Top Europeans Await Weaver Trio in Juvenile Turf Sprint

Whatever you may think about the strength of the European invaders in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T), do not ignore United States trainer George Weaver. He brings three to the race with a wide range of experience, especially for 2-year-olds.

Consider that Weaver-trained Crimson Advocate  won in Florida and England; No Nay Mets  in Florida, New Jersey, and Virginia, with a trip to England in between; and Amidst Waves  in New York and New Jersey. Weaver has yet to win a Breeders' Cup race—his best effort came when Summer of Fun  finished third in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). But that may change with the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Crimson Advocate, who drew the inside post, has the splashiest résumé. The daughter of Nyquist   earned her maiden win in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Gulfstream Park after finishing third in her debut. The stakes win gave her an invitation to the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. Weaver decided to make the trip and Crimson Advocate proceeded to win the race by a nose in a thriller.

Weaver tried the same tactics with No Nay Mets, a son of No Nay Never  who won the Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes in his debut, giving him access to the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. No Nay Mets couldn't duplicate his stablemate's victory, finishing unplaced, but he returned stateside to win the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park and the Rosie's Stakes at Colonial Downs to be undefeated in this country.

Amidst Waves didn't make any trips to England. Instead, she stayed home and won the Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park and Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. In her most recent outing, Amidst Waves finished second by a nose to Committee of One  in the Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland.

Committee of One, a son of Mendelssohn   trained by Steve Asmussen and entered in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, has just the one victory in three starts. Prior to that, the colt ran second in two maiden races.

Aidan O'Brien, who has won 16 Breeders' Cup races, will saddle the filly Cherry Blossom , another by No Nay Never. In five starts, Cherry Blossom has won a maiden race and finished second twice, including in the Lowther Stakes (G2).

Big Evs , a son of Blue Point  trained by Michael Appleby, may have the best chance of the Europeans. The colt has three wins—all stakes—in five starts. His most recent victory came in the Flying Childers Stakes (G2) at Doncaster. And though Big Evs only beat two runners in a 16-horse field in the Nunthorpe Stakes (G1), he was a 2-year-old facing older runners.

On the local front, trainer John Sadler brings Slider , a son of Jimmy Creed  . Slider has two wins and a second in three starts, most recently taking the Speakeasy Stakes at five furlongs on the Santa Anita Park turf, the same distance and course of the Juvenile Turf Sprint.