Posted on 10/17/2007 6:31:26 PM

Breeders Cup Betting: Juvenile Turf

By Brian Mulligan

The Juvenile Turf kicks off the Breeders’ Cup festivities this year and it will go to post about 4:20 on Friday October 26, but before we get into the key players in this fray, here’s a word to the wise bettors that will be in attendance at Monmouth Park this year.

First off, if you plan to go to Oceanport for the action this year, go early and often. The meet opens on the 24th and smart gamblers that want to get ahead of the curve should go early in the week and already have their key races ready to review.

On a recent trip to Monmouth, I was astounded to learn that the replay videos available throughout the racetrack are Best I’ve ever encountered.

There are five digital replay booths in the racing plant itself and they are there because of a company named International Sound of Maryland.

Within about 15 minutes of any race on the New York, New Jersey, Florida or California circuits, that race will be available for viewing and sharp bettors should go to the track early, have their trouble horses circled, then watch those races to see just how bad that trouble unfolded.

This game is about preparation and hard work, and a little work at this Mecca of replay systems at Monmouth will bring huge dividends.

Now to the Juvenile Turf.

Prussian will be one tough cookie to kick off the Cup. By Danzig, he is unbeaten in 2 grass starts including a Grade 3 race in Canada. He wired his field in the debut by 6 3/4 lengths, and was timed in 1:42.68 after setting fractions of :49.49 and 1:12.90. In the stakes score, he broke sharply, rated outside of early pacesetter Brickyard Crossing, then rallied when called up.

His style is perfect for the shore.

Old Man Buck will be a price and sharp bettors must give him a long look in the gimmicks at least. He will be disrespected because of the circuits he has been around but he’s in good hands, he is also versatile and reading in between the lines from his connections, they are quietly confident.

His regular rider Perry Ouzts after a troubled third in the Lane’s End in a quote on the Downey Report: Ouzts: “He’s got speed but he didn’t break well. He wasn’t planted real well, he wasn’t ready. Then going around the turn, there was a crash in front of me. I think a horse broke down, and I went way wide. I had to start riding him early so I didn’t end up any wider. I think all the variables at least cost him second.”

Clever gamblers would be wide to think about him in the superfecta for sure.

The last baby to scrutinze is Gio Ponti, also an unbeaten runner. Trained by Christophe Clement, who’s stable has earned over $50 million through 2006, Gio has a nice turn of late foot and with an honest pace will be super tough.

Bettors should know that the blood is there too. His dam is kin to a 6-figure earner and she has also dropped a number of winners including grass winner and over $250,000 earner Fisher Pond.

As the horse race approaches, key in on the pace and try to project where each and every participant will be as the splits click off.

More to come as the Big Day nears.

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