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As the calendar turns the page to October, the countdown to this year’s Breeders’ Cup the first weekend in November is officially on. This year’s 14-race event with $31 million in total prize money will be held at Del Mar on Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 6.
One of the final “win and your are in” qualifying races for this year’s BC Juvenile will take place this Friday, Oct. 1 as the featured race on the daily card at Santa Anita Park. The field for this year’s American Pharoah Stakes is set. This is one of the first major graded events for two-year old Thoroughbreds looking to make their mark on the early 2022 Kentucky Derby Trail.
The American Pharoah Stakes is sure to be the most heavily bet event on Friday’s card as one of three major graded races at Santa Anita. The Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes for two-year fillies and the Grade Eddie D. Stakes for turf sprinters three and older round out the trio of major stakes events.
2021 American Pharoah Stakes Picks
When: Friday, October 1st 2021
Where: Santa Anita Park
This Grade 1 stakes race is open to two-year old Thoroughbreds as an automatic qualifier for the 2021 BC Juvenile. The total prize purse for Friday’s American Pharoah has been set at $300,000.
The race will be contested on the dirt track at Santa Anita covering 1 1/16 miles in total distance. Horse Racing Nation has a projected field of seven juveniles entered to run in this race. Here is a closer look at three contenders I have finishing in the money.
Win – Rockefeller
This Kentucky-bred colt is one of three entries in this race trained by Bob Baffert and he could have the most potential. Breaking from the No. 6 post on Friday, jockey Flavien Prat will be on board. The son of Medaglia d’Oro made his racing debut at Del Mar in a six furlong Maiden Special Weight race on Aug. 28.
Posting a winning time of 1:11.18, he cruised past Pec Tacular and Cabo Spirit to win the race. Rockefeller comes into this race with a HRN rating of 4.07, which is the lowest in Friday’s field among rated horses. However, he is clearly underrated at this early point in his career.
Place – Corniche
My second choice for Friday’s featured race is also trained by Baffert. He drew the No. 1 post for this race and veteran jockey Mike Smith will get the ride. Sired by Quality Road, he already has the pedigree to be a Kentucky Derby contender.
Also making his racing debut at Del Mar on Sept. 4, Corniche won his first time out in a 5½ furlong Maiden Special Weight race. He completed that distance on dirt in 1:03.1 past Apprehend and War At Sea. His HRN rating coming into this race is 4.58.
Show – Pappacap
Rounding out my top three colts for this race, trainer Mike Casse has a strong contender in the son of Gun Runner. This Florida-bred colt has the highest HRN rating in the seven-horse field at 5.91. He will break from the No. 7 post on Friday with jockey Joe Bravo leading the way.
Competing in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 6, he slipped to fourth after winning the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at that same track on Aug. 7. Pappacap won a five furlong Maiden Special Weight race at Gulfstream Park in his racing debut on May 14.
