Godolphin has horse to beat

It’s a familiar story that Godolphin Racing hopes has a different ending.

In 2019, the Godolphin-owned Maxfield followed a debut win at Churchill Downs in September with an authoritative victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in October. He was the 3-1 third choice on the morning line for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita only to be scratched two days before the race due to injury.

This year, the Godolphinowned Essential Quality won his debut at Churchill in September and last Saturday was an authoritative winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. He could very well be the first or second choice for this year’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, to be run Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

“I’d like for the similarities to stop right there,” said Jimmy Bell, Godolphin USA president.

One difference between Maxfield and Essential Quality is the former won the Breeders’ Futurity from well off the pace whereas Essential Quality, a son of Tapit trained by Brad Cox, was a forward presence in the Futurity, which he won by 3 1/4 lengths.

“He was a little wide on the first turn and settled in, and as they say was always right there,” Bell said. “He was a little green through the stretch, but certainly opened up and showed the distance not to be a problem.”

That the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile will be held at the same track and 1 1/16-mile distance as the Breeders’ Futurity should be a plus for Essential Quality, who will only have to take a van ride from Churchill Downs for the race.

While Essential Quality will bring a perfect 2-for-2 record into the Juvenile in four weeks, Jackie’s Warrior will look to make it 4 for 4 when he starts as the favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. Jackie’s Warrior, a son of Maclean’s Music trained by Steve Asmussen, won his maiden at Churchill Downs and then took the Grade 2 Saratoga Special and Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga this summer.

In winning the Hopeful, Jackie’s Warrior defeated Reinvestment Risk by 2 1/4 lengths. Reinvestment Risk is expected to be the major threat to Jackie’s Warrior in the Champagne, the last designated Win and You’re In race for the Juvenile. Others entered in the Champagne include Midnight Bourbon, Ambivalent, and Run Casper Run.

Get Her Number, the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes winner at Santa Anita, heads the Southern California contingent for the Juvenile, which is expected to include American Pharoah second- and thirdplace finishers Rombauer and Spielberg.

Sittin On Go, winner of the Grade 3 Iroquois at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5, and Breeders’ Futurity runner-up Keepmeinmind are others considered definite for the Juvenile. Likeable, an 8 1/4-length maiden winner at Belmont, is under consideration for the Juvenile as is Boca Boy, winner of the In Reality division of the Florida Sire Stakes. Boca Boy would have to be supplemented to the race for $100,000.