2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Guide

A perfect record of four wins in four outings see’s Wesley Ward’s filly spearhead the early markets for the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Debuting under rules back in April she got off the mark at the first time of asking over 4.5 furlongs on the dirt at Keeneland.

Kept on the dirt for her next outing the filly took a black type race and took an extra half furlong in her stride to romp home to a wide margin victory.

Moved up in trip again she tackled 5.5 furlongs at Saratoga and handled turf with some cut in it with no problems to record a mighty performance to scoop another decent sized pot.

Last seen last month beating stablemate Kaufymaker in a $126,000 stakes race, she easily left her counterpart behind by 3 lengths to take listed honours.

She made every yard of the running and could be eased down in the closing stages.

A fiery speedball, she’ll ping out and try to set hefty fractions in front to gallop the rest into submission.

However, that could be hard from a wide draw of stall 8.

Stablemate to Averly Jane, Twilight Gleaming will be a more familiar name to punters this side of the Atlantic having seen this Wesley Ward filly come 2nd in this year’s Queen Mary at Royal Ascot.

Beaten in a maiden on debut over 4.5 furlongs at Keeneland despite being a short priced favourite, she came on for experience and a move up in trip to score at the second time of asking.

Taking to 5 furlongs she obliged at a short price to bolt up by over 7 lengths. The impressive performance on the turf teed her up for a tilt at the Queen Mary and she ran a mighty fine race to come 2nd to Quick Suzy.

The stiffness of Ascot maybe just taxing her stamina too much.

Last seen running in France she cut through soft ground with no troubles to land a listed prize over in Deauville. A short priced favourite she just managed to hold off the late attentions of Delmona in a tight finish.

She’s had a good break since then so might just be conceding sharpness and fitness to some of her rivals.

Trained by Larry Rivelli, One Timer is an unbeaten gelding who’s enjoyed a very profitable summer and Autumn campaign.
Debuting at Arlington Park back in late June he justified market favouritism to go in by over 12 lengths.

The 2nd, 4th and 5th all winning subsequently marks it out as some really smart form and he couldn’t have been much more visually impressive.

Kept on the dirt for his next run he scored over 5.5 furlongs in a stakes race, again looking impressive and drawing clear of the field.

Despite not breaking well, he forged his way to the front and kicked clear at the furlong marker to a listed victory.

Last seen taking to the turf for the first time he edged out another victory at Santa Anita last month.

Not quite putting in another demolition job, he still managed to concede weight to his rivals and get the job done.

He handles turf and his form has worked out well but he has left the stalls badly a couple of times and can’t afford to blow the start in these deeper waters.

The first of the international raiders is Twilight Jet for Michael O’Callaghan.

One of the most experienced runners in the field, Twilight Jet has chalked up a hefty 10 runs in his 2 year old season.
Showing some promise on debut saw him dropped straight into graded company over 6 furlongs but he failed to land a blow.

Brought back to 5 furlongs he broke his maiden on his third outing of the season but again struggled to lie up in group company when coming 7th in the Norfolk Stakes.

Since then Twilight Jet has only been campaigned in group company and has acquitted himself well in defeat multiple times.

Placing in the Gimcrack Stakes looked like some smart form before finding himself being beaten in deeper races over 7 furlongs and 6 furlongs.

Last seen dropping back to 5 furlongs in a Group 3 at Newmarket, the minimum trip yielded results again and he finally got his head back in front.

The trip is certainly right but he might be out of his depth going back up in grade.

Richard Hannon sends over his No Nay Never colt Armor off the back of a busy campaign here in England.

Winning his maiden right the way back in April, he was then given some time off before running at Royal Ascot in the Windsor Castle to come 5th.

Encountering soft ground at Goodwood, he got his head back in front when winning the Molecomb stakes with buckets in hand.

This performance saw him go off favourite for the Prix Morny but he only managed to come 4th over 6 furlongs.

He’s since been narrowly denied over both 5 furlongs and 6 furlongs in deep races and will appreciate a drop back to the minimum trip where he’s most effective.

He should get plenty of cover from stall 7.

Easily winning a fillies’ maiden over 4.5 furlongs at Keeneland back in April saw Kuafymaker be prominent in the betting for the Coventry Stakes at Ascot.

The trip seemingly taxed her too much and she wilted back into 8th.

She failed to back up her 6 length maiden victory over here in England but she shaped much better when tackling listed company back in America at Kentucky Downs.

She went off favourite but again the trip seemed to get the better of her and 6.5 furlongs asked too much of her stamina.

Dropped back in trip last time out she bumped into the very impressive Averly Jane. She came with a rattle from the back of the field but couldn’t live with the impressive winner.

She’s likely going to appreciate coming backing trip and looks all speed. She has a big margin to find with Averly Jane but could well run herself into a place if enjoying 5 furlongs.

A Mehmas colt making the trip over from England, Hierarchy has only ever run over 6 furlongs so far in his career.

Debuting back in early August at Wolverhampton on the all weather he got off the mark at the first time of asking in a narrow success over Mohi.

The form stacking nicely with the 2nd and 3rd both winning races since.

Hierarchy shouldered his penalty when taking on turf at Salisbury. The form hasn’t worked out quite as well but he gave the field 7lbs and a sound beating.

Since moving up in grade, a close up 3rd in the Serenia Stakes at Kempton teed him up for a very unlucky 2nd place in the Mill Reef Stakes behind Wings Of War.

He had some smart horses in behind last time out at Newbury and did a lot wrong in running being a little too keen.

Dropping back in trip could unlock some improvement and he’s clearly going the right way for a sire that produces top class winners.

In with an each way shout if showing enough pace.

Another gelding trained this time by Peter Miller, the son of Kantharos made his debut back in August but failed to justify favouritism coming a narrow 2nd to Magnolia here at Del Mar.

He then managed to notch a course and distance win when getting off the mark at the second time of asking on the turf at Del Mar.

The form hasn’t worked out particularly well and hasn’t produced any subsequent winners.

Last seen taking a step up in grade in the Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita he ran a good race to find only One Timer too good, with less than a length separating the pair at the line.

He’s got something to find with One Timer but ran well last time out and will come on for having another run. He’s only ever ran on turf and should find this much to his liking again.

Joel Rosario takes the ride on Derrynane for Christophe Clement. Guiding her to victory on debut over 5.5 furlongs, she broke his maiden at the first time of asking when winning a maiden event for fillies.

She powered clear at Saratoga on the grass but struggled to lie up in listed company on her next start.

Yielding ground and the longer trip might not have suited and she wilted back into 5th of 9. Perhaps taking on the boys on her second start asked her a little too much.

However when running in a listed event for fillies last month she showed herself to much better effect over 5 furlongs and scored with bundles in hand at Woodbine.

She has looked more at home against her own sex but has shown plenty of talent to score at listed level. She has plenty of pace to handle the trip but might find the colts and geldings too strong again.

Go Bears Go rose to prominence when winning the Railway Stakes at the Curragh during the summer off the back of two very good opening outings.

Debuting over 5 furlongs on soft ground at Ascot, he scored easily before going down narrowly in the Norfolk Stakes to Perfect Power.

He took a major step forward when winning the Railway stakes and clearly enjoyed moving up in trip.

He subsequently went off favourite for the Phoenix stakes back at the Curragh but could only manage 3rd.

Well fancied for the Middle Park Stakes he was left behind by Perfect Power again and he had to settle for 4th in a cluttered finish at Newmarket.

Last seen trying 7 furlongs for the first time, he simply didn’t stay the extra furlong and wilted back into 7th behind Native Trial.

Stepping back to 5 furlongs doesn’t look the most logical of moves, he has looked most at home over 6 furlongs and might just lack the pace to get seriously involved over this trip.

Brian Meehan sends over filly Vertiginous off the back of a listed win at Ayr over the minimum trip back in September.

Beaten in a novice over 5 furlongs on rattling fast ground, she shaped as if she would come on massively for having her first run and looked very green in running.

She then showed herself very well to be 5th in the Queen Mary at Ascot behind Twilight Gleaming.

Dropped back to low level company she found herself beaten again. Connections decided to move her back up in grade and again she showed herself well to finish 4th in the Lowther Stakes when trying 6 furlongs for the first time.

Again connections tried to break her maiden and lowered their sights to a class 4 novice event but she was beaten again narrowly.

Last seen finally breaking her maiden, she might take a step forward for finally getting her head in front but has certainly had her issues with winning races.

Thrice raced for Run Curtis Run looked something special for Michael Maker when winning on debut over 6 furlongs with relative ease.

Shedding his maiden by over 3 lengths earmarked him for something special but he failed to deal with a step up in grade and finished last of 8 runners.

He never really seemed to travel and weakened out of contention quickly.

He shaped much better last time out however and came 3rd in a Group 3 race at Belmont Park. He just didn’t quite seem to last out 6 furlongs and got collared late in running to have to settle for 2nd.

He’s yet to try 5 furlongs and shaped like coming back in trip would suit him here. He handled turf well last time out so shouldn’t be out of his comfort zone back on the grass.