New Year's Day skims rail to take Juvenile

"This business is so tough. Here just a little bit ago I lost a two-year-old

filly and now here I am winning a race like this," Baffert sighed.

Conquest Titan, Rum Point and Strong Mandate were strung across the track

entering the backstretch, battling it out through fractions of :22 3/5, :45 1/5

and 1:09 3/5. We Miss Artie and Havana were tracking just in

behind those three, and Havana moved up into contention on the outside as both

Conquest Titan and Rum Point began to fade.

Garcia had settled New Year's Day on the inside down the backstretch, and the

duo were content to save ground in midpack before forced to angle out to pass

tiring rivals. That left the Street Cry colt about two wide rounding the final

turn before Garcia sent him back to the rail. Havana had taken command by this

point but was visibly fading, making New Year's Day's late run appear like a

tour de force as he swept on by to take his stakes debut.

"My horse doesn't have that much pace. I was exactly where I wanted to be,"

said Garcia, who was winning his first Breeders' Cup race in this spot. "I saved

ground at every corner. The rail was open and I took it. I didn't panic. My

horse was ready to start running. I thought I had a lot of horse. I had never

ridden him in a race, but I have been getting on him in the morning most of the

time. We're starting to get to know each other. It looks like a good team."

New Year's Day paid $23 as the 10-1 fifth pick for the win, and it was another

three parts of a length behind Havana to third-placer Strong Mandate.

New Year's Day more than earned back his purchase price as a $425,000

Keeneland September yearling with the Juvenile winner's share of $1.1 million, which boosted his

earnings to $1,154,000 to go along with his 3-2-0-1 career mark.

Bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farm, New Year's Day is the first registered

foal out of the Dixie Union mare Justwhistledixie, who captured the 2009

runnings of the Bonnie Miss and Davona Dale while accumulating $449,427 during

her time on track. The mare is a half-sister to Grade 2 hero Chace City, and the

duo's dam is herself a half-sibling to Grade 2 victress Penny's Reshoot and dual

stakes scorer Twin Propeller. The latter is the granddam of multiple Grade

2-winning millionaire Smooth Air and Grade 2 star Overdriven.

Farther back in this female family one can find another Breeders' Cup winner

in 2010 Filly & Mare Turf heroine Shared Account, who racked up more than $1.6

million while in competition, as well as Grade 2 scorers Sapphire n' Silk and Shaniko.

For the post-race transcript featuring Baffert and the Wests, please click

here.

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