Breeders’ Cup World Championships 2024: 10 top horses to watch at Del Mar this weekend

Posted by Admin October 30, 2024 Horse Racing

The 41^st annual Breeders’ Cup World Championships will feature some of the world’s top thoroughbreds this weekend at Del Mar.

There are 14 races on the Breeders’ Cup slate, with five scheduled for Friday (all for 2-year-olds) and nine more on Saturday. The $7 million Classic is set for 5:41 p.m. Saturday.

Here’s a look at 10 of the top horses entered in this weekend’s races, listed alphabetically. All times are Eastern.

Race: Classic (5:41 p.m. Saturday).

Odds: 5-2 (favorite).

Trainer/jockey: Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore.

Age/breeding: 3/Justify-Together Forever, by Galileo.

What to know: He’s the favorite for the Classic, but there’s a big question mark as he’s never raced on dirt. He’s won six of seven career races in Europe and has the pedigree as the son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. O’Brien has won 18 Breeders’ Cup races but is 0 for 17 all-time in the Classic.

Race: Turf Sprint (3:41 p.m. Saturday).

Odds: 7-5 (favorite).

Trainer/jockey: Steve Asmussen/Irad Ortiz Jr.

Age/breeding: 5/Not This Time-In A Jif, by Saintly Look.

What to know: Cogburn began to blossom as a 4-year-old and is undefeated in three races this year, most recently winning the Grade 2 Ainsworth Turf Sprint on Sept. 7 at Kentucky Downs. He won the Grade 1 Jaipur on June 8 at Saratoga with a time of 59.80 seconds, a North American record for a 5 1/2-furlong race on turf.

Race: Dirt Mile (8:25 p.m. Saturday).

Odds: 7-2 (favorite).

Trainer/jockey: Chad Brown/Flavien Prat.

Age/breeding: 3/Practical Joke-Goods And Services, by Paynter.

What to know: Since finishing 13^th in the Kentucky Derby, this horse has relished shorter distances and has won two straight. Most recently he rallied past Prince of Monaco to win by a neck in the Grade 1 Allen Jerkens on Aug. 24 at Saratoga. Favoritism for the Dirt Mile opened up when National Treasure, trained by Bob Baffert, was ruled out with a foot injury.

Race: Juvenile (7:45 p.m. Friday).

Odds: 5-2 (favorite).

Trainer/jockey: Brendan Walsh/Tyler Gaffalione.

Age/breeding: 2/Medaglia d’Oro-Dance Music, by Ghostzapper.

What to know: He’s 2 for 2 in his young career and showed his promise while winning the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity on Oct. 5 at Keeneland by 5 ¼ lengths. That victory led East Avenue to being the 10-1 favorite in the first Kentucky Derby Future Wager. “Since Day One, you couldn’t help but love him,” Walsh said. “He’s always been a lovely looking horse.”

Race: Classic (5:41 p.m. Saturday).

Odds: 3-1 (second choice).

Trainer/jockey: Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez.

Age/breeding: 3/City of Light-Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty.

What to know: After finishing 15^th as the Kentucky Derby favorite, Fierceness has scored back-to-back victories — the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and the Grade 1 Travers. He’s 5 for 8 in his career but seems to be known just as much for his defeats as his victories. Fierceness is trying to become the first horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and come back the next year and win the Classic.

Race: Classic (5:41 p.m. Saturday).

Odds: 6-1 (third choice).

Trainer/jockey: Yoshito Yahagi/Ryusei Sakai.

Age/breeding: 3/Real Steel-Forever Darling, by Congrats.

What to know: After his third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Forever Young has raced just once, winning the Japan Dirt Classic on Oct. 2. He’s 6 for 7 all-time and has a solid chance to give Japan its first Classic victory.

Race: Juvenile Fillies (6:25 p.m. Friday).

Odds: 3-1 (second choice).

Trainer/jockey: Brad Cox/Manny Franco.

Age/breeding: 2/Nyquist-Gap Year, by Bernardini.

What to know: She’s 3 for 3 and has established herself as an early contender for next year’s Kentucky Oaks with Grade 1 victories in the Spinaway at Saratoga and the Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland. “I think this is a very talented filly,” Cox said. “She’s been good from Day One. She shows up every week. … She’s a special talent. I’ve had high hopes for her for a while.”

Race: Juvenile (7:45 p.m. Friday).

Odds: 9-2 (second choice).

Trainer/jockey: Philip Bauer/Joel Rosario.

Age/breeding: 2/Vekoma-Female Drama, by Indian Charlie.

What to know: He’s 2 for 2 after winning the Grade 3 Iroquois on Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs, wiring the field by 2 ¾ lengths. At 12-1 odds, he’s the co-second choice in the first Kentucky Derby Future Wager. “He’s a push-button horse,” Bauer said. “ I’m confident that whatever Joel asks, he’ll handle. He has natural speed but can relax if needed. This is a championship race, and we’re up against the best. We’ve got to bring our best to get the job done.”

Race: Distaff (4:21 p.m. Saturday).

Odds: 4-5 (favorite).

Trainer/jockey: Kenny McPeek/Brian Hernandez Jr.

Age/breeding: 3/Fast Anna-Sataves, by Uncle Mo.

What to know: She’s been busy since winning the Kentucky Oaks on May 3, racing once a month. She has four Grade 1 victories this year and finished second to Fierceness when challenging the boys in the Travers. She’s 7 for 9 all-time and is the lowest-priced morning-line favorite in the 14 Breeders’ Cup races. Also, the horse that figured to be her top challenger — 2023 Distaff winner Idiomatic — retired from racing last week with a knee injury.

Race: Filly & Mare Sprint (3 p.m. Saturday).

Odds: 5-2 (favorite).

Trainer/jockey: Chad Brown/Flavien Prat.

Age/breeding: 3/Practical Joke-Strong Incentive, by Warrior’s Reward.

What to know: She’s won three in a row after her fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks, capturing the Grade 1 Test on Aug. 3 at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom on Sept. 29 at Aqueduct. The Oaks marked the only time in her seven career races she was worse than second. “Her last race was also really good,” Brown said of the Gallant Bloom. “She came out of it well, and right now I see her as good as I’ve seen her all year. Her last two works were absolutely perfect. She’s better now than she was earlier in the summer.”

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com. Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ.