Breeders' Cup Friday to Spotlight Juvenile Races
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Photo: Chad B. Harmon
The Juvenile will be the featured race on Breeders' Cup Friday beginning this year
Fans and connections ready to see racing's newest stars during Breeders' Cup weekend will not have to wait as long.
Breeders' Cup announced May 10 that all five of its races for 2-year-olds will be offered on the first day of the two-day event beginning with this year's edition at Churchill Downs Nov. 2-3.
Under the new schedule, the $2 million 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and the new $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint will join the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) and the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) on "Future Stars Friday," which will culminate with the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at 6:05 p.m. ET. The Juvenile has run on the Saturday program in previous years.
The $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) and the $1 million Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) have been moved to the Saturday program, which will feature nine Breeders' Cup races, concluding with the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at 5:44 p.m. ET.
"With the increased excitement and international interest in our juvenile races, 'Future Stars Friday' will create an identity to showcase the emerging stars of our sport on the first day of the World Championships," said Breeders' Cup president and CEO Craig Fravel. "Churchill Downs also provides the perfect stage for our fans to witness the potential candidates for next year's Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, as well as standouts competing from overseas.
"We also look forward to the Distaff and Dirt Mile bolstering an already blockbuster lineup of World Championship races on Saturday, culminating with the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic."
Eight starters from the 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (Good Magic, Solomini, Bolt d'Oro, Firenze Fire, Free Drop Billy, Mendelssohn, My Boy Jack, and Flameaway) competed in the 2018 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Horses that ran in last year's Juvenile Turf at Del Mar have combined for 12 stakes victories, seven of them graded or group events, since the race.
In addition to the new lineup of races, this year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) will be run at 1 3/8 miles. It was previously run at 1 1/8 miles. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs, and the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) also will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs.
Total purses and awards for the 2018 Breeders' Cup will exceed $30 million, including more than $1 million in purses for the undercard races.
Below is the list of races for this year's Breeders' Cup. The official race order will not be announced until Oct. 24.
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