The second of the turf races at the Breeders' Cup is one of the more intriguing for sure. There is a tremendous international flair for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf race, and the only thing that is for sure is that you'll see at least one horse you've never seen before run incredibly well on the grandest stage.
The $1,000,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf is the third event of the Breeders' Cup and shouldn't be missed by bettors on Friday, November 3, 2017. Post-time from Del Mar Racetrack is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. ET, and all of the action can be seen live on NBC Sports Network.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Opening Odds
#6 Massar +450
#7 James Garfield #600
#1 Mendelssohn +800
#2 Untamed Domain +800
#5 Beckford +800
#8 Voting Control +800
#12 Hemp Hemp Hurray +800
#13 My Boy Jack +800
#4 Catholic Boy +1200
#9 Encumbered +1500
#11 Snapper Sinclair +1500
#10 Flameaway +2000
#3 Sands of Mali +3000
#14 Rajasinghe +3000
Top Contenders
It's really hard to say there's much in the way of any top contenders at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Masar is the favorite, but he's never won anything more than a Grade 3 race over in Europe and is only 9 to 2 at this point.
James Garfield is a two-time Grade 1 winner in Britain, but he's had all sorts of problems at times staying consistent on the track. He's been finnicky in the starting gate, hasn't always gotten clean breaks and often drifts at the worst possible times. That doesn't mean he can't run; a price of 6 to 1 to win a world championship confirms that he can.
From there, the next six horses are all listed at a price of 8 to 1. For as odd as it is to have a race where the favorite is 9 to 2, it's just as strange to have eight horses out of the 14 in the field set as single-digit favorites.
The best of the bunch in our eyes is Hemp Hemp Hurray, a colt who could be on the Triple Crown trail in just a couple months. He's got a poor outside post but is going to present some outside speed. In a race that has plenty of closers and not a ton of speed, Hemp Hemp Hurray could get to the front of the pack. On a track that has been favorable for starters all summer long, that could make Hemp Hemp Hurray the most notable of the 8 to 1 colts.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Pick
In the end, it's fine and dandy to talk about the top contenders to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf race. That said, we get some big upsets in the Breeders' Cup every single season, and this is a great spot for it to happen. There isn't an overwhelming favorite, and even the horses that are getting the most love at the mutuels aren't ultimately doing so in dramatic fashion.
There isn't such a thing as a pony we absolutely would have to have on our card among these 14, so let's go for broke here and play Sands of Mali, the longest shot on the board.
When Sands of Mali last ran at Newmarket in Great Britain, he was thought to be a legitimate contender and finished 12th. Yes, that was the last thing that any of us saw of this horse, and his training workouts haven't been fabulous either. But a horse can't go from being that highly thought of in a Grade 1 race to a dud because of one bad outing.
This price of 30 to 1 at least presents great value, if nothing else. Just don't expect to cash this ticket more often than not.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Pick: #3 Sands of Mali
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