Exciting Donna Veloce out to confirm star potential in Juvenile Fillies

9.32 Santa Anita
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade 1) | 1m½f | 2yo fillies | Dirt | SSR

Big-priced winners have been a feature of this Grade 1 in recent years, with four of the last six editions being won by a filly returning at odds of 20-1 or bigger.

Take Charge Brandi provided the biggest shock of all in 2014 when scoring at 66-1, but plenty will expect a more logical outcome this time as 3-1 shot Donna Veloce appears the ideal type for this race.

Simon Callaghan’s two-year-old created a tremendous impression on her debut at Santa Anita in September when cruising nine and a quarter lengths clear of Nora’s Joy.

The daughter of Uncle Mo was eased down in the closing stages, so the victory margin in no way flatters her, and she rates an exciting prospect.

“She has brilliant speed but I don’t think she needs to be in front,” Callaghan said. “Of course you never know how far they’ll go until they actually run the distance, but I believe with her breeding that she should get the mile and one-sixteenth.”

Bast, one of the chief market rivals to Donna Veloce, boasts the best form in the line-up with two Grade 1 successes to her name – the Del Mar Debutante Stakes and Santa Anita’s Chandelier Stakes.

The Brad Cox-trained British Idiom and Steven Asmussen’s Wicked Whisper should also play leading roles and are both unbeaten in two starts.

British Idiom, who has been well supported over the last couple of days, landed the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland last time out, while Wicked Whisper took the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park by two and three-quarter lengths from Frank’s Rockette.

11.03 Santa AnitaTVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade 1) | 1m½f | 2yo colts & geldings | Dirt | SSR

Bob Baffert is seeking back-to-back wins in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile having triumphed 12 months ago with 5-4 favourite Game Winner.

The legendary handler, who also landed the contest with New Year’s Day in 2013, saddles Eight Rings, who is vying for favouritism in what looks a match race with Dennis' Moment.

Eight Rings is unlucky not to bring an unbeaten record to the Breeders’ Cup, his two wins at Del Mar and Santa Anita sandwiched by an unfortunate defeat as 1-2 favourite in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity when he parted company with his rider after a furlong.

Game Winner (pink): winner of the Juvenile last year for trainer Bob BaffertCredit: Edward Whitaker

The son of Empire Maker was equipped with blinkers for the first time when making no mistake on his subsequent start, making all to slam American Theorem by six lengths in the American Pharoah Stakes.

Unsurprisingly, the blinkers are retained for his biggest test to date in a race where Dennis' Moment seems sure to provide stiff opposition.

Baffert said: “The draw [stall six] is good for Eight Rings as you don’t want to be down on the inside. You’ve got to break well. They’re young horses.”

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