Breeders' Cup Juvenile

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile always stirs thoughts and hopes for the next Kentucky Derby. Now that Street Sense has broken the jinx, we hope that we will see the next Derby winner in the Juvenile. The two-year-old championship race evokes thoughts of what the talented colts can become, stirring up much excitement and hope for future champions. Last year, we saw the incredible Uncle Mo dominate the Juvenile. The 2011 edition has attracted a deeper field, from all parts of the country and even from other nations.

Here are my top four picks for the Juvenile:

1. Union Rags: This son of Dixie Union has plenty of star potential. Coming off of two dominant wins in New York graded stakes company, Union Rags looks to be the favorite for the Juvenile after his impressive first three starts, all of which were wins.

The trainer of the striking colt is Michael Matz, who is best known in the racing world for being the trainer of the late 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro. Matz placed the colt in a five furlong maiden special weight at Delaware Park on July 12. Sent off at nearly 8-1, Union Rags won by nearly two lengths in a final time of 58.25

In his next star, Union Rags made his graded stakes debut in the Three Chimneys Saratoga Special Stakes (GII) at Saratoga. Over very sloppy going, Union Rags destroyed the field by over seven lengths. He returned on October 8 in the Champagne Stakes (GI) at Belmont. Facing a tougher field than he did in the Special, Union Rags still dominated, winning by 5 ¼ lengths in a good final time of 1:35.55 for a mile.

The colt’s most recent work came over the dirt at Fair Hill, when he worked five furlongs in 1:00.80. This colt is extremely talented and I believe he is a superstar in the making.

2. Creative Cause: This beautiful gray colt proved the best in the west this year, winning two graded stakes in southern California. Most recently, he dominantly won the Norfolk Stakes (GI) at Santa Anita. Creative Cause has won three of four starts. His only loss came in the Del Mar Futurity (GI), in which he was involved in a bumping incident in late stretch.

Creative Cause has only raced on the dirt once, but it was a very successful race. That race was his final prep for the Breeders’ Cup, the Norfolk. After sitting second most of the race, Creative Cause went on to win by 3 ¼ lengths in a hand ride. Despite easy handling in late stretch, Creative Cause came home in 6.27 seconds for the final sixteenth.

With his last four works either being bullets or near-bullets, Creative Cause is training up to the Breeders’ Cup very well. The gorgeous gray leaves long-time trainer Mike Harrington breathless. Knowing that he can do that, I believe Creative Cause not only seems to have a bright future at the Breeders’ Cup, but also for races beyond November 5.

3. Hansen: As if we didn’t have enough star power in the top two, this underrated light gray colt packs plenty of it as well. The pasty gray son of Tapit has raced just twice. Both races have been wins and the combined winning margin of those victories is an incredible 25 ½ lengths.

Hansen has only raced at Turfway, where he dominantly won the Bluegrass Cat Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes last out after his crushing maiden victory. Though he has only raced on the Polytrack, trainer Mike Maker has been working the colt over dirt. Hansen’s most current workout was a 1:00.60 five furlong breeze, which garnered him a bullet work. He has not been tested yet and no one knows how good he truly is, but in my notes for this colt, the first thing that came to mind to write down about him was “a freak.”

4. Drill: He is still very green and needs to get his act together, but this son of the late Lawyer Ron has plenty of raw talent. After finishing eighth in a disappointing debut, Drill has not been out of the money. The Bob Baffert trainee is coming into his own.

After a maiden victory that proved he was green, Drill defeated the top California colts in the roughly run Del Mar Futurity. Creative Cause got the better of him next time out, defeating him soundly. Drill is training very well for Baffert, but will have to try his hardest in the Juvenile.

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