By Canadian Press

16-1 shot Fierceness wins Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for trainer Todd Pletcher

Nov 3, 2023 | 4:31 PM

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Fierceness won the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 6 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita on Friday, giving trainer Todd Pletcher the early favourite for next year’s Kentucky Derby.

Pletcher and owner Mike Repole won the Juvenile last year with Forte. The colt came into the Kentucky Derby on a five-race winning streak and was the morning-line favourite only to be scratched hours before the race because of a bruise in his right front foot.

Pletcher earned his 15th Cup victory, while John Velazquez notched his 20th, second all-time among jockeys. 

Fierceness ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.90 and paid $35 to win at 16-1 odds. 

Muth, trained by Bob Baffert, was second. Locked, the 2-1 favourite also trained by Pletcher, was third.

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Five of the seven horses that were scratched from Cup races Friday were for veterinary reasons, while the other two were by order of the stewards.

Racing resumes Saturday with nine Cup races, including the $6 million Classic.

Two potential contenders died in the days leading up to the two-day world championships. Geaux Rocket Ride was injured in a workout and didn’t recover after having surgery. Practical Move collapsed after a gallop in what Cup officials said was a “suspected cardiac event.”

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AP freelancer Mike Farrell contributed to this report.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Beth Harris, The Associated Press