Juju's Map Dominates Alcibiades

Brad Cox may train the two early favorites for the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar in Knicks Go  and Essential Quality , but last year's Eclipse Award-winning conditioner is not done filling out his squad for the other 13 championship races in California early next month.

On opening day of the Keeneland fall meet Oct. 8, Juju's Map  punched her ticket for the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) by winning the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) for Albaugh Family Stables. The victory provided her with paid, automatic entry into the Juvenile Fillies through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

It's a path Cox has taken to previous Breeders' Cup success in California. Two years ago, he won the Alcibiades with British Idiom , and weeks later she repeated in the Juvenile Fillies. That capped a 3-for-3 season that earned her an Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old filly.

Juju's Map has a month to go and another race to win for Breeders' Cup and championship glory—if the Liam's Map   filly is so fortunate—but the promise she showed Friday at Keeneland suggests she will head west as one of the favorites. She ran up the score Friday, winning by 4 1/4 lengths over Distinctlypossible .

WATCH: Cox Savors Alcibiades Victory by Juju's Map

Hustled early by Florent Geroux to secure position, the Cox trainee was able to outrun traffic in a deep field of 11 fillies, but the tactics came with a cost. She was close to a fast pace, inside front-running longshot Runup . Sensing the leader going quickly—Runup went the opening quarter-mile in :22.75—Geroux eased her back, and she settled into a clear-running second, 3 1/2 lengths off a half-mile split in :46.

While Runup  tired, Juju's Map did not. She took command with six furlongs in 1:11.23, and though others such as stablemate Matareya  and Penny Saver  mounted challenges late on the second turn, they couldn't sustain the winner's pace and finished off the board.

Juju's Map kicked away, opening up a three-length advantage with a furlong to go and completing the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.52 before a crowd of 19,509.

"When I asked her down the lane, she gave me another gear, the kind of effort you want to see, and hopefully she's going into the Breeders' Cup in the right way," said Geroux.

Juju's Map, backed to favoritism after a second-out victory at Ellis Park in which she won handily by 5 3/4 lengths, returned $6.80 to win.

"I'm very proud of her performance," Cox said. "We'll obviously talk it over with the Albaugh team, and as long as she comes out of it in good order I think we'll march on toward California."

Some of those involved with other top finishers were similarly encouraged. The Chad Brown-trained Distinctlypossible closed from eighth to grab second, a neck in front of wide-rallying Sequist .

Her jockey, Junior Alvarado, told trainer Dallas Stewart and some of the filly's owners that he felt like she could have been second with better luck.

"She ran pretty good. She got knocked around in the gates," said Stewart, while also noting the short stretch utilized at Keeneland for 1 1/16-mile races, which begin and end at the sixteenth pole.

As for the Breeders' Cup, "If she gets in, she'll be there," he said of the Nyquist   filly, who he owns in partnership with West Point Thoroughbreds, Lori Gervais, Charles Pigg, Tom Andres, and Karen Kraft.

Tyler Gaffalione on Distinctlypossible (Curlin  ) said he loved his filly's effort. Her race followed a runner-up finish at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 29 for owners Bradley Thoroughbreds, Gary Finder, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Tim and Anna Cambron, and Team Hanley.

"She lacked the experience, but I thought she took a big step forward, and I'm really looking forward to her down the road. There was a lot of speed in the race. Chad said to just be patient with her and save some ground and make one run, and she did everything I asked."

Still, no one had quite as much reason for optimism as the winning connections.

Cox congratulated the team at Albaugh Family Stables, headed by Dennis Albaugh and racing manager Jason Loutsch. This year, Cox began training for them, and Juju's Map became his first starter for the operation from two fillies sent to his stable.

"I'm glad to get off to a good start with them. They've supported racing for several years, and they've been great to work with over the last six or seven months."

Juju's Map was a $300,000 buy by agent Barry Berkelhammer for Albaugh Family Stables from the Woods Edge Farm consignment at Keeneland's 2020 September Yearling Sale. That came after her purchase as a short yearling by Northface Bloodstock for $190,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2020 January Horse of All Ages Sale at Keeneland.

Bred in Kentucky by Fred Hertrich III, Juju's Map is the first stakes winner out of the 8-year-old Flatter   mare Nagambie . The dam's two other starters are both winners, and she foaled an Audible   filly this year.

Juju's Map's Alcibiades victory was worth $240,000 and improved her earnings to $280,800 with a record of 2-1-0 from three starts.

Video: Darley Alcibiades S. (G1)