What we learned from 5 Breeders' Cup Friday races

Game Winner prevailed in Friday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile as the even money favorite, and I say prevailed because there was a perceived speed bias going into this race. The Bob Baffert trainee overcame that, coming from several lengths back and by running farther than any of his rivals.

As a son of Candy Ride, we know this colt will relish the added distance he will see next year. With a win over the Churchill Down strip, we also know he likes the track, which bodes well for his 2019 Kentucky Derby chances six months from now. In the near term, he's the Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old and early Derby favorite.

However, as we know from experience, it's a long way to next May. Only two horses -- Street Sense (2007) and Nyquist (2016) -- have pulled off the Juvenile-Derby double. Also, Baffert won his fourth Juvenile on Friday. None of his previous three ran on the first Saturday in May.

By the way, tip of the hat to Juvenile runner-up Knicks Go who was sent off at 40-1. He proved his Breeders’ Futurity (G1) win at Keeneland was no fluke.

Rarified air for Newspaperofrecord

Newspaperofrecord is the most impressive 2-year-old grass horse we have seen in a long time, male or female. She was dominant, and could have won by more perhaps in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Chad Brown trainee won wire to wire, but turning for home she looked like a closer with an extra gear or two.

This filly could be any kind, and when I say any kind, I am talked rarefied air. The connections feel the same way. Brown said afterward hasn’t ruled any race out for 2019, including a possible trip across the ocean to Royal Ascot. Calling her a “remarkable talent”, Brown went on to say that, “I don’t think I have ever trained a horse that through her first three starts, we never let her run”. Hopefully she stays healthy, because next year Newspaperofrecord will be a must-see filly wherever she runs.

Justify's owners are here to stay

The WinStar/China Horse Club/SF Racing partnership flexed its muscle on Friday. Known for their dirt prowess with Triple Crown winner Justify and Florida Derby winner Audible, there is a new name to get familiar with, as Bulletin stole the show in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Whether you like them or not, this partnership is here to stay, for a while at least. Elliott Walden, the President and CEO of racing operations for WinStar Farm, said afterwards that the partnership purchases 25 colts per year. In other words, they are locked and loaded for the next few racing seasons. One race before Bulletin struck, the 2-year-old Improbable won the Street Sense Stakes for 2-year-olds and seems bound for the Derby tail.

The right call made in Juvenile Turf

Forget the 10-1 morning line on Line of Duty. As the buzz horse going into this race, he was bet down to 7-2 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Line of Duty found the wire first after an eventful trip in the stretch, in which he bumped with the runner-up, Uncle Benny. After a lengthy delay due to a stewards' inquiry, no changes were made. The stewards made the right call. There wasn’t enough to warrant a DQ, as Uncle Benny wasn’t knocked off stride, and he wasn’t going to beat Line of Duty. Line of Duty became the first overseas winner in this years Breeders’ Cup.

Jaywalk shows some speed

Jaywalk took advantage of a speed bias here, running off to win the Juvenile Fillies by 5 ½ lengths. Speed bias or not, Jaywalk deserved the win. She has now rattled off four open-length wins in a row after a runner-up debut at Parx Racing. She also completed the 8 ½ furlongs in a faster time than Game Winner ran one dirt race later, eclipsing him by five one-hundredth of a second. She's appropriately wear the crown as champion 2-year-old filly.