Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint – TVG Analyst Joaquin Jaime

TOP SELECTIONS:

1^st:  Stillwater Cove (also my Money Back Special pick)

2^nd:  Soldier’s Call

3^rd:  Sergei Prokofiev

This is the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.  Grab your dartboard.  I could give you my top five picks in this race and still not feel confident I have the winner. 

Stillwater Cove:

Coming off a nose win on dirt in her debut, Wesley Ward assigned her the task of making her turf debut in the G3 Albany at Royal Ascot.  The international trip didn’t work out, and she was freshened up for two months going into the Bolton’s Landing at Saratoga.  Ward took the blinkers off that day and she relaxed nicely going down the backstretch, was caught wide on the far turn and easily went by her stablemate in the stretch.  The fact that Ward assigned another tough task of running in the G1 Natalma after the spa tells me what he thinks of this filly and her ability.  She hit the front in the stretch and tired because the distance was too far.  Now she gets the chance to return to a sprint and will be a longshot in a wide-open race.

Soldier’s Call

This will be his first race around a bend but he’s been a very consistent performer in all seven career starts.  He’s been on or near the lead in his races in Europe so hopefully that will mean he’ll be forwardly placed here and avoid traffic trouble.  Soldier’s Call ran a bang up race last out at Longchamp and it came against older horses.  Yes, that’s right, a 2-year-old was facing older horses last out, and held his own against a four and five-year-old losing a tight photo for the win.

Sergei Prokofiev:

He came with high hopes immediately for Aidan O’Brien with a $1.1 million dollar purchase price.  The concern for me is that he’s missed the break in his last two races.  But, Ryan Moore, one of the best in the world, is getting back aboard and I’ll trust him to get the horse out of the gate.  He dropped into a Group 3 last out and came with one of his better performances off a very troubled trip.  I think he’s got his confidence back, and I’ll look for him to be running on late.

Pick: Stillwater Cove 

Good luck and have a great Breeders’ Cup!

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