Citizen Bull, Immersive clinch Breeders' Cup and juvenile titles

Nov 01, 2024 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Trainer Bob Baffert will be welcomed back at Churchill Downs next May for the Kentucky Derby (G1), possibly with Citizen Bull and Gaming, who ran one-two throughout the $1.84 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar on Friday.

The complexion of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile changed significantly when 9-5 favorite East Avenue, who was expected to show speed from post 1, stumbled badly at the start and had only one horse beaten entering the first turn.

Without East Avenue adding to the pace, Citizen Bull was allowed to dictate terms and proceeded to set moderate fractions of :23.44, :47.89, and 1:12.21. Gaming, who had defeated Citizen Bull in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), rated between one and 1 1/2 lengths behind Citizen Bull.

Due to the moderate pace, the Baffert pair remained well clear entering the stretch. Gaming loomed boldly passing the quarter pole, took his run, but was turned away by Citizen Bull, who maintained a 1 1/2-length advantage to the wire under Martin Garcia.

'I told all my riders, your plan is to win the race. So they rode their horses the way they thought,' Baffert said. 'We know Citizen Bull is very quick, very fast. Gaming, I don't think he got away as good as he could have. I was surprised to see him laying second. And I figured they weren't going too fast because Gaming, he was wanting to go. But they went fractions that they're supposed to run.'

Citizen Bull completed 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:43.07 and returned $33.80. Gaming finished 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Hill Road, who had a neck on the Baffert-trained Getaway Car. Next under the wire were Ferocious, dual Grade 1 winner and second choice Chancer McPatrick, Jonathan's Way, Ecoro Azel, East Avenue, and Shin Believe.

Citizen Bull earned 30 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, increasing his total to 40. He had earned 10 points winning last month's American Pharoah (G1) at Santa Anita. Gaming earned 15 points and Hill Road nine points. Getaway Car boosted his total from five to 11 points, while Ferocious went from five points to eight.

Citizen Bull has now won three of four starts, the lone setback being his third in the Del Mar Futurity. The presumptive champion two-year-old colt is owned in partnership by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Bob Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.

Bred in Kentucky by Robert and Lawana Low, Citizen Bull was a $675,000 Keeneland September purchase. By perennial leading sire Into Mischief, he was produced by No Joke, a Distorted Humor half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Moonshine Memories.

Also hailing from this family is 1997 champion juvenile colt Favorite Trick and classic winner Tiz the Law.

Immersive will go into winter quarters as the early favorite for the 2025 Kentucky Oaks (G1) following a dominating 4 1/2-length tally in the $1.82 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

Favored at 2-1 in a field of nine, Immersive benefited from a hot early pace set by Nooni, who set early splits of :22.00, :44.99, and 1:10.03.

Vodka With a Twist and Scottish Lassie in tandem were the first to take aim at the tiring leader on the far turn, but both had little left in the tank when Immersive made her own bid for the lead turning for home under Manny Franco.

Taking over in upper stretch, Immersive soon drew off and won comfortably in a time of 1:44.36. A Godolphin homebred trained by Brad Cox, Immersive paid $6.

'Obviously, they were rolling pretty quick up front and Manny did a great job putting her in a great position,' Cox said. 'She broke well. Showed her stamina and ability to handle two turns. I think the further, the better. She's a very good filly and showed it today again. That was a huge performance.'

Vodka With a Twist held second by 1 1/2 lengths over Quickick, who had one length on Scottish Lassie. La Cara, Nooni, Otomena Shacho, Snowtye, and American Bikini completed the order of finish.

This was the third Grade 1 win of the season for Immersive, who previously accounted for the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga and the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland. She is all but certain to be named champion two-year-old filly.

Immersive earned 30 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks, boosting her total to 40. Vodka With a Twist earned 15 points, while Quickick increased her total from five to 14. Scottish Lassie added six points for a total of 16, and La Cara's total rose from 10 to 13.

The Kentucky-bred Immersive is a daughter of juvenile champion and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and the mare Gap Year, a daughter of Bernardini and Grade 1 winner Dubai Escapade.

Check out 2024 Breeders' Cup News and Notes from TwinSpires.com.