Breeders' Cup Juvenile 2022: Odds, preview, free PPs, more

Bob Baffert steps back in the spotlight Friday with an undefeated son of one of his greatest runners.

Cave Rock (4-5) is the morning-line favorite for the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Post time from Keeneland is 5 p.m. EDT, with FanDuel TV and USA Network to show the 1 1/16-mile event for 2-year-old colts.

The $2 million Juvenile offers Cave Rock the chance to earn a third Grade 1 win of his short career. After winning his Del Mar debut in August, he swept the Del Mar Futurity (G1) on Sept. 11 and the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) on Oct. 8.

Cave Rock’s 4-5 price on the morning line reflects both his 3-for-3 resume and the manner in which he has achieved it.

The Baffert trainee notched a 104 Beyer Speed Figure from the Daily Racing Form for his American Pharoah win, tied with Speed Boat Beach for best this season among juveniles. For comparison’s sake, other runners to post a 104 Beyer this year include Breeders’ Cup Classic hopefuls Happy Saver and Hot Rod Charlie and Breeders’ Cup Distaff favorite Nest.

Baffert also trained Cave Rock’s sire, the late four-time Grade 1 winner and Eclipse Award champion Arrogate. Longtime Baffert owners Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman campaign Cave Rock, who will have jockey Juan Hernandez aboard.

The Hall of Fame trainer Baffert is back at a Kentucky racetrack for the first time since the aftermath of Medina Spirit’s failed drug test following the 2021 Derby. Five of his 18 Breeders’ Cup scores have come in the Juvenile, including last fall at Del Mar with Corniche.

Baffert also trains Breeders’ Cup Juvenile contender National Treasure (8-1), who finished as runner-up in the American Pharoah Stakes, 5 1/4 lengths shy of Cave Rock.

Forte (4-1) joins Cave Rock as a two-time Grade 1 hero in this field. Trained by Todd Pletcher, he took Saratoga’s Hopeful Stakes (G1) in September and then won the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) over this Keeneland track and at this 1 1/16-mile distance Oct. 8.

Blazing Sevens (6-1) was third in the Hopeful but won the Champagne Stakes (G1) on Oct. 1 at Aqueduct for trainer Chad Brown. Brad Cox trains Verifying (10-1), the Champagne runner-up. Curly Jack (20-1) exits an Iroquois Stakes (G3) victory Sept. 17 at Churchill Downs for trainer Tom Amoss.

Churchill boosted the Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby points that are awarded in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as compared to previous years. The race pays Derby points now on a 30-12-9-6-3 scale.

Here is the field for the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (trainer and jockey in parentheses) with morning-line odds:

1. Hurricane J (Paulo Lobo, Joe Talamo), 30-1

2. Congruent (Antonio Sano, Jose Ortiz), 30-1

3. Cave Rock (Bob Baffert, Juan Hernandez), 4-5

4. Forte (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.), 4-1

5. Verifying (Brad Cox, Joel Rosario), 10-1

6. Blazing Sevens (Chad Brown, Flavien Prat), 6-1

7. Wound Up (Michael McCarthy, Mario Gutierrez), 30-1

8. Lost Ark (Todd Pletcher, Luis Saez), 20-1

9. Curly Jack (Tom Amoss, Edgar Morales), 20-1

10. National Treasure (Bob Baffert, John Velazquez), 8-1

TimeformUS’ pace projections show Cave Rock under Hernandez and National Treasure under jockey John Velazquez dueling for the early lead and setting a fast pace, followed by Hurricane J.

Visit Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page for more information on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile links

“I think Cave Rock is my best chance to win,” a confident Bob Baffert upon his first visit to a Kentucky racetrack since the 2021 Derby. “But he needs to get out of the gate and run his race.”

Ed DeRosa provides Breeders’ Cup Juvenile fair odds. Any 2-year-old not trained by Baffert is simply up against it to DeRosa’s eyes and will have to improve greatly to contend with his formidable pair.

Seven of the last 10 colts to prevail in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile won their last start, and none placed worse than third. Five were undefeated entering the race, including the two winners of this event when it was hosted at Keeneland.

The juveniles are featured on Breeders' Cup Friday at Keeneland, and handicapper Sara Elbadwi has a different guest to discuss each race. Chase Sessoms previews the Juvenile.

This week on HorseCenter, hosts Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman announce their top picks for all 14 races at the 2022 Breeders' Cup, including the Juvenile.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile starters Cave Rock, Lost Ark, National Treasure, and Verifying are all among J. Keeler Johnson’s horses to watch.

The National Weather Service predicts that the sunny weather in Lexington will continue through Friday, with a high of 76 degrees.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile card

Here is a look at the other graded stakes on Keeneland’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile card. All post times are EDT and races will be broadcast on USA Network and FanDuel TV.

2:15 p.m. – $350,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2), 3-and-up, 1 1 5/8 miles

Rattle N Roll (5-2) has started twice at Keeneland for trainer Kenny McPeek, winning the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) in October 2021 and then finishing sixth in April’s Blue Grass Stakes (G1). Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride the Connect colt, who stretches out to this marathon distance after winning Remington Park’s Oklahoma Derby (G3) at 1 1/8 miles Sept. 25. Robertino Diodoro trains Bal Harbour (7-2), an Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park stakes winner who he claimed for $50,000 off trainer Todd Pletcher out of a Sept. 5 score at Saratoga. Heywoods Beach (4-1) ships in for Flightline trainer John Sadler after taking the Tokyo City Cup Stakes (G3) on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita.

3 p.m. – $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), 2-year-olds, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf)

The Platinum Queen (7-2) makes her North American debut for trainer Richard Fahey off a Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp (G1) triumph Oct. 2. Jockey Hollie Doyle, whose only prior Breeders’ Cup start was an 11th-place finish with Mighty Gurkha in 2020 Juvenile Turf Sprint, will be up on the Cotai Glory filly. Wesley Ward has won this race each of the last three years and trains Love Reigns (4-1), victor of the Bolton Landing Stakes on Aug. 21 at Saratoga. Speed Boat Beach (6-1) is 2-for-2 after winning Santa Anita’s Speakeasy Stakes on Oct. 2 for trainer Bob Baffert.

3:40 p.m. ­– $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), 2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles

Chocolate Gelato (7-2) can sew up champion 2-year-old filly honors if she follows her Frizette Stakes (G1) win Oct. 2 at Aqueduct with a score here. Neither Pletcher nor jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who will pilot the Practical Joke filly, have ever won this event. Brad Cox trains Chop Chop (4-1), who finished a nose shy of Wonder Wheel on Oct. 7 over this same Keeneland track in the Alcibiades Stakes (G1). Wonder Wheel (5-1) won the Alcibiades for trainer Mark Casse after a runner-up effort one month prior at Saratoga in the Spinaway Stakes (G1).

4:20 p.m. – $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), 2-year-old fillies, one mile (turf)

Meditate (4-1) looks to deliver 13-time Breeders’ Cup-winning trainer Aidan O’Brien his breakthrough Juvenile Fillies Turf score. Jockey Ryan Moore has the mount on the No Nay Never filly, a Grade 2 heroine who was second in the Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) on Sept. 24 at Newmarket. Chad Brown trains Free Look (5-1), runner-up in Aqueduct’s Miss Grillo Stakes (G2) on Oct. 1. Delight (6-1) runs over the same lawn on which she took Keeneland’s Jessamine Stakes (G2) on Oct. 7 for trainer Jonathan Thomas.

5:40 p.m. ­– $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), 2-year-old colts and geldings, one mile

Silver Knott (3-1) took the Autumn Stakes (G3) on Oct. 8 at Newmarket and the Lope de Vega colt now makes his first start on U.S. soil. Trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick won this race together in 2021 (Modern Games) and 2018 (Line of Duty). Brown trains I’m Very Busy (9-2), a Saratoga debut winner who was the second-place finisher Oct. 2 at Aqueduct in the Pilgrim Stakes (G2). Andthewinneris (5-1) exits a local victory Oct. 9 in the Bourbon Stakes (G2) for trainer Wayne Catalano.