Flashy debut winner Essential Quality leads Breeders' Futurity field

Godolphin homebred Essential Quality, a flashy winner on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs, headlines a field of nine 2-year-olds for the Grade 1, $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity Saturday at Keeneland.

The Breeders’ Futurity, slated as the ninth race with a 5:24 p.m. post time, is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to be run Nov. 6.

[RELATED: Get free past performances for Keeneland stakes here]

Essential Quality is on the same path for Godolphin that Maxfield was in 2019: Win a one-turn race in September at Churchill and go straight into the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity.

Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality won that debut by 4 lengths going 6 furlongs and since has come back to work twice at Churchill Downs, with the most recent being a :59.80 move over 5 furlongs last Saturday.

Luis Saez has the mount and will break from post position 4.

Another impressive debuting Derby Week winner at Churchill Downs was Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimney Farm’s King Fury.

Trained by two-time Breeders’ Futurity winner Kenny McPeek, King Fury won by 2 3/4 lengths going 1 1/16 miles. King Fury will break from post position nine and be ridden by Corey Lanerie.