2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf – Reviewing the European Contenders

There are five Breeders’ Cup Challenge races held for the Juvenile Turf Division. Only two, the Summer Stakes (G-2) at Woodbine and the Dixiana Bourbon Stakes (G-3) at Keeneland are held in North America. The other challenge contests are comprised of the Willis Champions Juvenile Stakes (IRE Gr.3), Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (ENG Gr. 2) and Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (FR. Gr. 1). None of the European challenge winners will contest the Juvenile Turf.

27 colts were pre-entered in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, seven of whom are European trained. Three of those are trained by Irish super trainer Aidan O’Brien.  

Only one of the eight, HIT IT A BOMB, won his last race. Conditioned by two-time Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner O’Brien, the son of War Front is short on experience, but appears to be long on talent. A winner in both of his starts, Hit It A Bomb was a dominating 4 ½ length winner of the listed Star Appeal stakes at seven furlongs over the Polytrack. Racing against six foes, he falls into the “Who did he beat” category, as all-weather races are considered a cut below in England.  Hit It A Bomb is the third foal to race and first winner for his Group 3 winning dam Liscanna, a sprinter.

Two-time Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winning trainer John Gosden will arrive with his latest contender, CYMRIC.  The well bred son of Kitten’s Joy was beaten by a bare neck in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere Grand Criterium (Fr. Gr.1) by Ultra. Cymric sat in seventh place in the early stages of the race, He made a four-wide move about six lengths behind the leaders and just missed running down Ultra. Cymric was in front a couple of strides past the wire in the one mile race and clearly wants more ground. Cymric is a half brother to Lismore, who has placed in the Florida Oaks (G-3) and two listed stakes over the turf. Their unraced dam is a half sister to INTERACTIF, who was third in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Cymric is a descendant of the legendary champion and blue hen, PERSONAL ENSIGN.

Aidan O’Brien trains WATERLOO BRIDGE, who was a distant second in the Tattersalls Millions Trophy in his last start.  The son of the Group 1 winning sprinter Zoffany was beaten by 4 ½ lengths by the pace setter Grand Master, who had his own way.  Grand Master came back to win a Group 3 race. Waterloo Bridge is a half brother to the French Group 3 winner FORCES OF DARKNESS, who stayed 1 ½ miles. Their dam won a listed sprint.   Waterloo Bridge has finished in the money in five of six starts, including a victory in the prestigious Norfolk Stakes (Eng. Gr. 2) at Ascot this summer. Both of his victories were at five furlongs.

AMPLE SUFFICIENCY is winless in three starts.  He was last seen finishing fifth in a blanket finish in the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes (IRE. Gr.2 ).  Trained by Dermot Weld, the son of English Channel sat in the back of the nine horse field during the early stages of the one mile race.  The pretty gray colt appeared once paced through the stretch and appeared to dislike the good going. There is only one blacktype winner in the first two generations of Ample Sufficiency’s distaff line, however, the pretty gray colt traces back to the blue hen Glowing Tribute, dam of Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero.

One European contender has finished third in his last start. With only five entered in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (IRE Gr. 1), there was no true front runner. BIRCHWOOD was fractious at the start and was restrained in second place for much of the race.  He made a bid halfway through the seven furlong event, but his earlier antics tired him out and he faded to third, beaten 4 ¾ lengths by the brilliant Air Force One. The son of Group 1 winning sprinter DARK ANGEL has little blacktype in the first two generations of his distaff line. Richard Fahey has trained Birchwood to three victories in six starts, including a win in the Bet365 Superlative Stakes (ENG. Gr.2).

The last two European entries were unplaced in their Breeders’ Cup prep race. HUMPHREY BOGART was fourth, beaten 4 ¼ lengths by Foundation in the Royal Lodge Stakes (Eng. Gr.2) at Newmarket. According to the Racing Post’s commentary, Humphrey Bogart was “Held up, ridden over 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong, not trouble leaders.”  Trained by Richard Hannon, Jr., the colt owns a victory running seven furlongs against maidens.  He’s finished in the money in three of five starts and his two off of the board placings were in group stakes events.  

Aidan O’Brien’s weakest entrant is SHOGUN, who was last seen finishing sixth in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere Grand Criterium (Fr. Gr.1).  The son of Fastnet Rock raced in mid-pack for the duration of the race. Cymric finished second in the Grand Criterium, roughly two lengths ahead of Shogun.  With only a maiden victory and one other placing on the board, Shogun appears to be the weakest link in the European chain of colts.