Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile Dirt Sprint

The first race of the Breeder’s Bowl series set for Saturday will be the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile Dirt Sprint (G1), to be held over six furlongs and open to two-year-olds with a scheduled post time of 8:30 AM EST here in California. A full field will be vying for the total purse of $750,000. The track is set to be fast at post time. Let’s take a look through our fourteen contenders. 

1. Spite The Data – asrgun – A. Rolling – 8/1 

With four career starts under his belt, this chestnut colt is by Gun Runner and is hoping to rebound off the first loss of his career. This start came here in California during late September in the North Fork Stakes (G1) at a mile and one sixteenth. The colt was briefly in second at the start but quickly gained the lead and led right up into the stretch where he would be caught by closers to finish fourth while setting a speed figure of ninety-one, which was a lifetime best for the colt. Prior to this the colt won two consecutive races, most recently the Hoserhead Juvenile (G2) at seven furlongs where he trailed just off the pace early in second before taking over control of the pace at the halfway point. His other two wins were both in allowance races, including when he broke his maiden in his debut race in April. 

2. Starspangledalley (AUS) – borrowed9 – D. Evans – 8/1 

After beginning his early racing career on the turf, this Australian-bred gelding has found his forte running over the dirt despite being sired by Starspangledbanner and being out of a listed stakes winning dam over the turf. His most recent start came last month during the Big Hill Stakes (G2) over seven furlongs in Washington. The gelding was well off the pace early on, trailing much of the field back in ninth. He wouldn’t make his move until midway through the race. Showing an impressive turn of foot in his late charge down the stretch, he would win by two and a half lengths while setting a speed figure of ninety-five, which was a lifetime best for the gelding. His only other graded start came this past August in Illinois during the Darling-Squash Futurity (G3) at a mile where he would cross the wire seventh in the only off the board finish of his career. 

3. Authentic Crown – miserman – A. Jolly – 10/1 

With every race he’s run resulting in an on the board finish, the son of Authentic will be making the second graded start of his career. His most recent start was in August across the country in New York during The Upper New York Special (G2) at six and a half furlongs. Sent out of the gate early and into third, the colt was held just off the pace early on until being asked to make a bid midway through the race. He would move up into second but was unable to get by to find his way to the front. With his second place showing in his graded debut the colt set a speed figure of ninety-two. His most recent win was in early June during a listed stakes race in Kentucky over the same distance. Running in a very similar fashion, the colt made a late bid in the finial furlongs to win the race by three-quarters of a length. 

4. Seeking The Art (ENG) – stuger3 – H. Desitter – 8/1 

Returning to graded company with this race, the chestnut son of Dutch art made his most recent start just last month in an allowance race over six and a half furlongs in Indiana. The colt took the field from gate to wire to win the race by three and a half lengths while setting a speed figure of ninety-one, equaling a lifetime best previously set by the colt. He is by far the most experienced colt running this weekend with an astounding fifteen career starts for his two-year-old season. His most recent start against graded company came in The Future Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs across the country in New York. Sent out straight to the front at the gate, he would be shuffled back to fourth at the wire. Earlier in the year he would finish second in both the Midsoil stakes (G2) and High Roller’s Juvenile (G2), both at six furlongs. 

5. Marbury V Madison (CHI) – kingsbest – D. Givins – 11/1 

On the bubble to draw into the race, the son of Constitution most recently raced last month during a listed stakes race over five and a half furlongs in Ontario, Canada. Out of the gate in third, the colt was eased just off the pace to third. He wasn’t urged forward to make his move until late in the race when he would get up to win by three-quarters of a length and set a speed figure of eighty-six. To date, the colt has made two starts with graded company. His most recent was in the Hopeless Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs in New York where he would fade to a disappointing ninth at the wire. Prior to this however, the colt would win The Manor Of Bashford (G3) at six furlongs in Kentucky this past June. 

6. Waka Kothai (JPN) – derbyking – K. Ledwith – 20/1 

This Japanese-bred filly will be taking on the boys on Saturday. The daughter of Daiwa Major is no stranger to beating the boys, recently winning the Independence Day (G3) at four and a half furlongs against the boys in Vermont. The chestnut filly was sent out of the gate into second and stayed tucked behind the front runner until the final furlongs where she did go on to win by a quarter of a length while setting a speed figure of eighty-three, which was a lifetime best speed figure for the filly. In late April the filly would also win the Arizona Shoot Out Special (G3) over the same distance against other fillies. Six furlongs is the longest the filly will have run to date, and is, at this point, an untried distance for the filly. The lone filly will be going off as our morning line long shot at odds of 20/1. 

7. Uban Recon – simsters3 – L. Radzinski – 9/1 

Off the board for the first time in his most recent start, this bay colt is by Bolt D’Oro and has made a total of six career starts. His most recent start came in Canada at a mile in the KeggerDay Juvenile Mile (G2). The bay colt was sent out of the gate to settle into the middle of the pack but he began to lose ground as the field reached the halfway point in the race. By the time they reached the wire the colt would have fallen back to eleventh, marking the first time he has not finished on the board in his career. The most recent win for the colt came in May during the Vermont BB Juvenile (G2) at six furlongs. Again, in the middle of the pack out of the gate, the colt started making his move midway through the race before going on to win by a length and setting a speed figure of eighty-seven. 

8. Theodore The Frog – goldenpal – F. Gossett – 13/1 

One of just two gelding’s in Saturday’s field, this light grey is by Upstart and is out of a listed stakes winning dam. He will be making his sixth career start this weekend. Most recently starting last month in a listed stakes race over five and a half furlongs in Iowa over a sloppy track, the gelding was sent off towards the middle of the pack in fifth early. He wouldn’t make his move until late in the race and he would go on to cross the wire in second, setting a speed figure of eighty-eight. His most recent win, as well as his most recent graded start, was in The Baby Tree (G3) at six furlongs over a sloppy track. Well off the pace early in tenth at the break, he started to make his move earlier at the midway point of the race. He would eventually go on to win the race by a neck. His only other graded start came in the Independence Day (G3) at four and a half furlongs in which he would finish third. 

9. Unbearable Pharoah – kingodin – T. Ace – 8/1 

Undefeated in his four career starts to date, the bay colt is a scratch bred son of the Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. His most recent start came right here in California this past August during the Dell Computer Futurity (G1) at seven furlongs. The colt was sent out towards the front of the pack at the break, setting just off the pace early in second. At the midway point of the sprint he would take over the lead before going on to win the race by a length while setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-five. The colt broke his maiden in an allowance race over six furlongs in his debut race this past March. He’s made only one start outside of the state, this in a listed stakes race over six and a half furlongs in Indiana where he had his narrowest winning margin of only a head.  

10. Death Perception (AUS) – thethumb12 – E. Cerda – 10/1 

With connections hoping this Australian-bred colt will go back to his winning ways with getting away from a sloppy track, this light grey colt is a son of the Triple Crown winner Justify. His most recent start came last month in Iowa during a listed stakes over five and a half furlongs over a sloppy track. Out of the gate in second, the colt maintained this position for most of the race until he was overtaken in the stretch to cross the wire in fourth, setting a speed figure of eighty-two. His only graded start came in his prior start in The Baby Tree (G3) at six furlongs across the country in New Jersey and was also run over a sloppy course. The colt was sent out of the gate and went straight to the lead in this race, remaining the pacesetter right up into the final furlong where he finished a heartbreaking second by a neck. His race prior to this, a listed stakes race at five furlongs in Idaho this past July, was his most recent win and was set on a fast track with the colt taking the race in wire-to-wire fashion, winning by a length and setting a lifetime best speed figure of eighty-four. 

11. Misconstrue – picaso – Z. Kentucky – 8/1 

Winning three out of five career starts to date, the light grey colt is by the freshman sire Verifying and out of the Garde I winning broodmare Miscalculation. The colt’s most recent start came across the country in New York during the Sparkling Wine Stakes (G1) at a mile. The colt was fifth out of the gate early but quickly began to pick off other horses until the field reached the stretch. The colt would fall back at this point as the closers picked up steam and he would cross the wire where he started in fifth, setting a speed figure of ninety-three, equaling his lifetime best performance from August. His start in August was the colt’s most recent win, which came in The Upper New York Special (G2) at six and a half furlongs. More forwardly placed early on this race, the colt was second early and took over the pace at the midway point of the race. He would go on to win the sprint by half a length, first setting his current lifetime best speed figure. 

12. Hot Race Charlie (JPN) – canada8 – K. Ebner – 9/1 

Looking to make a comeback in the Breeder’s Bowl, the Japanese-bred colt suffered his first off the board finish with his most recent start. Sired by Hot Rod Charlie, the bay colt made his most recent start here in California over a mile and one-sixteenths during the North Fork Stakes (G1). The colt was held back off the pace early in seventh and never seemed to find his footing in the race, fading back to eighth at the wire while setting a speed figure of eighty-nine, which is a lifetime best speed figure for the colt. Despite crossing in eighth, the colt was only three and three-quarter lengths off the pace of the eventual winner. His most recent win was his prior start, which also came here in California. This race was in the Closest Friend Stakes (G2) at six and a half furlongs. Placed fifth out of the gate, he ran in a similar fashion to his most recent race. He didn’t make his move until the final furlongs of the race, ultimately winning by a length and a half and setting a speed figure of eighty-eight. 

13. Moonlight Wish – blindluck – J. Ledwith – 12/1 

By the freshman sire Cody’s Wish, this bay colt is on a three consecutive race winning streak and has only made one start in which he has not won, which came in his maiden debut. However, his most recent start came in late July during The Startford (G3) at six furlongs across the country in New York. He trailed the field early, well back off the pace in tenth out of the gate. He quickly began to pick off other horses early on in the race. At the midway point of the race the colt had snuck up into fifth. He made his big move to the front in the stretch and went on to win the race by one and a quarter lengths while setting a speed figure of eighty-seven. The colt would also win his two prior starts, an allowance race and maiden special weight, both held in Louisiana over six furlongs. 

14. To Distort N Scrap (SKOR) – amir1652 – J. Wilson – 12/1 

Bred in South Korea, the bay colt has far surpassed his dam’s accomplishments of winning $50,000 in the claiming ranks. The colt, sired by To Honor And Serve, is the first stakes winner produced by the nineteen-year-old mare. His most recent race was in late August across the country in New York during the Hopeless Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs. Out of the gate in eighth at the start , he quickly moved up into seventh and held that position until the field made their way to the stretch where he made his bid for the front. He would come up just short, crossing the wire in second by a heartbreaking head bob at the wire, and setting a speed figure of ninety. This was a lifetime best speed figure for the colt. His only other graded start, which came in The Manor Of Bashford (G3) at six furlongs, also resulted in a second place finish. His most recent win came in May during a listed stakes race over six furlongs in Minnesota. Placed towards the middle of the pack again here, he would make a move late in the stretch to win by a length. 

Flrancho’s Picks: 

Win: Starspangledalley (AUS) 

Place: Unbearable Pharoah 

Show: Spite The Data