Pedigree Pointers: Cassie Tully on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

This is it, the final hurrah before we completely turn our attention to the jumping sphere for another year, the Breeders’ Cup is here.

Even without the usual razzmatazz associated with the two-day event, the energy and hype has not faded in this peculiar year as the European representation is phenomenal.

Before our best milers go to battle in the Turf Mile and Magical attempts to crown her year in the Longines Turf on Saturday night, ‘Future Stars Friday’ is brimming with untapped potential.

The $1million Juvenile Turf in particular has attracted a full field of fourteen runners, half of whom are trained in Europe and a further two who began their lives here.

It is just the fourteenth running of the event which was established in 2007 and here is a run-down of who the contenders are in an extremely exciting contest.

MUTASAABEQ (USA, Todd Pletcher)

In just three starts Mutasaabeq is a Grade Two winner on turf and also Grade One placed on dirt behind unbeaten favourite for the Juvenile Dirt, Jackie’s Warrior.

He was a $425,000 foal purchase by Shadwell and is trained by Todd Pletcher who won this race with Pluck in 2010.

Mutasaabeq is by USA’s leading stallion Into Mischief who sired the dual Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Goldencents and this year’s Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.

He is the first foal out of the winning Scat Daddy mare Downside Scenario who is a half-sister to the dual UAE Group winner, Cool Cowboy.

BATTLEGROUND (Ireland, Aidan O’Brien)

Royal Ascot Chesham Stakes and Group Two Vintage Stakes winner from three starts and hasn’t been seen since then after being ruled out of the National Stakes in September.

A Coolmore homebred, Battleground is by War Front who sired the winner of this race in 2015, Hit It A Bomb.

He is the first foal out of the super tough Galileo mare Found who won the Breeders’ Cup Turf over Golden Horn here at Keeneland in 2015, as well as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and a Group One in France on her third start as a juvenile; not to mention the other twelve Group One placings. Galileo doesn’t need any explaining as a broodmare sire, but he did sire the 2018 winner of this race, Line of Duty. Aidan O’Brien is also the winning-most trainer with four wins.

CADILLAC (Ireland, Jessica Harrington)

Won his maiden by nine lengths before placing second to subsequent Vertem Futurity winner Mac Swiney in the Group Two Futurity and then winning the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes over subsequent Group One winner Van Gogh. Finished fifth on his latest start in the Dewhurst on soft ground.

Cadillac cost €40,000 as a yearling and is by Lope De Vega who sired the winner of the fillies version of this race in 2018, Newspaperofrecord.

He is out of the winning Dansili mare Seas of Wells which is the family of Champion Juvenile filly Damson and her sire son Requinto. An important side note is that more than half of Lope De Vega’s top-level winners are all out of Danehill line mares.

NEW MANDATE (UK, Ralph Beckett)

Successful on his third racecourse attempt, New Mandate swiftly followed up with two further wins in a Listed event and the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes.

A €35,000 yearling, he is one of two geldings in the field and is by Ballylinch’s first season sire New Bay (Dubawi) who won the French Derby and has sired 11 winners from 35 runners to date, the best of whom is New Mandate.

New Mandate is the third foal and first winner out of the twice placed Authorized mare Mishhar who is a half-sister to Group placed Puggy, the dam of French 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner Avenir Certain. And New Mandate’s grandam is actually then a full-sister to fellow first-season and record-breaking sire, Mehmas.

Authorized produced his first top-level winner as a broodmare sire three weeks ago in the Grade One EP Taylor Stakes winner Etoile.

SEALIWAY (France, Frederic Rossi)

One of two Group One winners already in the field, Sealiway has won four races including a Listed event and the Prix Jean Luc Lagardere by eight lengths on his latest outing.

He is from the second crop of French based sire Galiway who has had just 37 runners to date, all bred of just a €3,000 fee and includes four stakes winners.

Sealiway is out of French Listed winner Kensea, by Kendargent, and he is also the first Group One winner for Kendargent as a broodmare sire from just 44 runners. Watch this space.

Kensea and Sealiway, however, are the only two Stakes winners within four generations of the female family.

GRETZKY THE GREAT (USA, Mark Casse)

Grade One Summer Stakes and Listed winner from just three starts, Gretzky the great is by Nyquist, a USA first crop sire who is by Uncle Mo and won the Kentucky Derby in 2016 after the dirt version of this event as a juvenile.

From just 33 runners Nyquist has produced 13 winners including two at the highest level and another filly who is Grade One placed.

Not sold as a yearling for $295,000, Gretzky The Great is out of Pearl Turn who placed fourth in a Grade One and is a daughter of very much in-vogue broodmare sire, Bernardini.

PUBLIC SECTOR (USA, Chad Brown)

Winner on debut and placed in the Grade Two Pilgrim Stakes on his only two starts, Public Sector was purchased by agent Mike Ryan at Tattersalls Book One last year for 170,000gns.

He is by leading young sire sensation Kingman and out of the winning daughter of Montjeu, Parle Moi, who is a daughter of Group One performer Di Moi Oui. Montjeu is the broodmare sire of 10 winners at the highest-level including Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Obviously.

GO ATHLETICO (France, Philippe Decouz)

French Group Three winner and Group Two placed on his latest start, Go Athletico is by yet another overachieving first season sire in the French based Goken. The dual Group Three winning sprinter has produced two Group Three winners already in his first crop of 32 runners bred off a €5,000 fee.

Go Athletico, a Guy Pariente homebred, is out of the winning Sageburg mare, Byburg which is the family of USA Graded winners Little Treasure and More Chocolate as well as this year’s Irish 1000 Guineas fourth, New York Girl.

OUTADORE (USA, Wesley Ward)

Unbeaten in his two starts to date including a Listed event over just 6½ furlongs at Kentucky Downs. Outadore is by Outwork, the second first-crop sire by Uncle Mo in this field who stood at $15,000 and has produced two stakes winners from his 37 starters to date.

A $290,000 yearling, he is out of the Stakes placed mare Adore You who has already produced two stakes winners Mind Reader and Piedi Bianchi, the latter of whom is also multiple Grade One placed in the USA.

FIRE AT WILL (USA, Michael Maker)

Unbeaten in two starts which includes a Grade Three on debut followed by the Grade Two Pilgrim Stakes over Public Sector.

Fire at Will cost $97,000 as a yearling and is a son of Juddmonte International winner Declaration of War. He is the first foal out of the once-raced Flirt by Kitten’s Joy, who sired the 2016 winner of this race, Oscar Performance.

Flirt is a half-sister to Grade One winning juvenile Decorated Invader who is also by Declaration of War and finished fourth in this race last year.

ABARTA (USA, Brad Cox)

Still a maiden, Abarta has raced only once and finished second in the Grade Two Bourbon Stakes behind market leader here, Mutasaabeq.

A $200,000 yearling and son of USA’s leading stallion Into Mischief who sired the dual Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Goldencents and this year’s Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.

Abarta is the second foal out of Grade Two Turf Mile Stakes placed Dame Marie, by Smart Strike. Dame Marie is a three-part sister to St Leger winner Rule of Law and it is the family of four-time Group One winner and exciting young sire, Olympic Glory.

EBEKO (USA, Peter Miller)

Ebeko began his life and racing career in Ireland, failing to sell for 20,000gns as a yearling, and then winning at the third attempt for Paddy Twomey before a change of ownership and flight to the States. He placed second in a Listed event on turf there on his sole start since.

By first-season sire and Irish 2000 Guineas winner Awtaad who has sired just eight winners to date, but only appeared on the racecourse in October as a juvenile himself.

Ebeko’s dam Allegrezza is a winner by Sir Percy and is a half-sister to French Group Two winner Canticum. Their dam is a full-sister to Dewhurst winner Distant Music and a half to the dam of Doncaster Sprint Cup winner African Rose as well as the Group One placed dam of Calyx.

DEVILWALA (UK, Ralph Beckett)

Group Two placed on his second start, Devilwala finished fourth in the Dewhurst (ahead of Cadillac) on his latest start.

Costing 220,000gns from breeders Tally-Ho as a Breezer this year, Devilwala is by their principal stallion, Kodiac.

He is out of the Cadeaux Genereux mare Najraan who is a half-sister to stakes winner Excelente and from the family of King’s Stand Stakes winner Bolshoi.

THE LIR JET (UK, Michael Bell)

The Lir Jet has not extended past six furlongs in his five starts to date but has won the Norfolk on his second outing and placed second in the Group One Phoenix Stakes.

A €9,500 foal and £8,000 yearling later acquired by Qatar Racing after his winning debut, The Lir Jet is by first-season sire Prince Of Lir who has bred 13 winners from 38 starters off a €5,000 fee.

The Lir Jet’s dam won two races over six furlongs and his grandam is out of Italian Group Two winner and Yorkshire Oaks placed Papering, also the dam of Group winner Don Halling and Stakes winner Dossier.