Breeders’ Cup Friday 2024 Stakes Recaps

By Jarrod Horak

The Breeders’ Cup Friday card is complete and Bob Baffert’s $675,000 Into Mischief colt Citizen Bull wrapped up the juvenile title with a wire-to-wire upset in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Check out all of the Breeders’ Cup Friday 2023 results below.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (21.77, 44.69, 56.36) – 5T

The overseas shippers looked tough on paper and that is the way it played out in real time. The stateside runner with the best chance was Governor Sam and he set a pressured pace and ran his heart out from post 9, but he could not quite last. Magnum Force (IRE) got the right closing trip from post 3 and outfinished Arizona Blaze (GB) to win by a half-length. Governor Sam just held the show by a nose over Big Mojo (IRE). Whistlejacket (IRE) rallied from 12th and last to finish 5th, and was followed by Aesterious (IRE), Ides of March (IRE), beaten Japanese favorite Ecoro Sieg, Jet Sweep Joe, Gate to Wire, Pali Kitten, and Shareholder. Colin Keane rode the winner for Gar Lyons. The winner was exiting a show finish in the Flying Childers (G2) at Doncaster (5T). Some interesting BC Juvenile Turf patterns are emerging. The last four winners of this race had their final prep overseas, and all four were bred in Ireland. 

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (22.00, 44.99, 1:10.03, 1:37.61, 1:44.36) – 1 1/6 miles dirt

Nooni set a very fast pace under Flavien Prat. Bob Baffert’s fleet filly has distance limitations and could not keep going. American Bikini (JPN) chased and faded, and Scottish Lassie stalked wide from the outside post, made a bid, and weakened. Vodka With a Twist chased from the rail and looked good turning for home, but post time favorite Immersive ($6) sat a beautiful midpack trip under Manny Franco, and the Nyquist filly swung into action turning for home and ran on by to win by 4 1/2 lengths. Vodka With a Twist was second best and Quickick broke slow, found her best stride late, and ran on to complete the trifecta. Scottish Lassie was miles clear of the rest in fourth. La Cara, Nooni, Otomena Shacho, Snowyte, and American Bikini also ran. Brad Cox saddled the winner and he has a good overall BC record, and the Godolphin filly ends the year as the clear leader of the division with Grade 1 wins in the Spinaway, Alcibiades, and BC Juvenile Fillies. This was a Kentucky Oaks 2025 points race and Immersive has racked up 40 Oaks points. 

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filles Turf (22.25, 45.37, 1:09.77, 1:22.15, 1:34.28) – 8T

Lake Victoria (IRE) was the strong favorite for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien, and she lived up to the hype. Thought Process set a strong pace but could not keep up with the closers in the stretch. Lake Victoria did not have the strongest start but that was just fine considering the race flow. After some minor early trouble, she worked out a relatively clean closing trip, and she moved up, eased out, and drove away late to win by a length and a half. May Day Ready ran a quality closing race from post 12 and completed the exacta under Frankie Dettori. Nitrogen came running for the show and Fiery Lucy (GB) was right behind her from post 11. Kilwin (5th) held the best of the forwardly placed runners. Vixen, Correto, Totally Justified, Thought Process, Anshoda (IRE), Heavens Gate (IRE), Scythian, Virgin Colada, and Abientot completed the 14-horse field. The Frankel (GB) filly paid $3.40 to win. Lake Victoria is now 5-for-5 and this was her first route attempt. Prior to this race, she won a Group 3 and a pair of Group 1 races (Moyglare Stud, Cheveley Park). 

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (23.44, 47.89, 1:12.21, 1:36.53, 1:43.07) – 1 1/16 miles dirt

This was supposed to be East Avenue’s race but the fleet favorite stumbled badly out of the gate and the race shape was thrown into chaos. After that incident, Martin Garcia aboard Citizen Bull said thank you very much and took the early initiative. He wired the field in the Grade 1 American Pharoah in his start prior to this and he was loving life on the front end. The fractions were moderate and this race was over early. Citizen Bull stayed clear throughout, turned away a brief challenge from his stablemate Gaming, and won comfortably by a length and a half. Gaming, making his first route start, chased from second throughout under Irad Ortiz Jr. and was clearly second best. Overseas shipper Hill Road rallied from last of 10 under Umberto Rispoli to complete the trifecta. Getaway Car, Ferocious, Chancer McPatrick, Jonathan’s Way, Ecoro Azul, East Avenue, and Shin Believe also ran. Citizen Bull paid $33.80 and is likely to be named 2-year-old champion after wiring the field in back-to-back Grade 1 races at 1 1/16 miles.  

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (22.65, 46.31, 1:10.50, 1:22.45, 1:34.48) – 8T 

Dream On set the pace. They were not going as fast as the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf runners, but the fractions were honest and patient runners dominated when all was said and done. Henri Matisse (IRE) was the favorite from post 12 for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien and he had a clean outside closing trip. It is not always easy to win a turf route without cover, but he was just better than these on this day and closed down 29-1 local hope Iron Man Cal to win by a neck. Aomori City (FR) was a bit unlucky to lose this race. He broke through the gate prior to the start and he caused a slight delay. He was caught by the outrider and they had to walk him back behind the gate, and William Buick decided to cut in and save some ground while lagging behind the others early. He moved out, angled wide, and flew home late to finish a clear third, and missed winning the whole thing by a bit more than a half-length. New Century, Dream On, Noble Confessor, Zulu Kingdom (IRE), Al Qudra (IRE), Santo Carnaval (JPN), Seagulls Eleven (IRE), The Waco Kid (IRE), and Mentee also ran. There was a lengthy inquiry into the stretch run. Al Qudra was in a tight spot and almost went down after clipping heels with New Century. Al Qudra’s rider James Doyle briefly lost his iron and almost came out of the saddle, but he regained his balance and everyone was fortunate that the scary incident was not much worse. The stewards ruled that Al Qudra did not have a clear path to make a run and there was no change to the final order of finish. Prior to this event, Henri Matisse won a pair of overseas Group 2 races and was exiting a 5th of 9 (beaten 2 3/4 lengths) in Prix Jeanluc Lagardere (G1) at Longchamp.