Breeders Cup Races 2018 at Churchill Downs

The 2018 Breeders Cup races are 12 days away, being run on Friday and Saturday, 2 and 3 November at Churchill Downs, outside of Lexington, Kentucky.  This year, the schedule has been shaken up a bit - I used to get angry because they ran all the fillies and mares races on Friday, when there was less attendance and a smaller betting handle.  This year, the races for the juvenile horses, all 2-year-olds, will all take place on Friday, and Friday is now designated as "Future Stars Friday" at the Breeders Cup.
   On Friday, 2 November, the first Breeders Cup race will be the Juvenile Turf Sprint.   Listed below are the post times (Eastern Daylight Time), the name of the race, the length of the race, and the amount of the guaranteed purse.
 3:21 p.m.      Juvenile Turf Sprint         5.5 furlongs        $1 million
 4:00 p.m.      Juvenile Fillies Turf          1 mile                $1 million
 4:40 p.m.      Juvenile Fillies                   1 1/16 mile       $2 million
 5:22 p.m.      Juvenile Colts Turf            1 mile                $1 million
 6:05 p.m.      Juvenile Colts                     1 1/16 mile       $2 million

  Two other stakes races will be run on Friday, the Street Smart Stakes, for 3-year-olds, run at 8 furlongs (1 mile); and the Marathon Stakes, a Grade II event, for 3-year-olds and up, run at 14 furlongs (1 3/4 miles),

On Saturday, nine Breeders Cup races will be run, all for 3-year-olds and up, starting at 12 noon EDT.  Listed below are the post times, the name of the race, the length of the race, and the amount of the guaranteed purse.
 12:00 p.m.     Fillies and Mares Sprint     7 furlongs          $1 million
 12:38 p.m.     Turf Sprint                          5.5 furlongs       $1 million
  1:16 p.m.      Dirt Mile                              1 mile               $1 million
  2:04 p.m.      Fillies and Mares Turf          1 3/8 miles       $2 million
  2:46 p.m.      Sprint                                  6 furlongs          $ 2 million
  3:36 p.m.      Turf Mile                              1 mile               $2 million
  4:16 p.m.      Distaff  (Fillies & Mares)     1 1/8 miles       $2 million
  4:50 p.m.      Turf                                       1 1/2 miles       $4 million
  5:44 p.m.      Classic                                  1 1/4 miles       $ 6 million
Of course, Justify, the colt who won the Triple Crown this year, has been retired and will not compete in the BC Classic, which is a disappointment.  However, he was retired due to a recurrent filling of fluid in his foreleg, and was retired to avoid a possibly life-threatening injury....

  Two other stakes races will be run on Saturday, the Runhappy Stakes, for 3-year-olds, run at 7 furlongs on the main track, and the Chilukki Stakes, for fillies and mares, aged 3 and up, at 8 furlongs (1 mile) on the main track.

  As these races get closer, I'll write more about who is entered, jockeys, trainers, etc.

Thirteen Horse Races Worth $24.5 Million

I manage to scrape by, and even take vacations, earning about $22,000 per annum.  Sometimes the numbers I spout off regarding horse racing seem completely from another world - even though I was on the edges of it when I worked at a thoroughbred farm in Ocala, and I attended the Ocala Breeders Sales every chance I had.  Thanks to my veterinarian, I was able to meet George Steinbrenner, who was only introduced to me as "George."  It wasn't until two days later that I realized I'd had a Coke and a hot dog with the George Steinbrennerand I called up Bobby, the vet, and told him how mortified I was.  Bobby laughed and said that Mr Steinbrenner had loved my views on pedigrees and movement - probably because they were so out of the ball park.
   Anyway.  We are nearing the Breeders Cup.  Starting post positions have been drawn, and Mike Battaglia has announced his morning betting odds. There have already been a few scratches.  Untapable is not running Friday in the Distaff, due to a temperature spike this morning.  There are entries from Japan, Argentina, Chile, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada and the United States participating in the races this year.  With the jockeys different riding styles, some of the races are bound to be complete thrillers.
   Here are the post positions, names of the entries and the morning betting odds for the four races on Friday.  The first race is scheduled for a post-time of 3:30 (EDT); the distance is 1 mile (8 furlongs) on the turf course; the purse is a total of $1 million; the race is restricted to 2-year-old males, all carrying 122 pounds.  The Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf :
1     Dressed In Hermes     20 to 1 odds
2     Azar                            10 to 1
3     Manhattan Dan           30 to 1
4     Shogun (IRE)             12 to 1
5     Highland Sky             30 to 1
6     Birchwood (IRE)       12 to 1
7     Ray's the Bar (GB)     20 to 1
8     Airoforce                     4 to 1
9     Sky Marshal               30 to 1
10   Conquest Daddyo       12 to 1
11   Hollywood Don          10 to 1
12   Camelot Kitten           12 to 1
13   Cymric                         7 to 2
14   Hit It a Bomb               9 to 2

  The second race covers 1 mile on the main dirt track; the total purse is $1 million; weight carried is determined by the horse's age and sex.  There are 11 entries, 8 of whom will carry 126 pounds; three younger horses will carry 123 pounds, and an asterisk (*) will follow their name.  The entries for the Breeders Cup Las Vegas Dirt Mile, with a scheduled post-time of 4:10 (EDT) are:
1     Red Vine                  6 to 1 odds
2     Bradester                10 to 1
3     Liam's Map               even
4     Mr. Z *                   50 to 1
5     Lea                           8 to 1
6     Street Strategy        50 to 1
7     War Envoy *          30 to 1
8     Wicked Strong         5 to 1
9     Tapiture                  10 to 1
10   Valid                       10 to 1
11   War Story *            50 to 1

  The third race on Friday afternoon, scheduled for a post-time of 4:50 (EDT) is the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.  The race length is 1 mile on the grass course,with a total purse of $1 million.  All entries are 2-year-old fillies, and all will carry 122 pounds.  The entries are:
1     Tin Type Gal              12 to 1 odds
2     Thrilled                       12 to 1
3     Alice Springs (IRE)     6 to 1
4     Catch a Glimpse          5 to 1
5     Ruby Notion               12 to 1
6     Andreya's Reward      30 to 1
7     Sapphire Kitten          10 to 1
8     Harmonize                   7 to 2
9     Nemoralia                  15 to 1
10   Illuminate (IRE)          9 to 2
11   Pricedtoperfection      20 to 1
12   Gliding By                  30 to 1
13   Mirage (IRE)              30 to 1
14   Last Waltz (IRE)        15 to 1

 The final Breeders Cup race on Friday will be the Distaff, for fillies and mares,at a distance of 9 furlongs (1 1/8 miles) on the dirt course at Keeneland.  The total purse is $2 million, and the post-time is listed for 5:35 (EDT).  This is a weight for age race, so the weight varies between 121 and 124 pounds.  The weight each horse carries will appear behind her name, and before the morning odds:
1     I'm a Chatterbox           121       8 to 1 odds
2     Frivolous                      124       30 to 1
3     Salama                          121      50 to 1
4     Stopchargingmaria       123        5 to 1
5     Calamity Kate              121      30 to 1
6     My Sweet Addiction    124       20 to 1
7     Wedding Toast             121         4 to 1
8     Curalina                        121       12 to 1
9     Stellar Wind                 121       12 to 1
10   Yahilwa                        124       20 to 1
11    Untapable                    124         5 to 1  scratched due to a temperature
12   Got Lucky                   124         6 to 1
13   Warren's Veneda         124        30 to 1
14   Sheer Drama               124          9 to 2
15   Peace And War           121             ?

Happy racing!