BC Juvenile

First Samurai will try to keep his unbeaten record perfect Saturday (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

First Samurai has completely dominated his opposition in four
career starts. He was no secret in his debut, dueling early and then romping
home by 5 1/2 lengths as the 1-2 favorite in a 12-horse field. He was in the mix
early, then drew off by six lengths in a six-furlong, first-level allowance race
at Saratoga. He repeated that performance in the seven-furlong Hopeful S. (G1),
defeating 3-5 favorite Henny Hughes by 4 1/4 lengths. In both races at
Saratoga, once clear, he drifted in toward the rail, which is nothing to be
overly concerned about. In his most recent start, First Samurai was kept well
back off a fast break from the gate, advanced on the outside to stalk a
blistering opening half-mile in :43 3/5, ranged up to engage Henny Hughes in
upper stretch, then edged away from that rival when given the signal by jockey
Jerry Bailey to win the Champagne S. (G1) on a sealed, sloppy track by 2 3/4
lengths. First Samurai is the leader of the division and rates our top choice.

Henny Hughes won his first starts impressively, prompting Darley Stable to
purchase the chestnut colt for a reported $4.3 million. In the six-furlong
Saratoga Special S. (G2), he easily set fast fractions, blew open to a big lead
in midstretch, then won in a breeze by 3 3/4 lengths. Off that effort, he was
made the 3-5 favorite in the Hopeful, where he proved no match for First Samurai
in the drive. The same thing, more or less, happened in the Champagne, where he
was beaten
2 3/4 lengths by First Samurai. That day he dueled through suicidal fractions
(:21 3/5, :43 3/5), seized command in 1:08 3/5, and finished willingly along the
rail. That caused his owner to transfer him from Patrick Biancone to Kiaran
McLaughlin. Henny Hughes is tactically drawn on the outside of his primary
rival. It would be foolish to ignore him.

Both First Samurai and Henny Hughes will race on first-time Lasix in the
Juvenile.

Henny Hughes will try to turn the tables on his rival, First Samurai (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

The Biancone-trained STREAM CAT (Black Minnaloushe) advanced along the
inside, angled out, then quickly took the lead and comfortably won the Kentucky
Cup Juvenile S. (G3) at Turfway Park. In his most recent outing, he began last,
advanced into a pocket along the inside at the back of the field, angled out in
midstretch, then settled for third in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.
The dark bay colt, who has been training over the Polytrack at Turfway, is a
good finisher and rates our longshot/upset special.

July S. (Eng-G2) winner IVAN DENISOVICH (Ire) (Danehill) is probably the best of the
Europeans. The bay colt rallied from off the pace to finish second in the Prix
Morny (Fr-G1) and fourth in the Middle Park S. (Eng-G1) in his last two starts
over soft ground. If he takes to the surface, he could surprise at a price. The
undefeated Sorcerer’s Stone dueled for the early lead and then rolled to a 8
1/2-length victory in the Arlington-Washington Breeders’ Cup Futurity (G3) in
his last start. The Pat Byrne trainee will face a class test with these and
could be overbet.

SUPERFLY (Fusaichi Pegasus) chased the fast pace in the Champagne before
finishing a distant third. He had an excellent workout on Monday and could earn
a minor award if he can work out a trip from the rail. DR. PLEASURE (Thunder
Gulch), who looks like his mother, champion and 1999 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1)
winner Beautiful Pleasure (Maudlin), is a promising sort, but this could be too
much too soon. The John Ward Jr. trainee broke his maiden impressively at
Saratoga, but was under the whip for the last three furlongs before finishing a
non-threatening second in the Cowdin S. in his last start.