Folks who witnessed the Saturday, October 4 card at Keeneland likely saw two Breeders Cup winners one a seven year-old gelding who has become racings biggest superstar, and the other, a burgeoning two-year old colt with seemingly limitless potential.
Wise Dan and Carpe Diem are at very different stages in their racing careers, but they will share the stage November 1 at Santa Anita in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile respectively where both will be heavily bet - and with good reason. If anyone thought now was the time to bet against Wise Dan figuring age and colic surgery in May were likely to slow down the two-time Horse of the Year, the striking chestnut gelding put those ideas to rest with his demonstration of thoroughbred excellence in the Shadwell Turf Mile.
Facing a quality field that included two grade 1 winners and multiple grade 2 winners, Wise Dan provided a few anxious moments by breaking uncharacteristically slowly after cocking his head towards the grandstand when the gates opened. For the first time in his illustrious career, Wise Dan was last heading into the first turn. As grade 1 winner Silver Max cruised along on the front through dawdling fractions, Wise Dan and jockey John Velazquez showed no signs of panic, calmly picking off horses down the backstretch before finding a bit of trouble when the champ squeezed between two horses entering the final turn. As the field entered the stretch, Wise Dan found running room on the extreme outside and began unleashing gargantuan strides without any visual evidence of fully exerting himself to score by a measured length over Grand Arch.
Carpe Diem looked equally superior to his rivals in becoming a Grade 1 winner in just his second career start. The two-year old son of Giant’s Causeway was purchased for $1.6 million by his owners less than a year ago – a transaction that now looks like a bargain. Showing a naturally high cruising speed and plenty of stamina winning the Futurity by over six lengths despite just a five and a half furlong debut, it’s difficult to imagine any two-year olds having more raw ability than Carpe Diem in the BC Juvenile. Bettors who choose to go against Wise Dan or Carpe Diem on Breeders’ Cup day will be dismissing runners who are in better form and clearly more talented than their competition.
Saturday, January 29 at Gulfstream Park is one of the biggest races of the year: the Pegasus World Cup (G1)! This $3 million race, covering a mile and an eighth on the Gulfstream dirt track, drew a field of nine handicap horses. The eyes of the racing world will be on Gulfstream on Saturday, and you can bet it from the comfort of your own home here in Canada!
The Kentucky Derby trail makes its way to Oklahoma on Friday, December 17 for the Remington Springboard Mile! The race drew a field of nine up-and-coming two-year-olds to go a mile on the main track. The prizes are rich: a $400,000 purse, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1) for the first four horses across the wire.
The Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), California’s most important Kentucky Derby Prep in December, is coming up on Saturday, December 11! The race features the most promising two-year-olds in California, set to go a mile and a sixteenth over the dirt at Los Alamitos Racecourse. The race offers a purse of $300,000, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points, apportioned 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers.
Let's have a look at the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf betting picks and predictions.
Join The Conversation