Saturday’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland is not only a springboard to next spring’s classics, but also a key race towards an Eclipse Award. Last year’s winner Ted Noffey went straight from here to victory in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA at Del Mar and a championship. Since the Breeders’ Cup is held at Keeneland this year, the historic 1 1/16-mile test for juveniles holds even more significance. 

The first Saturday in May is still seven months away, but on the occasion of the first Grade 1 stakes for 2-year-olds in Kentucky, it’s not too early to start thinking about the run for the roses. Six promising young colts are entered on Saturday for the opportunity to claim an expenses-paid berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Oct. 30, as well as qualifying points to the 2027 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. The Breeders’ Futurity will be televised live on NBC and FanDuel TV.

1. Coach Pope: After running a bang-up second at Saratoga splitting a pair of very highly regarded runners in Gaudreau and U. S. S. Valor, this Kenny McPeek-trained Tapit colt stretched out nicely last time at Churchill Downs. His 12 ½ length maiden score going a flat mile could make him the favorite on Saturday. As a son of Tapit, the move to two turns here should not be an issue. He is an obvious threat. 

JOCKEY: Jose Ortiz; TRAINER: Kenny McPeek

2. Q B Rocket: A $1.9 million yearling purchase last fall at Keeneland, this son of Gun Runner lived up to his high expectations with a stylish debut win at Saratoga. The deceptively easy victory came at six furlongs and the runner-up has since come back with a nice win. Bred to appreciate the added distance he will see on Saturday, he should be ready to run another strong race for trainer Brad Cox. He is the top pick.      

JOCKEY: Junior Alvarado; TRAINER: Brad Cox

3. Phone Booth: The one colt in the race who already has graded stakes experience, this son of Pavel may be slightly ignored due to the potential of others in the field. That could prove to be a mistake, as he has run three solid races at Del Mar with only the highly regarded Hughes getting the better of him in the last two. He has enough tactical speed to be in touch early, he has experience, and he too should handle the move to two turns. 

JOCKEY: Umberto Rispoli; TRAINER: Doug O’Neill

4. Title Worthy: Trained by Dallas Stewart, this grey son of Title Ready has done little wrong in winning his first two starts. Both victories came while showing good early speed on sloppy racing surfaces at Ellis Park and Churchill Downs. This will be a big test for him as he steps up in distance and in class on Saturday. A $30,000 yearling bargain, he will likely have his hands full in this one. 

JOCKEY: Gerardo Corrales; TRAINER: Dallas Stewart

5. Jaded: A son of the promising freshman sire Olympiad, this colt earned a nice payday by getting up late in his debut on the turf at Kentucky Downs. It’s hard to know how that will translate to this difficult spot, but his rally was visually impressive. He’s working well for his main track debut, and his pedigree makes him eligible to be a better horse on dirt than he is on the grass. He is an interesting longshot on Saturday.    

JOCKEY: Irad Ortiz Jr.; TRAINER: Mark Casse

6. American History: Like Q B Rocket, this Constitution colt was a high-priced yearling who looked very good in his debut victory this summer at Saratoga. His win came while going 6 ½ furlongs and he rallied nicely to win going away six weeks ago. While the inside pair is preferred in this race, there really is no telling how good this WinStar Farm charge could be. He is certainly a danger to take home the top prize.   

JOCKEY: John Velazquez; TRAINER: Todd Pletcher

THE PICK: Q B Rocket

LIVE LONGSHOT: Phone Booth

SUPERFECTA: 2-1-6-3