Future Stars on display with five races for 2-year-olds on Breeders' Cup Friday

DEL MAR, Calif., Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Hopes and dreams will be on display Friday at Del Marin California as the 2024 Breeders' Cup World Championships kick off with five Grade I races for 2-year-olds primed for immediate success and potential future glory.

The feature is the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile, a race that usually propels its stars on toward a shot in the following year's Kentucky Derby.

The $2 million NetJets Juvenile Fillies is the equivalent for Oaks hopefuls.

The other three races, all on the turf, feature some of the best young horses from Europe and, this year, some Japanese raiders.

Last year's Juvenile went to Fierceness. Although he faltered in the Kentucky Derby, his late-season resurgence has him one of the favorites for Saturday's $7 million Grade I Breeders' Cup Classic.

This year, it seems the other nine might have to catch East Avenue to win the Juvenile and put themselves in that enviable position.

East Avenue, a Medaglia d'Oro colt trained by Brendan Walsh, is 2-for-2 and has led comfortably throughout each of those races. The Godolphin homebred won the Grade I Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland by 5 1/4 lengths Oct 5.

East Avenue probably will have to work harder for the lead as Grade III Iroquois Stakes winner Jonathan's Way and Grade I American Pharoah winner Citizen Bull also seem to like to run freely.

East Avenue drew the No. 1 gate and a clean start should allow jockey Tyler Gaffalione every chance to establish position before the first of two turns.

A speed duel, however, could set things up for dead closer Chancer McPatrick, undefeated victor in the Grade I Champagne at Aqueduct. He has come from the back of the pack in all his races so the No. 10 gate won't bother him in the Juvenile.

Shin Believe and Ecoro Azel represent Japan as total question marks.

Scottish Lassie is the morning-line favorite in the Juvenile Fillies. A daughter of McKinzie, trained by Jorge Abreu, she won the Grade I Frizette at Aqueduct in just her second career start.

Brad Cox saddles Immersive. The Nyquist filly, a Godolphin homebred, is undefeated after three starts including the Grade I Spinaway at Saragtoga and the Grade I Alcibiades at Keeneland. She had no trouble stretching out to the 1 1/16 mile trip at Keeneland and tackles the same conditions Friday.

Bill Baffert has two in the Juvenile. Non Compliant is 2-for-2 and won the Grade II Oak Leaf in her last start. Nooni faded to finish second in the 1 1/16-mile Oak Leaf.

Japan fields two wild-card entries in the Juvenile Fillies, both coming off victories on Japanese dirt courses.

American Bikini, an American Pharoah filly, is the better-regarded of the two and picks up Ryan Moore to ride. Otomena Shacho, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Speightstown, was most impressive in her last start and gets star jockey Yuga Kawada.

The $1 million Juvenile Turf is a tough puzzle with lots of odd-shaped pieces, thanks to some international travel and varying turf conditions.

The morning-line favorites, New Century and Al Qudra, came from Europe to finish 1-2 in the Grade I Summer Stakes at Woodbine in Canada on Sept. 14. Zulu Kingdom was sold after winning his career debut in France in June, turned over to East Coast turfmeister trainer Chad Brown, and won both U.S. starts to date.

Two not to overlook: Menri Matisse, trained by Aidan O'Brien with Ryan Moore up, who disappointed in the Prix Jean Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on soft turf but will like Del Mar better; and Japan's Satono Carnival, last-out winner of the Grade 3 Nakodate Nisai.

It's tough to look past Lake Victoria in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Frankel filly comes to Del Mar undefeated after four starts, including the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes in Ireland and the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in England.

Note, though, that she has never gone beyond 7 furlongs, and this is 1 mile. It's also around two rather sharp turns -- another novelty for her. Moore rides for O'Brien and the Coolmore "lads," always a tough combination to beat.

The American fillies include the winner of the Grade II Surfer Girl at Santa Anita, Thought Process; the winner of the Grade III Matron at Aqueduct; the first three finishers from the Grade II Ms Grillo at Aqueduct, led by Sythian; the first two from the Grade II Jessamine at Keeneland, May Day Ready and Totally Justified.

The Juvenile Turf Sprint, run at 5 furlongs around one turn, certainly looks ripe for the plucking by foreign colts. Among the promising young invaders are Whistlejacket, winner of the Group I Prix Morny with Moore up again for O'Brien; Shareholder, winner of the Group 1 Norfolk Stakes; and the first three finishers from the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes, Aesterius, Big Mojo and Magnum Force.

The morning-line favorite, though, is Ecoro Sieg, a Kentucky-bred, Japanese-trained Twirling Candy colt who won his first two starts easily and benefits from the services of Japan's leading jockey, Christophe Lemaire.

While the Americans look seriously outgunned, they have the advantage of easier travel and, in most cases, experience around a turn. Euro turf sprints are run down the straight.

One more tip: Keep an eye out for Frankie Dettori. He can explode on big days like this and will ride some live long shots.