Breeders' Cup Juvenile Pedigree Profiles - 2010

Photo: Sue Kawczynski/Eclipse Sportswire

2010 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE PEDIGREE PROFILES

On this website and the Iron Maidens Thoroughbreds Blog are profiles of the entrants for all four of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile races. The profiles contain straightforward pedigree and surface analysis and how the particular horse may do against the others in the race.

This year’s edition of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is deep.  How deep? Seven of the contestants are Grade 1 winners, five from the US (Boys at Toscanova, Jaycito, J. B.'s Thunder, J P's Gusto, and Uncle Mo) one from England (Biondetti) and one from Peru (Murjan)., Biondetti J. B.'s Thunder, Murjan and Uncle Moe are undefeated.  The last time five US Grade 1 winners competed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile was in 2005. The number five keeps cropping up. Maybe it’s a sign.

BIONDETTI (Bernardini - Lyphard's Delta, by Lyphard) *Second Preference Juvenile Turf

Pedigree: Bernardini’s offspring have been surprisingly precocious but have shown the quality one would expect from a stallion with his talent and pedigree. He is #3 on the First Crop Sires List.  Lyphard as a broodmare sire mainly gets turf descendants, but his daughters have produced some dirt stakes winners such as Heritage of Gold (by Seattle Slew) and Cappuchino (by Capote).  As one would expect from a Godolphin runner, Biondetti is impeccably bred. He is a ¾ brother to multiple graded turf stakes winners Indy Five Hundred and Delta Princess.  His dam is a graded stakes winner at 1 ¼ miles over turf and second dam Proud Delta was an Eclipse Champion Older Mare.  Biondetti should excel at longer routes.

Surface:  Biondetti  has no experience over dirt.

Outlook: Biondetti  is a brilliant European runner. He’s unbeaten in three starts including a Group 1 race at a mile in the Italian Gran Criterium.  His running style is flexible, and he has gone from leading the pack to a one run stalker. He has some dirt influences in his pedigree and has the experience, pedigree and talent to fit here. His connections are taking a gamble by racing Biondetti over an unknown surface, but other European colts, most notably Arazi and Johannesburg were runaway winners of the Juvenile.  

BOYS AT TOSCONOVA (Officer - Little Bonnet, by Coronado's Quest)

Pedigree: Boys At Tosconova's sire Officer was a brilliant two year old but only placed second in a stakes race at three and didn't race past April of his three year old season.  So far, Officer has been a disappointment at stud. Boys At Tosconova is his best offspring from five crops to date and Officer’s only Grade 1 winner in the U.S.  Officer's stakes winning progeny haven't won past 1 1/16 miles.  Boys At Tosconova's dam provides a bit more stamina to the pedigree. She won three starts past a mile and placed at 1 1/8 miles in a listed stakes race.  His damsire Coronado’s Quest won the Travers Stakes (G-1) at 1 1/4 miles. 

Surface:   Successful over dirt and should handle an off track. Was second over this track in debut.

Outlook: Boys At Tosconova has only three sprint races under his girth and will be attempting two turns for the first time in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He hasn't raced since September 6. On a positive note, he was second in his debut over the Churchill dirt.  On paper, Boys At Tosconova is borderline for the distance, untested and will be facing horses with more experience. He has undeniable talent but has to prove he’s more than a brilliant sprinter.  Last year, his connections brought D’Funnybone into this race off of the same layoff, but the tactic backfired and the colt finished last.

J. B.'S THUNDER  (Thunder Gulch - Rebridled Dreams, by  Unbridled’s Song)

Pedigree:  By the sire of Point Given, J.B.’s Thunder is a half brother to an English listed stakes sprinter.  His dam is graded stakes placed at 1 1/16 miles and his second dam was a listed stakes winning sprinter.  Damsire Unbridled’s Song won the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the same year Thunder Gulch was awarded Champion Three Year Old Honors.  J.B.’s Thunder has a strong dirt pedigree.

Surface:  Untested over dirt, but bred for the surface.

Outlook: J.B.’s Thunder has won both of his starts by a combined 5 ¾ lengths. He lead from start to finish in both races, but was aided by setting slow fractions and the Keeneland conveyor belt in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity.  The good news is that he’s a winner at 1 1/16 miles. The bad news is that other colts with blazing speed will keep him busy on the front end.

JAYCITO (Victory Gallop – Night Edition, by Ascot Knight)

Pedigree:  Jaycito has a strong classic pedigree.  Jaycito’s Belmont Stakes winning sire Victory Gallop was unfortunately sold to Turkish interests, but in 2003 he was second on the leading Freshmen Sire list and a year later became the leading second crop sire.  Jaycito’s damsire passes his stamina along to his daughters’ offspring.

Surface: Jaycito has a solid dirt pedigree and strong mud bloodlines.

Outlook:  Jaycito proved his class while running second to unbeaten J P’s Gusto in the Del Mar Futurity over a surface and distance which isn’t his best (7F Polytrack).  Jaycito turned the tables on his rival when allowed to go two turns and try the dirt-like Cushion Track in the Norfolk.  Jaycito has a win at 1 1/16 miles and should give his best effort over the Churchill dirt.  Additionally, Jaycito showed in the Norfolk that he can sit off the pace and win.  This colt has a very good chance to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

J P’S GUSTO (Successful Appeal – Call her Magic, by Caller I.D.)

Pedigree:  J P’s Gusto has a classy but sprint oriented pedigree. His sire has a handful of winners past a mile, but damsire Caller I.D. is pure speed as a damsire. He has only one stakes winner that has won at a mile and none past that distance. J P’s Gusto’s dam won three of six dirt sprint races, but was better over the turf, where she won two listed sprint races. She is also a half sister to Champion Proud Spell.

Surface:  J P’s Gusto has a flexible pedigree with dirt and turf attributes  throughout. His sire gets runners over all surfaces, especially mud, and his dam preferred turf.  J P’s Gusto handled the dirt-like Cushion track in the Norfolk and should do ok over the Churchill dirt. 

Outlook:  J P’s Gusto was handed his lone defeat when attempting 1 1/16 miles for the first time. There’s no doubt he’s a classy colt with a will to win and he isn’t a one dimensional speedball, but the distance of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is a major concern. Doubtful that he can win it, but don’t count him out of the money.  As we've seen with Lookin At Lucky, good colts can overcome the limitations.

MADMAN DIARIES (Bring the Heat – Harper N Abby, by Outflanker) * First Preference Juvenile Turf

Pedigree:  Bring the Heat is a descendant of the brilliant but fragile In Excess sire line.  Outflanker was winless in ten tries in England. He’s a half brother to dirt stakes winner Bite the Bullet and dirt router Black Mambo. Madman Diaries’ second dam Meafara was second two years running in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Surface:  Madman Diaries won his only dirt start over a fast track.

Outlook: Madman Diaries has won or placed in all five of his starts, including wins in the Victoria Stakes in Canada and Sapling Stakes (G-3) at Monmouth. The speedball colt has set remarkable time fractions in sprints, but has yet to be tested past six furlongs.  Expect Madman Diaries to be on or pressing the lead while stretching out in distance.

MURJAN (Officer – Miss Jeanie Cat, by Tabasco Cat)

Pedigree: The second son of Officer in the race is out of Miss Jeanie Cat, a juvenile stakes winner and half sister to Sapling (G-3) winner Silent Valor.  Of interest to followers of pedigree is that Boys At Tosconova (also by Officer) and Murjan share the same distaff family, as they both trace back to Lady Moore Carew through her half daughters.

Surface: Murjan is unbeaten over fast dirt. He hasn’t encountered an off track.

Outlook:  Murjan has been beating up on older Peruvian colts, winning his three starts by over 27 lengths. The last colt that attempted to transfer his Peruvian form to the US was Tomcito, whose best finish was a very distant third to Big Brown in the 2008 Florida Derby.  Murjan has a huge class jump, plus a Southern Hemisphere time adjustment to overcome in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

RIVETING REASON (Fusaichi Pegasus – Love and Marry, by Known Fact)

Pedigree:  Riveting Reason has a pedigree with stronger turf attributes than dirt. His damsire was a sprinter/miler in Europe and Riveting Reason’s dam was in the money in six out of ten turf races and unplaced in her sole dirt attempt. She’s a half sister to the Grade 2 turf winner Diadella.

Surface: Riveting Reason is untested over dirt.

Outlook:  Riveting Reason is still a maiden. He was whipped by over ten lengths in his last two starts, proving no match for JP’s Gusto or Jaycito. It’s possible that he’ll improve over dirt, but doubtful he’ll move forward enough to hit the board.

ROGUE ROMANCE (Smarty Jones - Lovington, by Afleet) *Second Preference Juvenile Turf

Pedigree: Versatility is the key to this colt’s pedigree.  Smarty Jones’ offspring are winning over all surfaces; however, this third crop sire has only four graded stakes winners and six listed stakes winners to his credit.  Rogue Romance is a half brother to graded stakes sprinter Savorthetime, stakes placed Tizbig and Indy Mood For Luv. Their dam won or was in the money in both dirt and turf races. 

Surface: Rogue Romance hasn’t encountered dirt.

Outlook:  Rogue Romance has won his last two starts and his speed figures are steadily improving.  He was fourth in his debut to Air Support, but was only 2 ¼ lengths shy of the win. Rogue Romance won the Bourbon Stakes despite having to steady and come from seven lengths off the pace, which is not his normal running style of contesting the pace.  He’ll be trying dirt for the first time, but the adaptable nature of his dam could transfer to her offspring.

STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini – Marozia, by Storm Bird)

Pedigree:  Stay Thirsty has a pedigree that screams Classic races. His sire’s progeny have been surprisingly precocious but have shown quality and have won from 5 1/12 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles over a variety of surface.   Stay Thirsty's distaff family is full of the stamina influences of Storm Bird and Roberto. Stay Thirsty's half brother Andromeda's Hero was second in the Belmont Stakes. 

Surface:  Dirt and mud should be no problem. In fact, Stay Thirsty has a superior pedigree for mud.

Outlook:  Stay Thirsty won his maiden race by over five lengths while racing on the lead.  In the Hopeful Stakes, he was also on the lead, but was passed by Boys At Tosconova mid-stretch.  Stay Thirsty scratched out of the Champagne Stakes which was won by his stablemate Uncle Mo.  Like many others in this race, Stay Thirsty will be traveling two turns for the first time. He has the pedigree to do well at 1 1/16 miles, but doesn’t appear to be as fast as Boys At Tosconova and Uncle Mo and if he’s a need the lead type, he will be burned out trying to keep up. Stay Thirsty needs to prove he can sit off of the pace and win.

UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie – Playa Maya, by Arch)

Pedigree: Uncle Mo’s sire Indian Charlie gets swift but often fragile offspring.  The majority are sprinter/miler types.  Uncle Mo receives stamina from his damsire Arch who won the 1 ¼ mile Super Derby.  Uncle Mo should have no difficulty with the extra half-furlong in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Surface:  Proven over dirt and his pedigree indicates that he should handle mud.

Outlook:  Uncle Mo’s gave an impressive display of speed and determination in the Champagne Stakes. Even though he didn’t beat a very accomplished field, Uncle Mo did it in style.  His final time of 1:34.51 was a fifth off of the stakes record, and he tied Seattle Slew for the second fastest running of the Champagne.  Unlike Seattle Slew, Uncle Mo fought with rivals every step of the way and showed an extra gear pulling away from an exhausted field.  In short, Uncle Mo is fast and battle tested, but he has to prove he’s more than a flash in the pan sprinter/miler.  He could be a deserving favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.