HorseCenter: Top picks for 3 juvenile Breeders' Cup qualifiers

This week on HorseCenter, your hosts Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman look ahead to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, as well as the 2024 Kentucky Derby, by offering analysis and top picks for the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, the American Pharoah from Santa Anita, and the Champagne Stakes from Aqueduct.

The Breeders’ Futurity drew a field of nine 2-year-olds, and the Todd Pletcher runner Locked was identified as a heavy favorite in the morning line. Trainers Brad Cox and Kenny McPeek each have two horses entered in the field.

In California, Muth from the barn of Bob Baffert is expected to be the favorite in the American Pharoah. The $2 million purchase was an impressive winner of his debut race. The field of nine includes four horses who are still maidens.

The Champagne in New York also has a significant favorite from Pletcher. Fierceness is a home-bred from Repole Stable who won his first start at Saratoga by 11 lengths. He is a son of Breeders’ Cup winner City of Light and a Stay Thirsty mare.

Enjoy the coast-to-coast racing where there are Breeders’ Cup qualifiers at all three tracks. As always, thanks for watching the show.