Breeders’ Cup Friday now an all-juvenile affair

The Breeders’ Cup will hold all five of its 2-year-old stakes on its Friday program starting this year in a reconfigured schedule that moves the Distaff and Dirt Mile to the Saturday card, the organization announced Thursday. The 2018 Breeders’ Cup is scheduled for Nov. 2-3 at Churchill Downs.

The “Future Stars Friday” comprises the $2 million Juvenile, $2 million Juvenile Fillies, $1 million Juvenile Turf, $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf, and the new $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint. The Juvenile, which had been contested on Saturday, will be the finale, with a scheduled post of 6:05 p.m. Eastern.

The order of all other Breeders’ Cup races will be announced Oct. 24.

The $2 million Distaff and $1 million Dirt Mile will join the Saturday card of nine Breeders’ Cup races that closes with the $6 million Classic. The scheduled post for the Classic is 5:44 p.m. Eastern. The other championship races for Saturday are the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint; the $1 million Turf Sprint; the $2 million Filly and Mare Turf; the $2 million Sprint; the $2 million Mile on turf; and the $4 million Turf.

“With the increased excitement and international interest in our juvenile races, ‘Future Stars Friday’ will create an identity to showcase the emerging stars of our sport on the first day of the World Championships,” Craig Fravel, president and CEO of the Breeders’ Cup, said in a press release. “Churchill Downs also provides the perfect stage for our fans to witness the potential candidates for next year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, as well as standouts competing from overseas.”

Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Juvenile Turf produced eight starters for this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Breeders’ Cup also announced Thursday that the distance of the Filly and Mare Turf will be 1 3/8 miles after having been run over 1 1/8 miles last year at Del Mar. In addition, the Juvenile Turf Sprint and the Turf Sprint will both be run at 5 1/2 furlongs. Last year, the Turf Sprint was a five-furlong race at Del Mar.

There will be a 10-race program on Breeders’ Cup Friday and a 12-race program on Breeders’ Cup Saturday. Purses for the two days will be more than $30 million, according to Breeders’ Cup.