. Don’t see it.
10. Chancer McPatrick: Undefeated in three career starts with wins in the Hopeful (88 Beyer) and Champagne (92 Beyer). He lays off the pace and makes a long sustained run starting on the turn. Keeps showing improvement for Chad Brown and Prat stays aboard. Plenty of speed to run at – so the race flow suits. Outside post is no worry given his running style. The Pick.

Picks 10-1-5-6 

Race 10 – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf  – Grade I 

One Mile for on the Turf for Two Year Olds 

1. Satono Carnaval: Has two nice wins in as many starts. But this one is a bit of an unknown and takes on a strong group. Don’t see it.
2. Dream On: Casse trainee has shown increasing Beyers in all three turf starts this year – but has come up a bit short. Prefers to be forward but there are some faster ones in this group. 90 Beyer in the Summer Stakes stands out as he ran greenly. Possible.
3. Noble Causeway: Pletcher trainee started on the dirt for his first two races and then moved to the turf in the Pilgrim Stakes where she was very good losing only by a neck (76 Beyer). Should be in a nice tracking position. Exotics.
4. Al Qudra: Godolphin homebred had a troubled trip at Woodbine in the Summer Stakes where he swung wide but was interfered with multiple times which cost him the race as New Century had a cleaner run to his outside (90 Beyer). The Pick.
5. Zulu Kingdom: Undefeated in three starts with the last two coming in New York for Chad Brown.  Beyers are a bit lite – but he has done what he needed to do in both the With Anticipation and the Pilgrim. Stalker that looks live in this field. 
6. Iron Man Cal: Won the Zuma Beach via DQ last out at Santa Anita (79 Beyer). But he will need to significantly improve to contend. Water is too deep.
7. Seagulls Eleven: Irish bred colt has hit the board in all five career races but only a single win to date. Likes to be up front but he is not likely going to be able to stick with the pacesetters. Not today.
8. Minaret Station: SCRATCHED
9. The Waco Kid: Won the Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket where he broke alertly and to wire the field while the entire while under pressure from the outside.  Impressive determination in the last two furlongs to hold off multiple challengers that day. Gets a piece.
10. Mentee: Disappointed in the Hopeful after a very strong maiden win at first asking. From there Pletcher moved to the turf to sprint in the Futurity Stakes at the Big A and he got it done. Moves to a route of ground as he should on the pace. Minor award candidate.
11. New Century: Won the Summer Stakes at Woodbine (93 Beyer) where he was widest of all which let him stay clear of trouble to his inside. That was his first North American start. Oisin Murphy stays aboard. Using.
12. Aomori City: French bred entry for Charlie Appleby comes here off a fourth place finish in the O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh where he had no excuse and was beaten by Henri Matisse and Seagull Eleven. Godolphin/Applebee/Buick is a gold standard – but I think this one is a cut below and the outside post doesn’t help either. Lean against.
13. Henri Matisse: Filed to fire at Longchamps last month over soft going.  Figs are lite and the Blinkers are OFF. Far outside post doesn’t help either. He’ll take some money off the connections alone. Underlay.
14. Tenacious Leader: SCRATCHED

Picks 4-11-2-9