Storm the Court, British Idiom register Breeders' Cup juvenile wins

Nov 01, 2019 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Chaos reigned in the $1.84 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) while form did otherwise in the $1.84 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita on Friday. The two 1 1/16-mile features were the most points-lucrative of the 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks series preps held this year.

In the Juvenile, 45-1 shot Storm the Court took the early lead after heavy favorite Dennis' Moment stumbled leaving the gate and trailed throughout. Digging in through the stretch when taken on by another longshot, Anneau d'Or, Storm the Court clung to a neck advantage at the finish under Flavien Prat.

Owned by Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson, and Dan Hudock, Storm the Court paid $93.80 after completing the distance in 1:44.93. Finishing third was Wrecking Crew, who was followed in fourth by Scabbard.

A son of 2011 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) upsetter Court Vision, Storm the Court won on debut at Del Mar in August, lost his rider soon after the start of the Del Mar Futurity (G1) on Labor Day, and preceded this win with a distant fifth-place finish in the American Pharoah (G1).

Storm the Court earned his first 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby with the victory. Anneau d'Or, coming off a debut win at Golden Gate over the grass, earned eight points, while Wrecking Crew earned four points and Scabbard two points. The latter's total is now six points.

In the Juvenile Fillies, second choice British Idiom wore down 2-1 favorite Donna Veloce in the final sixteenth to claim victory and a likely two-year-old filly title under Javier Castellano. The final time for the daughter of Flashback was 1:47.07.

Owned by Michael Dubb, Stuart Grant's The Elkstone Group, Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables, British Idiom won by a neck and paid $7.40. Bast was 1 3/4 lengths behind in third, with Perfect Alibi the same margin back in fourth.

The Juvenile Fillies awarded Oaks qualifying points of 20-8-4-2 to the top four finishers. British Idiom, previously victorious in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland, has now earned 30 points. Donna Veloce has now earned eight points, Bast 14, and Perfect Alibi six.

HANSON: British Idiom wears down Donna Veloce in BC Juvenile Fillies

(Photos by Horsephotos.com)