Jaywalk much the best in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

Nov 02, 2018 by James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Jaywalk showed speed from the start and rolled to a convincing victory in Friday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs, establishing herself as the top contender for the 2019 Kentucky Oaks (G1) under the Twin Spires.

Owned by D.J. Stable and Cash is King, Jaywalk also made a strong case for champion two-year-old filly honors with the wire-to-wire win. Her main competition, Newspaperofrecord, posted a dominant score in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) one race earlier.

Joel Rosario had the mount for trainer John Servis and Jaywalk established splits of :23.23, :46.76 and 1:11.48 before finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.62. Jaywalk led by about a length during the early stages, widened her advantage on the far turn, and drew off through the stretch to a 5 ½-length decision.

“I was quietly confident,” Servis said. “I felt good about the way she was coming into the race. The distance really didn’t bother me. I just felt it was a real solid group of two-year-old fillies. She was going to have to run to beat them, and we just didn’t know if she was quite that good.”

From the first crop of Cross Traffic, Jaywalk left the starting gate as 5-1 fourth choice among 10 rivals.

Restless Rider, who rallied into contention on the far turn but could not go with the winner in the final furlongs, saved second by a half-length as the 3-1 second choice. Vibrance was third at 35-1, 3 ¼ lengths better than 9-5 favorite Bellafina.

Jaywalk finished second when making her career debut at Monmouth Park in late June and broke her maiden a month later at Parx. She followed with a triumph in the August 22 White Clay Creek at Delaware Park and stamped her Juvenile Fillies ticket with a 5 ¾-length, wire-to-wire tally in the October 7 Frizette (G1) at Belmont Park.

Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Jaywalk was purchased for $190,000 at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale. She’s out of the Orientate mare Lady Pewitt.