A small but strong field will compete in the 42nd running of the $2 million Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on Friday at Del Mar.
The 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds is led by #8 Ted Noffey (4-5 morning-line odds), an undefeated son of perennial leading sire Into Mischief. The gray or roan colt has gone 3-for-3 for four-time Breeders’ Cup Juvenile-winning trainer Todd Pletcher and looks like a budding star.
Ted Noffey kicked off his career with a debut win sprinting during the competitive summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. He then stepped up in class for Saratoga’s Grade 1 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful Stakes and left no doubt about his superiority, tracking the pace in second place before taking over to crush the competition by 8 1/2 lengths, earning a 102 Brisnet Speed rating that tops the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile field.
After two wins sprinting, Ted Noffey stretched out in distance to 1 1/16 miles for the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. This time, he pressed the early leader from second before kicking away to win by 2 3/4 lengths, earning a 97 Brisnet Speed rating.
Ted Noffey finished strongly on the clock in both the Hopeful and the Breeders’ Futurity, which is a sign of serious talent. We expect he’ll keep his unbeaten record intact in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and prevail at short odds.
Since a win bet on Ted Noffey won’t pay much, we recommend playing Ted Noffey on top of exotic wagers like the trifecta (select the top three finishers in order) and superfecta (select the top four finishers in order).
Who should we use for second, third, and fourth place? Certainly #2 Blackout Time (5-1) has a strong chance to factor. After winning a one-mile maiden special weight race by 9 3/4 lengths, Blackout Time ran well against Ted Noffey in the Breeders’ Futurity, saving ground on his way to a runner-up finish. He was 2 1/4 lengths clear of the third-place finisher and has improved with every start.
#1 Intrepido (8-1) is another serious contender. In the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah Stakes Presented by DK Horse at Santa Anita Park last month, he was boxed in around the far turn and had to wait for racing room. Once he got clear, Intrepido unleashed a determined late charge to prevail by three-quarters of a length. This was a visually impressive performance suggesting Intrepido relished every inch of 1 1/16 miles, and if he receives a clear trip in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, a top-three finish is well within reach.
#7 Brant (5-2) will be a popular contender, too, after opening his career with back-to-back wins at Del Mar, including a front-running score in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity. Some bettors may prefer him over Ted Noffey. But Brant hasn’t run in two months, and he’s yet to compete in a race longer than seven-eighths of a mile, so those are two meaningful obstacles he’ll have to overcome. In recent years, three other unbeaten Del Mar Futurity winners have attempted to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile off a two-month break, and none of them finished better than second.
Wagering Strategy on a $12 Budget
$2 trifecta: 8 with 1,2,7 with 1,2,7 (total cost: $12)
What to say at the betting window: Del Mar, Race 9, $2 trifecta 8 with 1,2,7 with 1,2,7
Wagering Strategy on a $36 Budget
$5 trifecta: 8 with 1,2,7 with 1,2,7 (total cost: $30)
What to say at the betting window: Del Mar, Race 9, $5 trifecta 8 with 1,2,7 with 1,2,7
$1 superfecta: 8 with 1,2,7 with 1,2,7 with 1,2,7 (total cost: $6)
What to say at the betting window: Del Mar, Race 9, $1 superfecta 8 with 1,2,7 with 1,2,7 with 1,2,7
Good luck, and enjoy the race!
