BC Juvenile Turf Pedigree Profiles - 2010

Photo: Eclipse Sportswire

2010 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE COLTS TURF - PEDIGREE PROFILES

This year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf field is very contentious and filled with very talented, well-bred colts. Only three colts are untested over turf, and many of the European entries haven’t encountered firm turf. Biondetti is the only undefeated contestant.

AIR SUPPORT (Smart Strike – Gaze, by Danzig)

Pedigree:  Air Support is one of the best bred colts in the field.  He’s a half brother to turf stakes placed runners Perusal and Imaging.  Air Support’s dam is a half sister to Travers victor Coronado’s Quest, Maryland Million Sprint Handicap winner Military Look and Fort Marcy Stakes winner Warning Look. Air Support has a strong Claiborne/Phipps distaff family and traces back directly to the blue hen Shenanigans, who is Air Support’s fourth dam.  His third dam Laughter is a half sister to the Champion Ruffian.

Surface:  Has won over yielding and firm turf beyond a mile.

Outlook:  Air Support appears to have a good/bad race cycle. After winning his maiden, Air Support faced winners in the With Anticipation (G-3). He finished fourth with no apparent excuse, except that he was a few lengths farther back than usual. A race later, he bounced back to win the Pilgrim going away by 1 ½ lengths.  Air Support could improve further off of that effort, but cuts back to a mile. His pedigree suggests he’ll want to go longer, but his pace pressing running style could serve him well at this distance. He’s a legitimate contender.

BANNED (Kitten’s Joy – Cardinalli, by Capote)

Pedigree:  Banned has a turf router over dirt sprinter pedigree mix and evidently takes after his Champion Turf sire.  His dam won two of 12 sprint races and is a half sister to a stakes placed dirt sprinter, while his second dam was multiple stakes placed up to 1 1/16 miles over the dirt.

Surface: Banned has won over firm and yielding turf.

Outlook:  A winner of two straight turf races by a combined eight lengths, Banned is jumping from allowance company straight into a tough Grade 1 race. Banned likes to press the pace and should have company on the front end.  He has the makings of a nice colt but the “who did he beat” factor comes into play and he may be up against it in terms of class and experience. He might deserve a long-shot look.

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.  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 will have no difficulty with the one mile distance of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and should excel at longer routes.

Surface:  Has won over firm, good and soft turf.

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’s comfortable in a large group and has the experience, pedigree and talent to be the strongest European hope in the Juvenile Turf, should he enter the race.

DECIPHERING DREAMS (Freud – Plinking, by Talkin Man)

Pedigree:  Freud has carved out a niche for himself as a sire of turf runners. Not unusual considering that he is a full brother to international sire Giant’s Causeway. Deciphering Dreams is a full brother to Jung Man Scott who was second in the With Anticipation (G-3) over the lawn last year.  Plinking won two of eight races over turf and one of eight tries over the dirt. She’s a half sister to the good stakes warriors Uncle T Seven and Wishful Tomcat.

Surface:  Successful over the firm going, was third over yielding turf.

Outlook:  Deciphering Dreams made a late run to finish third, 1 ½ lengths behind Air Support in the Pilgrim Stakes (G-3).  1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 might be this colt’s best distance, due to his stalking running style and pedigree. He cuts back in distance and may not be up to this level of competition.

DUX SCHOLAR (Oasis Dream – Alumni, Selkirk)

Pedigree:  Dux Scholar has a speed over stamina pedigree with strong turf breeding.  His sire is an English Gr. 1 sprinter and is also the sire of the late Tuscan Evening, multiple graded stakes winning mare. Alumni won the Cheshire Oaks (Gr.3) over 11.5 furlongs and is a half sister to four European stakes winners.

Surface:  Dux Scholar has won over good going and has placed over good-soft and soft going. He hasn’t encountered firm turf.

Outlook:  Dux Scholar has been in the money in four of five lifetime starts, including second and third placings in Group 3 contests. In the John Smith's Extra Smooth Stakes (Eng-Gr. 3),  Dux Scholar sat behind the pace and made his move two furlongs from the finish, but seemed to hang in the final stages. He was nipped at the wire by Klammer in a three way head-bobbing finish. Klammer previously finished a very distant 10 lengths behind the big buzz horse Frankel last time out.  Dux Scholar has experience in large fields and knows how to battle for a win.  He can sit right off of the pace, but has only one win to his name.

HUMBLE AND HUNGRY (Limehouse – Cukee, Langfuhr) (AE List)

Pedigree:  Limehouse is a multiple graded stakes winner from five to nine furlongs. The majority of his offspring are sprinters; however his turf runners go farther than their dirt counterparts.  Humble And Hungry has a modest distaff family with no black type (stakes horses) in three generations.

Surface:  Humble And Hungry has been successful over firm lawn. He hasn’t encountered soft going.

Outlook:  Humble And Hungry won his maiden in his third attempt after being switched to turf.  It was a good effort, but he’s giving up experience and is in against a deep field of winners.

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

Pedigree:  Bring the Heat is a descendant of the brilliant but fragile In Excess sire line.  Madman Diaries has some turf influences through his damsire Outflanker, a son of Danzig. His second dam Meafara was second two years running in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Surface:  Madman Diaries is untested over turf.

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. This blazing fast colt has set remarkable time fractions in sprints, but has yet to be tested past six furlongs.  He is cross-entered in the Juvenile Dirt. In either race, expect Madman Diaries to be on or pressing the lead while stretching out in distance.

MAJOR GAIN (More Than Ready - Dream Lady, by Old Trieste)

Pedigree:  Major Gain has an adaptable pedigree. His sire and damsire were graded stakes winners over dirt, but both have turf influences within their pedigrees. They are versatile producers, getting winners over every surface.  Major Gain’s dam was unplaced in three dirt attempts, but won 12 of 15 starts over the turf including stakes races. She is Grade 3 placed over the turf.

Surface: Major Gain is a winner over Polytrack. He is untested over dirt and Turf. He has worked evenly with Willcox Inn over the Keeneland turf.

Outlook: Major Gain was up in time to win the Arlington-Washington Futurity by a length, but his running style worked against him in the speed-favoring Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. He appears to have regressed in that race as well, finishing a distant 10+ lengths behind the winner.  He could move forward off of his last effort, but may not be up to the competition.

MANTOBA (Noverre – Coming Home, by Vettori)

Pedigree: Mantoba has miler speed throughout his turf oriented pedigree. Both his sire and damsire won Group Stakes up to a mile. His second dam was a stakes winner and third dam Bonne Ile was a multiple grade/group 1 winner.

Surface:  Mantoba is successful over good going. He hasn’t encountered a firm course.

Outlook: Mantoba won his maiden in his second attempt then beat a group of allowance winners going a mile over good turf. He likes to be forwardly placed.  Mantoba will be shipping, trying a new race style and meeting more experienced horses in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. 

MASTER OF HOUNDS (Kingmambo – Silk and Scarlet, by Sadler’s Wells)

Pedigree:  One won’t find better breeding for the lawn than in this colt’s pedigree.  Master of Hounds’ dam is a Group 3 winner, and the son of Kingmambo has inbreeding to the blue hen Special through Nureyev and his half sister Fairy Bridge.  Master of Hounds has similar breeding to dual Classic winner Henrythenavigator and two-time English Champion filly Divine Proportions. Master of Hounds shares the same distaff family as Divine Proportions, as both trace back to a daughter of the 1909 mare Verve. 

Surface:  Like most of the European horses, Master of Hounds is successful over good going. He hasn’t encountered a firm course.

Outlook:  Master of Hounds took four attempts to win his maiden, but was successful when stretching out to 7 ½ furlongs. He then jumped into Group 3 company in the one-mile Racing Post Trophy and made a strong run from the back of the pack to claim third, beaten 2 ¾ lengths by the winner.  Casamento, the winner of the Racing Post Trophy, was a head shy of being undefeated in 4 starts. His only loss came to the unbeaten Group 1 winner Pathfork, who was declared out of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf due to injury.   Master of Hounds will likely want to go farther than a mile, but his experience and class fits with this group.

PLUCK (More Than Ready – Secret Heart, by Fort Wood)

Pedigree: Pluck has a strong turf pedigree. His sire has become a sensation in Australia and his damsire was a Group 1 winner in France.  Pluck’s dam is a South African multiple G1-placed half-sister to Australian Champion Promisefrommyheart. 

Surface: A two-time winner at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf distance of a mile, Pluck has been successful over firm and good turf.

Outlook:  In two of his three turf races, Pluck won going away with a very strong move in the stretch. He has speed and stamina mixed throughout his pedigree and his speed figures have been slowly improving in every start. Don’t leave this one out of the mix.

ROUGH SAILING (Mizzen Mast – Moussica, by Woodman) (AE List)

Pedigree: Rough Sailing physically resembles his damsire, Woodman, the Irish Champion Juvenile. He receives turf attributes from his sire Mizzen Mast, a son of Champion Turf Horse Cozzene, as well as Woodman and his second and third damsires (The Minstrel and The Axe).  Rough Sailing’s dam is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Wild Zone.

Surface:  Successful over firm turf. Hasn’t encountered off going.

Outlook:  Rough Sailing’s only victory came in his debut, going a mile over the turf. Switching to Polytrack, he was a strong second in the Arlington Washington Futurity, but bombed in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity over the Keeneland conveyor belt.  He’ll be making his run from off of the pace, but at this point, he may not be up to this level of competition.

SILVER MEDALLION (Badge of Silver – Another Vegetarian, by Stalwart) (AE List)

Pedigree: Silver Medallion is a half brother to Sweet Talker, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G-1) over the lawn.  His sire Badge of Silver is represented by his first crop this year and has three winners over the turf. His dam Another Vegetarian is a half sister to a stakes winner.

Surface:  Victorious over good turf, unplaced over firm going.

Outlook:  Silver Medallion won his turf debut, but has been beaten soundly in two graded stakes.  He found some minor trouble at the start of one race and was rank in his last contest. He’ll be cutting back in distance and facing tougher here.

SOLDAT (War Front – Le Relais, by Coronado’s Quest)

Pedigree: Although first crop sire War Front was a dirt sprinter, he is a son of the international sire Danzig and has produced winners over the lawn. Soldat’s second damsire Apalachee was a Champion two year old in England and Ireland. 

Surface:  A winner at 1 1/16 miles, Soldat has been successful over firm going and was second over yielding turf.

Outlook:  Soldat was a strong three lengths winner of the With Anticipation, but had a rough trip in the Pilgrim. He still managed to close to within 1 ½ lengths of the winner, finishing second. Like others in this race, he’s cutting back to a mile, but his near the pace running style should help. He’s another colt that shouldn’t be overlooked.

TYPHOON SLEW (Stormy Atlantic – Hepatica, by Slewpy) (AE List)

Pedigree:  Typhoon Slew is a half brother to Lexington Stakes (G-2) winner Slew’s Tizzy and his full brother, stakes winning Slew’s Tiznow.  Three of five of the dam’s stakes winning siblings were winners over the turf.

Surface:  A winner over firm turf, hasn’t encountered off going.

Outlook: Typhoon Slew blew away his rivals at Ellis Park in a one mile turf contest by over ten lengths, but tired to be trounced by over 13 lengths when facing stakes company in his last two starts.  Maybe the cut back in distance will help, but he looks up against it from a class standpoint.

UTLEY (Smart Strike – No Matter What, by Nureyev)

Pedigree: Utley has one of the best pedigrees in the field. His sire is an international sensation and it is rare to see Nureyev this close up in a modern (post 1999) pedigree. Utley is a half brother to the multiple Group/Grade 1 winners Rainbow View, Just As Well and Grade 3 winner Winning View. Their dam won the Del Mar Oaks (G-1) at 1 1/8 miles over turf. 

Surface: Victorious over soft fast going, Utely hasn’t tried firm turf.

Outlook:  After winning his maiden in his second attempt, Utely was tossed into strong competition in the Prix Jean-luc Lagardere (Grand Criterium-G1) at seven furlongs. He faded in the last 100 yards and finished fifth, six lengths behind the winner.  He’ll be adding some distance, but could fit with this group.

WILLCOX INN (Harlan’s Holiday - De Aar, by Gone West)

Pedigree:  Harlan’s Holiday’s offspring are sprinter milers. Most are at their best over Dirt, Polytrack and Cushion Track. Harlan’s Holiday’s turf winners are mainly allowance level, but he does have two graded stakes placed runners over turf. Willcox Inn’s dam is a stakes placed half sister to graded stakes winning warriors Cetewayo and Bowman Mill, as well as last year’s Beverly D. winner Dynaforce.

Surface:  Willcox Inn has won and placed over Polytrack and is untested over turf.

Outlook:  After winning his debut at 1 1/16 miles over the Arlington Polytrack, Willcox Inn made up ground over the speed favoring Keeneland Polytrack to finish a distant third. Most of his works have been over Polytrack, but he recorded one five furlong work over the Keeneland turf, which, while slower than his previous works over Polytrack, was the fastest of four moves for the day, including one by Cozy Kitten.  Willcox Inn has the pedigree to be proficient over every surface, but there are others in this race that show stronger form.