Chancer McPatrick Takes Aim at Breeders' Cup Juvenile

A 2-year-old has been able to win the Hopeful Stakes (G1), the Champagne Stakes (G1), and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Take a bow Shanghai Bobby , who pulled off the feat in 2012. 

Yet, for the most part, New York's Hopeful at seven furlongs and the Champagne at a one-turn mile have generally produced winners who have struggled at classic distances when tested around two turns at 3.

That point is best illustrated by Affirmed in 1977 being the last Hopeful winner to capture the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Sea Hero in 1992 serving as the most recent horse to pull off the Champagne-Kentucky Derby double. Besides that, since 2005, the Champagne and Hopeful winners have combined for two Triple Crown victories.

As for Shanghai Bobby, he didn't run in any of the Triple Crown races.

Against this background of questionable distance capability comes Flanagan Racing's undefeated Chancer McPatrick  who enters the Nov. 1 $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile as the rare Thoroughbred who looks every bit like a 2-year-old who will relish two turns yet was still able to prevail in both the Hopeful and the Champagne.

"He switches off nicely and moves like a horse that will stretch out," said trainer Chad Brown, who has won the Champagne five times and took the Hopeful and Champagne in 2016 with Practical Joke   who was third in the Juvenile. "It says a lot that he can win races like the Champagne and Hopeful. He has a mind like an older horse."

With those two grade 1 wins to his credit, the son of freshman sire McKinzie   bred by Rigney Racing rates as the most accomplished runner in the field of 12 drawn Oct. 28 for the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile at Del Mar.

He also showed a dazzling late kick in his three wins, rallying from ninth, eighth, and 10th in them while failing to grab the lead until he was inside the final furlong.

All of which could be a huge asset in a renewal of the Juvenile that has an abundance of early speed in the form of a trio of starters from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert (Citizen Bull , Gaming , and Getaway Car ), Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner East Avenue , and Iroquois Stakes (G3) victor Jonathan's Way .

Baffert's trio dominated California's top 2-year-old stakes as Citizen Bull and Getaway Car finished 1-2 in the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park and Gaming nailed down a win in the Del Mar Futurity (G1).

"Pace makes the race," Baffert said. "The break is going to be so important."

Citizen Bull, a son of Into Mischief  , won his debut at Del Mar, but then rallied from sixth to finish third in the Del Mar Futurity before he led throughout in the American Pharoah.

"The pace was fast in the Del Mar Futurity and we tried to rate him which he didn't like. He's basically one dimensional," Baffert said.

Citizen Bull, bred by Robert and Lawana Low, is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan, the same group that also owns Getaway Car.

Getaway Car won the Best Pal Stakes (G3) in his second start before setting the early pace and finishing fourth in the Del Mar Futurity and then bouncing back for a second, two lengths behind stablemate Citizen Bull in the American Pharoah.

"We took the blinkers off after the Del Mar Futurity and he learned to relax. He's been training nicely since then," Baffert said about the son of Curlin   bred by Blue Heaven Farm and Curlin Syndicate.

Gaming, a Game Winner   colt owned by Mike Pegram. Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, has not raced since taking the Del Mar Futurity to remain undefeated after two starts.

"I liked his race in the Del Mar Futurity and wanted to freshen him for the Breeders' Cup. He's a good-sized horse with a great mind and the time off has helped him," Baffert said about the colt bred by Mt. Brilliant Farm and Ranch.

Gaming won his 6 1/2-furlong debut at Del Mar by 5 1/2 lengths in front-running fashion and then was second behind a :44.35 half-mile before capturing the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity by 1 3/4 lengths.

Though all three of his starters have raced and trained at Del Mar, Baffert does not view that as a big advantage.

"We've won a lot of Breeders' Cup races on the road. The big advantage is having the fastest horse," said Baffert, who is tied for second with 18 Breeders' Cup wins and has five Juvenile victories. "We're just thankful we have three in there. You want a horse who fits and I think all three fit."

Godolphin's East Avenue, a homebred son of Medaglia d'Oro  , romped in his Aug. 24 debut at Ellis Park and then led throughout in taking the Oct. 5 Breeders' Futurity by 5 1/4 lengths for trainer Brendan Walsh.

"He's done nothing wrong. He broke his maiden easily which we expected him to do. Then he came back and was ultra-impressive in the Breeders' Futurity. He was on the lead and relaxed once he got there, which 2-year-olds do not often do," said Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin's United States operation.

"He showed tactical awareness and speed and drew off without (jockey Tyler Gaffalione) really asking him in the final sixteenth. The key part of our strategy is that he has enough speed to get in a good position and he's in good hands with Tyler. In California you need to be on or near the lead and I think he can show that once again. We are super excited about what he can do."

Among the other main threats in a highly contentious field are Rigney Racing's Ohio-bred Jonathan's Way, a son of Vekoma   trained by Phil Bauer who has won both of his career starts, and Ferocious , a Flatter colt trained by Gustavo Delgado and owned by JR Ranch, Marquee Bloodstock, High Step Racing, and OGMA Investments who was second in the Breeders' Futurity and the Hopeful.

As has been the case with each edition of the Juvenile since 2015, the winner will likely be crowned as the champion 2-year-old male.

"I think it can be one of the best editions of the Juvenile," Banahan said. "You want to have championship races like this. I think whoever wins the race will be the best 2-year-old in the country."