2024 Breeders' Cup Friday Picks

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships are the most exciting two days in horse racing. The first day, Future Stars Friday, happens November 1 at Del Mar. The card features five championship races for two-year-old horses. Dirt runners shine in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, while turf races include the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Since two-year-olds are always liable to improve quickly, the fields are deep, and it’s always possible for a long shot to take a step up.

Breeders’ Cup races continue Saturday, November 2, with nine more world championship races, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Breeders’ Cup Turf, Filly & Mare Turf, Mile, Dirt Mile, Sprint, Filly and Mare Sprint, Turf Sprint. We will cover all of these races in our Breeders’ Cup Saturday picks.

Naturally, you can bet which horses will win their Breeders’ Cup races at FanDuel Racing. Also, discover 2024 Breeders’ Cup betting odds and exciting betting bonuses and promos on FanDuel.

These are our top picks for each Breeders’ Cup race on the Friday card.

2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

At five furlongs on the lawn at Del Mar, speed is your friend. With that, the five-furlong speed of Aesterius can carry him to victory. He has won his last two races over the flat five, including the Flying Childers (G2) over good ground last out while he was taking pressure. Though he lost to Big Mojo three back after not making the top, he still finished a close second, meaning he can run well even if things go pear-shaped.

Another interesting contender because of his early speed is Governor Sam, the best of the American set. He has led at every call in his last two races, and had to deal with contention up front in both of those. Those were at 5 ½ furlongs, but three back in the Tyro at a flat five, he was able to stalk and pounce, something he may be able to do from this relatively outside gate. Big Mojo should be finishing well for trainer Michael Appleby, who won this race last year with Big Evs. These short turf sprints can be chaotic so it is always good to consider a long-shot surprise. Pali Kitten needed the scratch of Out On Bail to get in, but now that he has made the field? He took a nice step forward in the Speakeasy, a five-furlong dash at Santa Anita. He overcame a less-than-perfect start to rally for the win, and if he takes a step forward and works a clean tracking trip he could rally into the exotics at huge odds here.

2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

There isn’t a clear leader in this division, making this a ripe place to look for a long shot. Why not La Cara? She has yet to try two turns, but being by Street Sense out of a Bernardini mare, she has every right to like it. She won a sprint a Saratoga on the front end, and then rallied from toward the rear in a 14-horse field to win the Pocahontas. The Mark Casse trainee did both of these under Ricardo Santana, who returns to the saddle.

Though the better-proven Bob Baffert entrant is out after Non Compliant was scratched, the more interesting one remains. Nooni, but the latter gets back to Del Mar, where she won the Sorrento and then dealt with trouble in the Del Mar Debutante. If Nooni can outjump American Bikini early perhaps she can steal it on the front end at a price, Take Charge Brandi style. Among the shorter-priced horses, Immersive does deserve respect given that she is a Grade 1 winner at the same distance as the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, and she has shown tactical speed in all of her wins. She needs to move up from that Alcibiades, but Brad Cox is as good as anyone at getting his horses to peak at the Breeders’ Cup. Scottish Lassie passed the eye test in the Frizette and has two-turn pedigree, though questions remain about who she beat.

2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Seeing a horse like Lake Victoria entered in the Juvenile Fillies Turf is a big deal: she is undefeated in four starts, including two straight Group 1 wins. She’s not the usual horse who comes close against top-class Europeans before running stateside—this Aidan O’Brien charge is the top-class European turf horse. The win in the Moyglare Stud (G1) was particularly notable since instead of humming along on the lead she started poorly and still rallied to win by daylight. That adaptability can help her overcome the thorny draw.

Heaven’s Gate is the second-stringer from Ballydoyle, but she stepped up nicely in the Weld Park (G3) when trying seven furlongs for the first time, and his nicely bred top and bottom for this longer trip. Fiery Lucy has to deal with an outside post, but she keeps running Heaven’s Gate close, and should be a huge price for trainer Gavin Cromwell. She also already has a Group 3 placing at a mile. Scythian took a step up into graded-stakes company off a maiden win in state-bred company for Bill Mott, a clever yet cautious trainer; she rewarded his confidence, and could get a nice tracking trip this time as well.

2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

With a lot of early speed entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, as long as the track isn’t showing a major bias against off-pace runners, Chancer McPatrick is well suited to extend his perfect career record to four-from-four. The Chad Brown trainee has rallied from near the rear to win all three starts, making the far-outside post position less thorny for him than if he were a speed horse. And, he has been able to win with either a sharp pace or a pedestrian one ahead of him, another point in his favor.

Even though Jonathan’s Way wired the Iroquois, he passed horses to break his maiden, showing that he is not just one-way speed. This gives the Philip Bauer trainee a leg up on the likes of East Avenue or Citizen Bull, who are only truly proven on the front end. Shin Believe has only raced once, but he passed horses to win a 1 ⅛-mile race at Niigata, meaning the Hideyuki Mori trainee can work a trip and has stamina to spare. Gaming is the most interesting of the Bob Baffert trio. Though he hasn’t tried two turns yet, he won the Del Mar Futurity (G1) in smart fashion over the local course, he passed horses to do so, and this son of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile victor Game Winner has upside on the step up to two turns.

2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

It’s tight at the top of the market between Al Qudra and New Century, as they have been trading blows all year long. Both are versatile horses with plenty of experience running against classy company, and both have a start in North America. New Century got the most recent round in the Summer Stakes (G1) for trainer Andrew Balding, but Al Qudra drew a little better for Charlie Appleby this time around, and that may be the difference-maker, especially in this big field.

Zulu Kingdom has yet to lose in three starts, including two graded-stakes outings for Chad Brown. He comes from off the pace but doesn’t have to drop too far back, giving him a good chance to run down a contested pace but get the jump on anyone who actually works a true closing trip. The rail draw may be thorny for Satono Carnaval, especially since he’ll have to deal with the likes of Dream On and Mentee to get the lead. But, if he is fast enough to get the lead (or those foes lie back, this Noriyuki Hori trainee has a chance at a price.

Bet the Breeders’ Cup Online with FanDuel

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.