The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint debuted at at the 2018 World Championships, November 2-3 at Churchill Downs and carries a $1 million purse. The race will be run at 5.5 furlongs on the turf and will be open to all 2-year-olds.

The 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint will be held at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Friday, November 1. Bet & watch the race with OffTrackBetting.com (OTB) - US Legal Online Wagering.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

RESULTS: MAGNUM FORCE (IRE) TAKES BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT

DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 1, 2024) - Abdulla Al Khalifa's Magnum Force (IRE) ($27), benefiting from a ground-saving trip under Colin Keane, overhauled longtime leader Governor Sam in deep stretch and then held off Arizona Blaze (GB) by a half-length to win the seventh running of the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) and kick off Future Stars Friday at the World Championships at Del Mar.

Trained by Ger Lyons, Magnum Force completed the 5 furlongs on a firm turf course in :56.36. It is the first victory in the World Championships for Lyons and the second for Keane, who won the 2020 Turf (G1) on Tarnawa (IRE).

Governor Sam, under Paco Lopez, shot to the lead out of the gate and opened a daylight margin that he carried into the stretch. Magnum Force raced against the rail and in the stretch found clear sailing along the inside to collar Governor Sam inside the sixteenth pole and holding off Arizona Blaze, who was rallying three wide and taking second by a half-length over Governor Sam.

The victory was worth $520,000 and increased Magnum Force's earnings to $579,672 with a record of 5-2-2-1. It is the first graded stakes victory for the son of Mehmas (IRE) out of the Fastnet Rock mare Tropical Rock (GB).

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Aesterius (IRE)

Wathnan Racing, the nom de course for Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, has a stable strong on the future. The stable, stacked with 2-year-old fire power that includes Royal Ascot Group 2 winners Shareholder and Leovanni (IRE), also has Aesterius (IRE), a star in the making off his score July 5 in the Dragon Stakes at Sandown.

The bay colt backed that form later in the month during the Glorious Goodwood meet with a runner-up effort in the 5-furlong Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes (G3). He missed by three-quarters of a length to Big Mojo (IRE).

On Sept. 1, Aesterius traveled to Longchamps for the 5-furlong Prix d'Arenberg (G3) and made short work of five foes as the favorite in posting a 1 1/2-length victory over good to soft ground.

On Sept. 13 at Doncaster in the 5-furlong Flying Childers Stakes (G1), Aesterius got the best of Big Mojo in prevailing by a neck after being pressured by that rival throughout the run through the straight.

Bred in Ireland by Sean Maguire, Aesterius was well traveled by the time he made it to the races. Out of Jane Doe (IRE), by Hallowed Crown (AUS), Aesterius was a $66,143 weanling at the 2022 Tattersalls December foal sale and was sold the following October at the Tattersalls yearling sale for $77,402.

Blandford Bloodstock purchased Aesterius for $473,106 at this spring's Goffs UK Breeze Up sale. Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock is a key player in assembling talent for Wathnan Racing.

Aesterius is trained by Archie Watson, who worked for stellar outfits such as Shadwell Stud, Windsor Park Stud (in New Zealand), and trainers Graham Motion and Simon Callaghan (United States) before serving as an assistant to William Haggas. He saddled his first Group 1 winner in 2020.

Aesterius made his debut May 24 at Bath winning a maiden event by 2 ¾ lengths under Jamie Doyle. William Buick was aboard a close-up fifth-place effort at Royal Ascot in the Norfolk Stakes (G2). Doyle was up for the stakes score at Sandown.

Jane Doe is unraced, but her sire, Hallowed Crown, is a Group 1 winner by Street Sense (winner of the 2006 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, G1, and 2007 Kentucky Derby, G1). Hallowed Crown has stood in Australia and Ireland.

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Arizona Blaze (GB)

It takes a special 2-year-old to not only make his debut in March but win it. Starting at the Curragh March 18, Arizona Blaze (GB) scored "readily" over heavy ground at 5 furlongs. Before the end of May the bay colt by Sergei Prokofiev (by Scat Daddy) became a Group 3 winner in the GAIN Marble Hill Stakes. During the Royal Ascot meeting was a close-up third in a field of 13 in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes as a 14-1 shot.

Arizona Blaze is owned by AMO Racing Limited and Giselle De Aguiar and is trained by Adrian Murray. Earlier in his career, Murray was into hunting and showjumping before taking out his flat training license in 2016 and training runners for Giselle's husband, Robson Aguiar, who came from Brazil to Ireland to work for top trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Murray, with AMO Racing and Robson Aguiar, had a pretty good run at last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), finishing second with Valiant Force at Santa Anita Park following a victory in the Norfolk. The son of Malibu Moon was beaten just a half-length by Big Evs (IRE).

Arizona Blaze, bred by Andrew Bengough and partners, was a $44,923 weanling sale to Amanda Skiffington at the 2022 Tattersalls December foal sale. Rodrigo Goncalves and Aguiar Bloodstock paid $103,340 for him last year at Goffs UK premier yearling sale.

After his third-place finish at Royal Ascot, Arizona Blaze returned to Ireland where he has remained in group stakes company and has been a bit overlooked by the betting public. He was third, at 16-1, in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at 6 furlongs on Aug. 10, and prior to that third, at 6-1, in the GAIN Railway Stakes (G2) on June 30 at 6 furlongs.

Arizona Blaze made his next start in the Premier Yearling Stakes at York on Aug. 22, finishing second as the favorite in the field of 20 in the 6-furlong race in which he was passed in the final yards to lose by a head.

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Big Mojo (IRE)

Lightning certainly can strike twice in the Breeders' Cup. That is the "big" plan with Paul and Rachael Teasdale's RP Racing Ltd. Last year they struck with Big Evs (IRE) in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita, and this year their hopes and dreams ride on another 2-year-old speedster in Big Mojo (IRE).

A year ago, Big Evs won Goodwood's Jaeger Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes (G3) on his way to Breeders' Cup glory. On July 31, Big Mojo was a three-quarter-length winner of the 5-furlong Molecomb with Silvestre de Sousa in the irons. Trainer Michael Appleby, no relation to trainer Charlie Appleby, trains both Big Evs and Big Mojo.

Following the Molecomb, Big Mojo ventured to York for the 6-furlong Dubai Gimcrack Stakes (G2) on Aug. 23 in which he weakened late in the final furlong to finish fourth in a field of 10 beaten 2 lengths by the victorious Cool Hoof Luke (GB).

Big Mojo didn't come cheap. Following Big Evs' score last fall, the RP Racing team, led by bloodstock agent Conor Quirke, paid 175,000 guineas for Big Mojo at the Tattersalls December yearling sale.

Paul Teasdale told TDN: "Conor buys all our horses and he's bought another good one here. We are in racing to race and win and that's what we want to do."

Bred in Ireland by Ringfort Stud and The Ladies, Big Mojo is bay son from the first crop of Mohaather (GB), out of the stakes-placed No Nay Never mare Jm Jackson (IRE). No Nay Never, a top sire of sprinters in Europe, as a Group 1 winner in France and was second in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

Ringfort Stud is owned by Derek Veitch, who has produced several racing stars including Group 1 winners Minzaal (IRE) and Anmaat (IRE).

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Ecoro Sieg

Several runners from Japan have made giant strides versus North American runners in the past several years. The name Ecoro Sieg may be added to the elite group if he is able to bring his form Japan to Southern California for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1).

Bred in Central Kentucky Caldara Farm and William R. Hilliard Jr., Ecoro Sieg was well meant in his Aug. 17 debut at Niigata, with a 5-length victory going about 6 furlongs on the turf in 1:08.09, a clocking that was 0.2 seconds off the course standard. In his second outing, Sept. 21 at Nakayama Racecourse, he broke a 20-year-old course mark in the Canna Stakes. With Christophe Lemaire up, the dark bay colt sped the 1,200 meters in 1:07.02. The historical timing was the fastest clocking by a juvenile at the trip in the history of the Japan Racing Association.

The rising star is out of the Bernstein mare Lily Pod, who also was bred by Caldara Farm and Hilliard. Racing in Southern California, she finished second in the 2017 Buena Vista Stakes (G3) for trainer Phil D'Amato.

Ecoro Sieg was consigned to the 2023 Keeneland September yearling sale by Lane's End, agent, where he sold to Pro Racing Stable for $95,000. The following year, he drew plenty of attention while running a sub-:10 second furlong during the second session of the undertack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales' March auction of 2-year-olds in training. Consigned by G.O.P. Racing Stable, he sold for $250,000 to Hideyuki Mori. He races for Masatoshi Haramura.

Caldara Farm is owned by Callan Strouss and his wife, Darcia Fantucchio. Strouss was one of the original employees of William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm in 1981 and managed the farm's Oak Tree Farm for more than 20 years.

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Gate to Wire

Gate to Wire finished a rallying second in the Futurity Stakes (G3) at 6 furlongs on the turf and will be stretched out to a mile for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

A son of Munnings, he won his Aug. 30 career debut on turf by 1 ¾ lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, he is out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Sansibar Jewel and was bred in Kentucky by Moyglare Stud. He was bought for $95,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

He is owned by Donegal Racing, a partnership founded by Jerry Crawford.

Donegal owned 2022 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Mo Donegal in partnership with Mike Repole.

Donegal also owned Keen Ice, who defeated Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the 2015 Travers Stakes (G1). Keen Ice, trained by Dale Romans, was also third in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

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Governor Sam

Juvenile turf sprinters are fast ... and speaking of fast, Governor Sam made a quick turn on investment. The 2-year-old departed the sales ring in April at the Ocala Breeders' Sales' spring auction of juveniles in training and promptly started in Gulfstream Park's Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes on May 11.

While he didn't win, he was given some time by trainer George Weaver and came back to break his maiden at Saratoga as the 3-5 favorite in mid-July, then fought hard to notch a neck win Aug. 3 in Monmouth's Tyro Stakes as the 3-10 favorite.

Governor Sam notched his second stakes victory in his next start as he posted a front-running 2-length triumph as the odds-on favorite in the Exacta System's Rosie's Stakes going 5 1/2 furlongs at Colonial Downs on Sept. 7.

Stakes victory No. 3 came Oct. 6 at Keeneland in the Indian Summer (Listed) going 5 1/2 furlongs. Governor Sam set the pace and had enough left to hold off Out On Bail by a neck and provide jockey Paco Lopez with his 4,000th career victory.

All of the bay colt's starts have come on turf for Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables. The duo paid $275,000 for him at the OBS sale and had good reason to try the Royal Palm. Bregman Family Racing won the 2023 version with No Nay Mets (IRE). No Nay Mets, who ran fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), also garnered the Tyro and later won the Exacta Systems Rosie's Stakes at Colonial Downs under Weaver's care.

Governor Sam was bred in Kentucky by Stoneriggs Farm. The 417-acre Stoneriggs Farm, near Paris, Ky., is owned by Florida businessman Robert Slack. The farm first started offering their homebreds at public auction 2022, with Governor Sam coming along the following year, selling to DKW Racing for $50,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October fall yearling sale. Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables consigned the colt to the OBS venue.

Governor Sam is from the second crop of the late Improbable, a son of City Zip who was the post-time favorite for the 2019 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). He later won three Grade 1 races and was second in the 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Governor Sam's dam, I'm Betty G, by Into Mischief, won a trio of stakes events on turf in 2017-18.

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Ides of March (IRE)

** coming soon **

Magnum Force (IRE)

Despite only having a few starts as a juvenile, Magnum Force (IRE) appears battle tested. In his first four starts, all turf sprints in England, he's been a dogfight at the wire, winning once, finishing second twice, and third once. The third-place effort -- beaten just 1 ½ lengths -- came Sept. 13 at Doncaster in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes (G2), one of the premier races for 2-year-old turf sprinters in Europe.

In his start prior to the Flying Childers, he was second, by a neck to Tropical Storm (GB), in the 5-furlong Julia Graves Roses Stakes at the Ebor-at-York stand in late August.

Magnum Force is trained by Ger Lyons and has been ridden by 30-year-old Colin Keane. Lyons is based in County Meath, Ireland. At 20, Lyons shipped to the U.S. to work under Hall of Fame trainer Carl Nafzger before going to Britain where he spent four years as a National Hunt jockey.

After a bad fall in 1989, he shifted to training where his first win as a trainer came in the early 1990s. Lyons has been represented by two starters in the Breeders' Cup: Siskin in the 2020 Mile (G1) and Acanella (GB) in the 2021 Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Magnum Force is a bay son of Mehmas (IRE), Europe's leading first-crop sire of 2020 and leading second-crop sire of 2021. Magnum Force is out of the Fastnet Rock (AUS) mare Tropical Rock (GB). He races as a homebred for Sheikh Abdulla bin Isa Al-Khalifa. The Sheikh bred Camelot (GB), winner of three classic races in 2012: the Investec Epsom Derby (G1), Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1) and QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1).

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Mentee

A check of Mentee's breeding would suggest looking for him on dirt in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. He is, after all, a full brother to Fierceness, winner of last year's Juvenile and the 2023 champion 2-year-old male.

The son of City of Light, bred and owned by Mike Repole of Repole Stable, set a track record on dirt when he won his June 15 debut at Aqueduct, covering 5 furlongs in :56.97.

But after finishing sixth in the Hopeful Stakes (G1), Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher opted to switch Mentee to turf and he responded with a 3 1/2-length victory in the 6-furlong Futurity Stakes (G3) that led to the decision to run in the Juvenile Turf (G1).

Mentee is out of the Stay Thirsty mare Nonna Bella, who was named for Repole's late grandmother. Stay Thirsty won the 2011 Travers Stakes (G1) and 2012 Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) for Repole and Pletcher.

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Out On Bail

As far as 2-year-olds go, Out On Bail has been around the block, having made six starts from early May to early October. The past four, all on turf, have been his most successful, winning Saratoga's Skidmore Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs and running second in two other stakes including Keeneland's $238,257 Indian Summer Stakes (Listed) Presented by Keeneland Select at 5 1/2 furlongs.

His first two starts, in which he finished second and third, respectively, came on the main track in New York against state-bred competition. He clearly has found his best footing running on turf.

Out On Bail was bred in New York by Matthew Nestor and races for the successful partnership group of Peter Proscia's Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher and Case Chambers. Proscia and Staudacher have raced several top runners including Grade 1 winner Aquaphobia and a host of New York-bred stars including four-time stakes winner Barese.

Out On Bail is a son of classic winner Tiz the Law, the leading first-crop sire of 2024, and is out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Judge Lee. Kings Equine purchased Out On Bail for $40,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of preferred New York-bred yearlings. Chambers signed the ticket worth $110,000 for the colt this year at the Ocala Breeders' Sales' March auction of 2-year-olds in training. Out On Bail is trained by veteran Mike Maker.

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Shareholder

It didn't take long for U.S.-bred Shareholder to make a splash in Europe. The bay son of Not This Time, a 460,000 Euro ($495,481) buy in France at the Arqana May 2-year-old Breeze Up sale, broke his maiden June 8 as the favorite at Beverly near Yorkshire, England, then surprised at the Royal Ascot meeting on June 20 with a 12-1 score in the 5-furlong Norfolk Stakes (G2).

The victory was significant in that it was the first "Win and You're In" event for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1). That's quite a feat to have an advanced free entry to a race that is more than four months off.

Shareholder's undefeated run ended nearly two months later when he stepped up to 6 furlongs in the Sumbe Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville. Partnered again by James Doyle, Shareholder never threatened and finished last of nine on Aug. 18.

Shareholder was bred in Kentucky by Skyfall Thoroughbreds, who is also the breeder of First World War, a two-time graded stakes winner on the turf at 3 in 2024. Skyfall is headed by Geoffrey Von Honste, a native of Belgium who lives in South Africa and runs a cattle operation. He races Thoroughbreds in Europe and the U.S.

Shareholder is owned by Wathnan Racing, an outfit that has made a sizable foray into racing recently. The stable's owner is Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. His brother is Sheikh Joaan, who heads Al Shaqab Racing. The brothers are cousins of Sheikh Fahad of Qatar Racing.

Wathnan Racing has some 50 horses in training in Europe and spreads the wealth among more than 10 trainers including Shareholder's conditioner Karl Richard Burke. Wathnan's senior representative is Olly Tait, a former member of the Breeders' Cup board when he was the COO for Darley. Richard Brown, a founding partner in Blandford Bloodstock, is the racing advisor for Wathnan Racing.

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Whistlejacket (IRE)

Whistlejacket (IRE) entered the ranks of Europe's top 2-year-olds with a victory in the prestigious Sumbe Prix Monay (G1) at Deauville. More recently, he was second Sept. 28 in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1) at Newmarket.

Through seven starts for famed European trainer Aidan O'Brien, the son of No Nay Never has three wins and three seconds. He also won the Kingdom of Bahrain Stakes (G2) at Newmarket.

Bred by Camas Park, Lynch Bages and Summerhill in Ireland, Whistlejacket was bought for $634,024 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Whistlejacket is owned by American Peter Brant and the Coolmore partners of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

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2024 BREEDERS' CUP RACE SCHEDULE

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Debuted in the 2018 Championships

The Breeders' Cup implemented in 2018 the promotion of the undercard Juvenile Turf Sprint, an open race for both genders, to the Breeders' Cup World Championships program. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint carries a $1 million purse. The race will be run at about 5.5 furlongs on the turf and will be open to all 2-year-olds.

With the addition of the Juvenile Turf Sprint, there are now 14 races in this year's World Championships plus an additional $1 million in undercard purses. Total purses and awards for the 2020 event will now exceed $30 million.

"The upgrade of the Juvenile Turf Sprint is in response to the increasing popularity of turf racing in North America and will fill a need for international turf sprint sires," said Dora Delgado, Breeders' Cup Senior Vice President of Racing and Nominations. "Each year, the Juvenile Turf and the Juvenile Fillies Turf are oversubscribed at the Championships. We feel that Juvenile Turf Sprint will also be a popular draw among horsemen from North America and overseas stables and will generate interest among North American racetracks to card races in this division."

What is the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint?

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old horses, run on a grass course at a distance of 5½ furlongs. It is part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the de facto year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing. All Breeders' Cups to date have been conducted in the United States, with the exception of the 1996 event in Canada.

The race will be run for the first time as a Breeders' Cup Championship race in 2019 during the first day of the Breeders' Cup at host track, Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to 2019 the Juvenile Turf Sprint was run as an undercard race at the Breeders' Cup.

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