Kentucky Derby, Oaks points up for grabs in Breeders' Cup juvenile features

Oct 31, 2023 Brisnet.com Staff

The $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita on Friday will award the biggest outlay of qualifying points this season for next spring's Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), both of which will be run for the 150th time next May.

The 1 1/16-mile Juvenile has a field of 11 colts and geldings, and it is a wide-open race. Locked has followed a path to the Breeders' Cup similar to that of last year's Juvenile winner, Forte, by winning the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. He prevailed in that test by a half-length over The Wine Steward.

Timberlake rebounded from a surprise loss at the hands of longshot Nutella Fella in the Hopeful (G1) to win the Oct. 7 Champagne (G1) at Aqueduct in convincing fashion. Also exiting the Champagne are runner-up General Partner and Fierceness, the odds-on favorite who finished up the track in a sub-par effort.

Prince of Monaco, Muth, and Wine Me Up are other logical contenders in the Juvenile, though all are ineligible to accrue Derby qualifying points due to their trainer's current suspension from racing at Churchill Downs.

Although there is a larger field of 13 in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile Fillies, Tamara looms as a short-priced favorite. A daughter of Bolt d'Oro and four-time champion Beholder (who finished second in the 2013 Oaks), Tamara has eye-catchingly won both of her starts to date, including a 6 3/4-length romp in the Del Mar Debutante (G1).

The likely second choice is Alcibiades (G1) winner Candied, with graded winners Brightwork, Just F Y I, and Chatalas also expected to attract play.

Derby and Oaks points of 30-15-9-6-3 will be awarded to the respective top five finishers in each race, provided they are eligible to earn points.

Wagering on the entirety of the two-day Breeders' Cup fixture is available at TwinSpires.com.