Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Mile

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.