Study Guide: 2024 Breeders’ Futurity
Oct 02, 2024
Ferocious winning his debut at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photos)
The $600,000 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland on Saturday is an important early stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
The 1 1/16-mile race awards qualification points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis. The quality of recent winners has been stellar, led by champions Classic Empire (2016), Knicks Go (2018), Essential Quality (2020), and Forte (2022).
Will we see a champion emerge from the 2024 Breeders’ Futurity? It’s not out of the question, given the quality of the 11-horse field. Let’s review the entries in horse-by-horse fashion:
Ferocious
Ferocious wins at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0
Owner: JR Ranch, Ramiro Restrepo, High Step Racing, and OGMA Investments
Breeder: Gentry Stable
Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
Jockey: Luis Saez
Top Speed Rating: (99) when winning his debut at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $115,000
Sire: Flatter
Dam: Napier
Color: Dark bay/brown
Ferocious owns the two highest Brisnet Speed ratings in the Breeders’ Futurity field. He posted a 99 when dominating his debut by 7 3/4 lengths and a 98 when second by half a length in the Hopeful (G1). His pedigree suggests stretching out over 1 1/16 miles won’t be an issue, so Ferocious is a deserving favorite and the horse to beat in his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut.
Saratoga Cruiser
Saratoga Cruiser wins at Horseshoe Indianapolis (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Average Joe Racing Stables, Chow Down Stables, Anthony Marchese, Joe Wheeler, and Jeff Kessler
Breeder: Sequel Stallions NY and Lakland Farm
Trainer: Jeff Engler
Jockey: Deshawn Parker
Top Speed Rating: (66) when winning his debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Total Earnings: $19,200
Sire: Catalina Cruiser
Dam: Aristra
Color: Chestnut
Saratoga Cruiser launched a last-to-first rally to win his debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis, but the resulting 66 Brisnet Speed rating looks light against the Breeders’ Futurity field.
Optical
Optical wins at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Don’t Tell My Wife Stables 2023
Breeder: Stoneriggs Farm
Trainer: Keith Desormeaux
Jockey: James Graham
Top Speed Rating: (82) when breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $64,482
Sire: City of Light
Dam: Espressoandacheck
Color: Bay
Optical was tons the best in a maiden special weight racing a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs last month, running his final quarter-mile in a swift :23.95 to dominate by 14 lengths. That fast finish suggests Optical has serious talent and upside for improvement while racing around two turns in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1).
Handsome Pants
Handsome Pants wins at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: M 5 Racing Stable
Breeder: Mary Ann D. Gould and Patrick Gould
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
Top Speed Rating: (91) when breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $69,000
Sire: Daredevil
Dam: Miss A. Bomb
Color: Dark bay/brown
Trainer Kenny McPeek doesn’t typically crank his juveniles to win on debut, so it was noteworthy to see Handsome Pants shine in his first start, closing from midfield to win a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Churchill Downs. McPeek has won the Breeders’ Futurity three times, and if Handsome Pants improves upon his 91 Brisnet Speed rating — which is certainly possible — he’ll be a major player at Keeneland.
East Avenue
East Avenue wins at Ellis Park (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Top Speed Rating: (90) when winning his debut at Ellis Park.
Total Earnings: $41,895
Sire: Medaglia d’Oro
Dam: Dance Music
Color: Bay
Godolphin homebred East Avenue dominated his debut sprinting six furlongs at Ellis Park by eight lengths, earning a 90 Brisnet Speed rating. He’s bred to relish stretching out over 1 1/16 miles and shouldn’t be underestimated.
Filoso
Filoso wins at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photography / Credit to Susie Raisher)
Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Gold Square
Breeder: Hunter Valley Farm and Oisin Murphy
Trainer: Chad Summers
Jockey: John Velazquez
Top Speed Rating: (87) when breaking his maiden at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $61,000
Sire: City of Light
Dam: Kenda
Color: Dark bay/brown
Filoso has already proven his worth running long, closing nicely to win a one-mile maiden special weight at Saratoga by 3 1/2 lengths. But he’ll need to improve upon his career-best 87 Brisnet Speed rating to challenge against tougher competition in the Breeders’ Futurity.
Mesero
Mesero wins at Ellis Park (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: CJ Thoroughbreds and Delia Nash
Breeder: Delia Nash
Trainer: Dale Romans
Jockey: Corey Lanerie
Top Speed Rating: (84) when finishing fourth in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $55,610
Sire: Not This Time
Dam: Lemon Liqueur
Color: Gray/roan
Mesero made his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut in the one-mile Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, finishing fourth by 7 3/4 lengths. He’ll need a step forward to factor against a tougher field at Keeneland.
Big Boat
Big Boat wins at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0
Owner: Doubledown Stables
Breeder: Jay Addison Reese
Trainer: James DiVito
Jockey: Cristian Torres
Top Speed Rating: (90) when winning his debut at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $69,000
Sire: Nyquist
Dam: Irish Presence
Color: Dark bay/brown
Big Boat launched a rally from midfield to win his debut sprinting six furlongs at Churchill by 3 1/2 lengths, earning a 90 Brisnet Speed rating. As a son of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, there’s potential for Big Boat to shine while stretching out over 1 1/16 miles.
Tenacious Leader
Tenacious Leader wins at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photography / Credit to Susie Raisher)
Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0
Owner: Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable
Breeder: Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Top Speed Rating: (93) when breaking his maiden at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $94,000
Sire: Not This Time
Dam: Diamonds and Rust
Color: Dark bay/brown
Tenacious Leader showed turf talent when finishing a close second in the 1 1/16-mile With Anticipation (G3) against Zulu Kingdom, who returned to win the Pilgrim (G2). But Tenacious Leader is also a capable dirt campaigner, as he showed when trouncing a one-mile maiden special weight at Saratoga by 4 3/4 lengths. That victory yielded a flashy 93 Brisnet Speed rating, suggest Tenacious Leader has the talent to challenge for four-time Breeders’ Futurity-winning trainer Todd Pletcher.
Dapper Moon
Dapper Moon wins at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photography)
Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0
Owner: Valene Farms
Breeder: Coteau Grove Farms
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
Top Speed Rating: (93) when breaking his maiden at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $75,000
Sire: Malibu Moon
Dam: Fashioned Gem
Color: Gray/roan
Yet another viable contender in this deep Breeders’ Futurity field is Dapper Moon, who earned a 93 Brisnet Speed rating when nabbing a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga by five lengths. That was a nice step forward off Dapper Moon’s debut, in which he broke slowly before rallying to finish second. This gray colt is progressing in the right direction and can’t be counted out of the mix.
Ready for Peace
Ready for Peace wins at Colonial Downs (Photo by Coady Media)
Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1
Owner: Ikhana Farm
Breeder: Ikhana Farm and More Than Ready Syndicate
Trainer: Ignacio Correas IV
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Top Speed Rating: (79) when finishing third in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile at Kentucky Downs.
Total Earnings: $132,500
Sire: More Than Ready
Dam: Peace Process
Color: Dark bay/brown
Ready for Peace has competed exclusively on turf, winning a one-mile maiden special weight at Colonial Downs before finishing third in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile. As a half-brother to Belmont (G1) third-place finisher Joevia, Ready for Peace is eligible to handle dirt, though his career-best 79 Brisnet Speed rating suggests he’ll need a step forward to defeat this fierce Breeders’ Futurity field.
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