Breeders Cup
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile 2023 Angles
By Jarrod Horak
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is one of the original BC races, dating all the way back to Hollywood Park in 1984. The 2023 renewal will be held at Santa Anita Park on Friday, Nov. 3, and they will be traveling 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
Recent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Results
Forte won this race last year at 5-1 odds while stalking the pace from midpack. He was exiting a win in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), so he pulled off a Grade 1 double at Keeneland.
2021 BC Juvenile hero Corniche won his first two starts including the American Pharoah (G1) at Santa Anita. Essential Quality also pulled off the Breeders’ Futurity/BC Juvenile double at Keeneland in 2020, and 2019 Juvenile hero Storm the Court was exiting a show finish in the American Pharoah (G1) at 8.5f at Santa Anita.
In 2018, Game Winner captured the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and American Pharoah (G1) prior to the BC Juvenile. East Coast shipper Good Magic won the Juvenile at Del Mar in 2017 for Chad Brown and Jose Ortiz. He was a maiden exiting a runner-up finish in the Champagne (G1), and he was second in his career debut as well. 2016 BC Juvenile hero Classic Empire was exiting a win in the Breeders’ Futurity. Nyquist captured this race at Keeneland in 2015 and the SoCal shipper was 4-for-4 prior to the BC. He won the FrontRunner at 1 1/16 miles, which was renamed the American Pharoah in 2018.
The Santa Anita Years
This event has been held at Santa Anita ten times. Capote was the first winner at the Great Race Place in 1986. Brocco (1993), Action This Day (2003), Midshipman (2008), Vale of York (2009), Shanghai Bobby (2012), New Year’s Day (2013), Texas Red (2014), Classic Empire (2016), and Storm the Court (2019) also won this race at Santa Anita Park.
The chart below shows all 10 winners of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, and it includes winning riders, trainers, post positions, running styles, win payoffs, and final preps. Four of the winners exited the Norfolk, FrontRunner, and American Pharoah, and they are all the same race at Santa Anita Park. It was run as the Norfolk from 1970-2011. They changed the name to FrontRunner from 2012-2017, and it started running as the American Pharoah Stakes in 2018.
Jockeys to Watch
The only active rider with more than one BC Juvenile win is Mike Smith. He booted home the winner of this race three times (Unbridled’s Song, Vindication, Corniche).
Trainers to Watch
Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas both saddled the winner of the BC Juvenile five times.
Todd Pletcher won the BC Juvenile with Uncle Mo (2010), Shanghai Bobby (2012), and Forte (2022).
Doug O’Neill saddled two winners (Stevie Wonderboy, Nyquist).
Two Turn Experience a Plus
Horses with two turn experience captured the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 9 of the last 10 years. 2013-16 BC Juvenile heroes, plus 2018-22 winners all had two turn experience, and eight of those winners scored in two turn races prior to the BC. Good Magic was the lone recent exception. He was a maiden with two starts heading into the BC, and was exiting a runner-up finish in the Champagne (G1), a one-turn mile.
Check out these other Breeders’ Cup 2023 articles:
Breeders’ Cup 2023: 5 Horses to Bet
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint 2023 Angles
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies 2023 Angles