Race 7 on the Friday card at Keeneland for Breeders Cup Juvenile races is the Juvenile Turf Mile.
14 runners are entered and no horse has odds lower than 5-1 currently on the morning line. You could have greater odds picking blindly than maybe trying to handicap this one.
Aiden O'Brien won this race in 2017 with Mendelssohn, and he will try again with Battleground along with other European shippers; Cadillac, and New Mandate.
Top Pick
Gretzky The Great
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Owner: Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
4-3-1 Lifetime $250,000 Earnings
Won Grade 1 Summer Stakes @ Woodbine
Won Soar Free Stakes 100k @ Woodbine
Won Maiden 127k @ Woodbine
2nd Maiden 127k @ Woodbine
Gretzy is son of Nyquist (Uncle Mo) and Pearl Turn ( Bernardini). He gets a great jockey for this race in Tyler G and nothing wrong with betting a Casse with Tyler combo and winning.
Mutasaabeq
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez Owner: Shadwell Stable
3-2-0-1 Lifetime $189,000 Earnings
Won Grade 2 Bourbon Stakes @ Keeneland
3rd in Grade 1 Hopeful @ Saratoga
Won Maiden 72k @ Saratoga
Has the speed for the race and seems to prefer the mile over the shorter distances. Last race in the Bourbon St. he came from 11 back to rally for the win. Probably wont be able to get that far back in this race with just as much traffic and other tactical horses in here.
Longshot Picks
Fire At Will
Trainer: Mike Maker
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Owner: Three Diamond Farm
3-2 Lifetime $137,000 Earnings
Won Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes @ Belmont
Won With Anticipation Stakes 100k @ Saratoga
Won Maiden 72k @ Saratoga
Son out of Declaration of War (War Front) and Flirt (Kittens Joy). Has early speed to set the pace or run just off the pace and press a bit. Prefers a slower front pace to set up the late kick. The distance will be a true test to see if the horse prefers a mile or shorter.
Abarta
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
Owner: Donegal Racing and Newtown Anner Stud
2-1-1 Lifetime $67,000 Earnings
2nd in Bourbon Stakes @ Keeneland behind Mutasaabeq
Won Maiden 46k @ Ellis Park
Abarta is out of Into Mischief (Harlans Holiday) and Dame Marie (Smart Strike). Lighter raced 2 year old in this race, he won his maiden and was sent out to the Bourbon Stakes where he faded late after closing from 10th in the stretch. Horse should get a better set up in this race knowing the horse has the late kick needed, should be midpack in the final turn and try to sweep outside of front runners into stretch.