Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf

BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE TURF

(G1), 6TH-SA, $1,000,000, 2YO, C/G, 1MT, 5:25PM, 10-31

by Jacob Kelly

The 2014 Juvenile Turf marks the eighth running of the race for two-year-olds

going one mile on the grass. U.S.-based horses do not have a good track record

in the seven previous races. The inaugural year of the race in 2007 and 2010

were the only times that an international shipper did not capture the Juvenile

Turf. While the favorite has only won once, they have managed to hit the board

on five different occasions.

1ST -- The European shippers will continue the dominance of the

Juvenile Turf this year with WAR ENVOY. The bay colt is the most experienced in

here with seven starts over five different turf courses. He finished fifth in

his most recent start on October 5 in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, but closed well and

was only beaten by 1 3/4 lengths. The fact he's getting Lasix added is just

another reason to like this son of War Front

while he stretches out to the one-mile distance for the first time. The Kentucky-bred is

trained by the always dangerous Aidan O'Brien, who captured this race back in

2011 and 2012.

2ND -- STARTUP NATION won the first two races of his young career,

but is coming off a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Pilgrim as

the 2-5 favorite on September 28 at Belmont Park. He lost some momentum when running

into a wall of horses in the stretch last time out before finding room late

along the rail. Look for trainer Chad Brown to have this dark bay colt ready to

fire and pull the upset with decent odds.

3RD -- IMPERIA just missed by a neck in his debut in August. He

came back the following month to break his maiden in the Pilgrim and received a

107 BRIS Late Pace rating. The Medaglia d'Oro juvenile should be coming on strong again in the end

and will try to run down the leaders in the stretch on Friday. Imperia has been training well for Kiaran

McLaughlin and the distance will not be an issue as he cuts back to a mile here

after going 8 1/2 furlongs in his previous two starts.

OTHERS -- It is tough to overlook 3-1 morning-line favorite

HOOTENANNY, who broke his maiden over Keeneland's Polytrack back in April in

his first career start. Trainer Wesley Ward shipped him overseas, where the

Quality Road colt showed

promise on the turf by winning the five-furlong Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot in

June. He has not raced since finishing runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Morny on

August 24 and, while he's bred for speed, the mile distance may be too much for him.

COMMEMORATIVE is certainly one of the European shippers that can't be thrown

out. The chestnut enters here with two wins over the grass at this distance and

is out of Charlie Hills' barn, who won the Juvenile Fillies Turf last year.