2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Guide

Representing the all blue of Godolphin for Charlie Appleby and William Buick is Modern Games.

The 2 year old son of Dubawi has slowly progressed through the ranks this season and has been drawn in stall 1.

Despite being beaten on debut over 7 furlongs at Haydock, he clearly needed the experience and came on for the run and broke his maiden at the second time of asking at Newmarket.

Well fancied in the market, he did it nicely enough and had subsequent winners in behind him.

He struggled to concede the penalty for his win in novice company at Leicester when unable to give bundles of weight away to Cresta.

He continued his progression however when winning a decent handicap pot at Doncaster to defy a handicap mark of 90 with ease.

The handicapper took a swipe to the tune of 11lbs so he was last seen tearing apart a Group 3 race at Newmarket over 7 furlongs again.

He looks ready to tackle a mile and is progressing at a good rate of knots. Sets the standard.

Another English runner near the top of the market, Dubawi Legend won handily on debut to skip clear of his rivals by 5 lengths at Doncaster over 7 furlongs.

The opening form doesn’t look the strongest but he easily left them for dead with a nice turn of foot.

With such a good debut in the books he was swiftly moved up to group company but struggled to live with better company in the Acomb Stakes as he only managed 3rd of the 5 runners.

Connections kept the faith with him and he moved up to Group 1 company after a short break from racing. He improved bundles for having experience and some time off and was best of the rest behind Native Trail in the Dewhurst.

Despite being unable to live with the runaway winner, his 2nd place is some real smart form.
He didn’t have the pace to go with Native Trail but should appreciate going up in distance here.

Another runner for the blue of Godolphin and Appleby, Albahr debuted in a hot race at York back in May. Sent off favourite he only managed 3rd but wasn’t beaten far by subsequent multiple group winner Lusail.

It's the geldings only defeat to date and he’s since gone on a winning spree. moving up to 7 furlongs brought about improvement and he broke his maiden with ease before defying the penalty at Haydock in a classy display.

He tackled a mile for the first time in a listed race at Salisbury beating Power Of Beauty, however that rival hasn’t done the form any favours by coming last in a listed race since.

Brought over to America in September he took Group 1 honours with ease at Woodbine and showed a brilliant change of gear to skip clear of a smart field. Grafton Street boosted the form with an easy win since.

Already a Group 1 winner in America over a mile, he’s surely going to have a big say in the finish under Dettori.

Aidan O’Brien sends over Kodiac colt Glounthaune who made an interesting debut back in April.

Getting the better of Castle Star by a neck over 6 furlongs at the Curragh, the form has worked out well with Castle Star winning a Group 3 and going close in a Group 1 and a Group 2 since.

Maybe not the most straightforward of horses, he was then given 6 months off the track and didn’t come back out again until coming 6th in the Dewhurst behind Native Trail. He didn’t have the clearest of passages and blew the start.

He looked rusty and may well have needed his second outing to sharpen him back up after his lay off.

Having the run behind him brought him on well and he was last seen taking a group 3 at Leopardstown over 7 furlongs.

He stayed on well to just get the better of Pennine Hills who failed to frank the form in a lower grade since.

A mile will certainly suit but his form doesn’t look as strong as some of his rivals.

Mark Casse’s Grafton Street had some strong market support for his first outing back in May but a trip of 5 furlongs was clearly too short and he couldn’t lie up with faster horses.

He was then given a big break from racing and didn’t take to the course again until mid September when going straight over 1 mile.

Having a long time off the track and giving away experience he shaped really well to be 2nd to Albahr in the Group 1 at Woodbine.

He came with a strong run but couldn’t go with the very impressive winner. He has since franked that form though and easily notched his first win in maiden company on the dirt at Woodbine last month.

With some more experience and fitness on his side he could certainly get closer to Albahr and looks to have a strong each way chance.

A similar profile to Grafton Street, Tiz The Bomb made his debut early in the season when tackling 5 furlongs but found the sprinting trip not to his liking.

Coming back to racing in July, he went straight up to a mile and scored by a mammoth 14 lengths, loving the extended trip on the dirt at Ellis Park to shed his maiden in style.

He then went on to win a major stakes race at Kentucky Downs with a mighty performance to see off Kiss The Sky by just under a length.

With that form in the books he then took the plunge into group company and looked right at home in deeper waters.

A mile and half a furlong at Keeneland lent into his strong stamina and he justified favouritism to beat Stolen Base by a narrow margin.

Another runner who’s got proven stamina and group form in the books. The form of his last win has yet to be really tested but he looks like another who can make his presence felt at a good price.

Another for Mark Casse, Coinage has been a consistent sort for his connections but is likely to find life difficult from stall 13.

Debuting over 5 furlongs back in May, he showed promise before shedding his maiden on his second outing when scoring over 5.5 furlongs. Moved up in grade and up to 6 furlongs, he looked out of his depth at a higher level over a sprinting trip and was beaten by Run Curtis Run.

Since then he’s moved up in trip and has taken to a mile well. Winning a Group 3 over 8.5 furlongs at Saratoga back in September.

A strong staying performance saw him easily gain group success before being unable to shoulder a penalty in a black type conditions race.

Back on level weights he should have no problem reversing form with Dakota Gold but might lack the quality to get seriously involved in a Group 1 race from an unappealing stall.

Son of the American triple crown winner American Pharoah, Mackinnon is trained by Doug O’Neill and comes here off the back of a brace of listed wins over a mile.

Starting life over sprinting trips at the start of the season, he found 4.5 furlongs and 5 furlongs too sharp for him as he failed to break his maiden in either attempt.

However, since moving up to a mile Mackinnon has been a revelation and racked up a quick hat trick of wins.

Taking his maiden comfortably before moving up in grade and taking a listed race here at Del Mar with a bit in hand.

He confirmed the form and his promise when shouldering a penalty for his listed success and winning by just over 2 lengths again here at Del Mar.

He handles the course, is effective over a mile and has some smart form in the books at listed level. Might just be lacking group quality however.

Chad Brown’s son of Kitten’s Joy hasn’t won since his debut but has shaped well in his last 2 starts in higher grades.

Taking to the course for the first time at Saratoga over just over a mile he won a mediocre race that hasn’t managed to produce any more winners.

He held on grimly to beat James Aloysius but certainly improved for having experience.

He then moved up to Group 3 company and was only beaten 2 lengths behind Coinage.

He boosted that form when coming 2nd by a head to Annapolis in a Grade 2 race at Belmont Park. With the pair pulling well clear, it looked like smart enough form and boosts the chances of Coinage.

He was game enough last time out but was just out battled late on.

He needs to take another big step forward to get involved but will probably improve for having a battle in his last run.

Only seen twice in his career for Danny Gargan, Dakota Gold has yet to dip his toe into high class races but has performed well in low level events.

Only making his debut in early September over 5.5 furlongs, he certainly did well to show a professional attitude and enough pace to win over such a short trip by 4.5 lengths.

The form has yet to be seriously tested so it's hard to assess just how good that performance was but he took another step forward when going over a mile when last seen and winning with a bit in hand.

Moved up greatly in trip to a mile, he managed to pull well clear of 2nd and had Coinage well held back in 3rd by over 8 lengths.

He received a good chunk of weight from Coinage but still managed to put a good bit of distance between him and an established group winner.

His price might be a bit big and he could be a bit of a surprise package.

Tried over a variety of trips in his short career, Slipstream failed to land a blow in his first two outings for trainer Christophe Clement.

Starting life over 6 furlongs he only managed 5th. He struggled similarly when dropped to 5.5 furlongs on his next start and was beaten by even further.

Taken up in trip for his next start saw him break his maiden at the third time of asking and he did it with the utmost ease.

Pulling over 5 lengths clear of the 2nd who’s gone on to win since. Moving to 7 furlongs looked to have unlocked his potential but he took his winning form another level when striking at group 3 level when last seen.

Beating Run Curtis Run by showing superior stamina, despite dropping back to 6 furlongs, he coped with the shorter trip to just edge out his rival.

He’s yet to tackle a mile and his form doesn’t look the strongest. Stamina queries make him hard to trust here.

A debutant winner for Michael Bell over 6.5 furlongs at Newbury back in June, he tried to quickly follow up his opening success when running in the Chesham Stakes only 9 days later.

He ran well at listed level and managed to come 3rd behind a pair of smart rivals. Kept at 7 furlongs he looked out of his depth in the Superlative Stakes behind Native Trail.

He’s found wins hard to come by since his initial win and looked out of his depth again when finding Reach For The Moon too good again at Sandown in the Solario Stakes.

Last seen well beaten in the Dewhurst, he just looks to lack the quality for this deep kind of contest but will likely take to a mile well.

Michael Maker’s Stolen Base showed plenty of ability and precociousness to win a 5.5 furlong maiden at Saratoga back in July.

Moved up in trip and significantly up in grade, he tried his hand at a 6.5 furlong Group 2 race but was well beaten.

Finishing over 16 lengths behind the winner, the change in grade exposed his lack of pace to be effective as a sprinter.

However, connections then duly moved him up in trip and he went close in a claiming race over a mile at Kentucky in early September.

His form took a major leap forward on his last run and he managed to apply some real pressure to Tiz The Bomb to only go down by three quarters of a length in a Grade 2 event at Keeneland.

He stayed on powerfully and was a real eye-catcher, just failing to get to the winner who had already made his race sealing move.

He needs another major step forward but he stays well and could get close if there’s a serious pace collapse.

Yet another runner for Mark Casse as he has 3 swings at this race, his seemingly less fancied of his trio is Credibility.

A winner of a maiden on his first outing over 8 furlongs at Gulfstream Park, it’s not form that looks anything to shout about and he struggled to back up his first success when dropped to 7 furlongs at the same course on his next run.

Lacking pace to get really involved he got left behind by faster horses and had to settle for a remote 4th place.

Connections moved him back up to a mile for his most recent outing and he ran creditably in group 2 company to be 3rd behind Tiz The Bomb at Keeneland.

Officially he looks to have a bit to find and is unlikely to land a major blow.