Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar will determine the early betting favorite for the Kentucky Derby next spring, and all eyes are on a talented colt by the name of Bolt d’Oro.
The undefeated colt is currently the 6-5 early betting favorite for the Juvenile, and a victory on Saturday will have the futures bets pouring in for the Run for the Roses.
Trained by Mick Ruis, who has never had a Breeders’ Cup starter, the colt passed the test last out in his first start going a route of ground, winning the Frontrunner at Santa Anita by 7 ¾ lengths as the 4-5 betting favorite.
The colt will be a deserving heavy favorite on Saturday, but is there is a runner in the 12-horse field that can beat him?
One of the more intriguing runners in the Juvenile is the Euro shipper U S Navy Flag, who will be making his first career start on dirt. The Aiden O’Brien trainee has won four of his 10 career starts including back to back Group 1 races.
The colt would have likely been the favorite in the Juvenile Turf, but O’Brien elected to try him on the main track instead.
O’Brien has started 15 runners in the Juvenile, winning with Johannesburg in ’01, and he has a third and a couple of fourths.
The colt is currently at early odds of 15-2 in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile wagering.
Another with a shot to pull off the upset is Free Drop Billy, who is currently at Juvenile betting odds of 5-1.
The colt won the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in his last outing. That race has produced the winner of the Juvenile six times including last year’s winner Classic Empire.
The $200,000 Keeneland purchase was beaten just a neck two back in the Hopeful over a wet track. He is by Union Rags out of a stakes placed Giant’s Causeway mare that has dropped two other winners including stakes winner Hawkbill ($847,545). He has worked sharply since arriving in Southern California.
Trainer Chad Brown sends out Good Magic, who has not won in two starts but ran a game second in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park in his last start.
The colt is at odds of 12-1 in early Juvenile wagering.
The winner of the Champagne was Firenze Fire for trainer Jason Servis. The colt is listed at odds of 17-2 in early Juvenile wagering.
The Juvenile post time on Friday is 3:58 PT and will be televised on the NBC Sports Network.