The first-day BC races are a lot tougher than they have been in previous years. Tough to find a single, so good luck to all the handicappers out there.

Let’s start with the 5th race, the 5 Furlong Juvenile Turf Sprint (includes fillies and colts/geldings)

1. The nod goes to 3-Another Miracle. He’s well bred for speed and should be double digit odds.He’s improved with each start and should be in it coming into the stretch.
2. Don’t miss the fact that 7-Kimari has already beaten males and has finished second in a G2 race in Ascot. She’ll be one of a few vying for favoritism.
3. 9-Four Wheel Drive is the most likely favorite. He’s won two stakes races and looks as fast as anybody in the race.  Other contenders are 5, 6, 10. I’m not really taken with the Euro’s in this race.

Race 6 – Juvenile Turf (colts/geldings).

1. Lots of choices in this race but I’m going with 2-Structor. He seems to be improving and he has Chad Brown to help him along. I’m a little worried about the post position, but if he gets a clean start he’s going to be tough.
2. There are a number of horses at double digit odds. The one I like is 3-Peace Achieved. He’s also on the improve and his pace figure matches with any other horse in the race.
3. British invader 5-Vitalogy is the closer, and if he has room he may be hard to hold off in the stretch.

Race 7 – Juvenile Fillies

1. 4-British Idiom broke her maiden at Saratoga and then crushed the Alcibiades field. She prepped for this race with a couple of crisp works.
2. 5-Lazy Daisy should be at double digit odds and is as fast as any horse in the race.
3. 7-Wicked Whisper won the Frizette handily. Plenty of speed, but some concern because she has yet to negotiate two turns. Backhole possibilities for 1 and 6.

Race 8 – Juvenile Fillies Turf

1. When I was writing for Horseplayer Magazine this was the race I analyzed. This running is fairly difficult. Instead of 2 or 3 Euros, there are 7 Euro breds and a horse (Etoile) that has so far only raced in Europe. I’m giving the nod to one of the Irish bred fillies, 9-Albigna. She has a Group 1 win and has been competitive in top Euro juvenile races.
2. 13-Selflessly comes out of a determined win in the Miss Grillo, a race that has often sent tough horses to this race.
3. 11-Sharing may be a little slower than the other contenders, but I like the connections.  Other prospects include 10, 12, and 14.

Race 9 – Breeder’s Cup Juvenile

1. 5-Scabbard and Corey Lanerie had an eventful journey in the Iroquois. The horse was stymied on the rail at the half mile pole, and was all over the track coming out of the turn. Inside the 1/8 pole he finally straightened and was making up ground late. Although Dennis’ Moment geared down a bit, Scabbard was making up ground and only finished 2 lengths off the winner. Guess who is on him today? Mike Smith. That may be enough to reverse the finish.
2. After destroying a field of maidens at Ellis Park, 1-Dennis’ Moment came back to comfortably win the G3 Iroquois at Churchill Downs.  Apparently those two races were impressive enough to make him the favorite on the morning line. But there are other prospects in this group that may be able to challenge Dennis.
3. 6-Eight Rings ran well in the American Pharaoh. Could be the speed of the speed. Baffert trains and Johnny V stays for the ride.