Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is a Grade 1 race for two-year-old colts and geldings. The race is typically run over a distance of 1 1/16 miles on a dirt track, although the race distance has been changed several times during the history of the event in response to the layout of the various racetracks that host the Breeders’ Cup meeting.
The 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile will be run over a distance 1 1/16 miles and will award a prize fund of $2 million.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Winners
The performance by Arazi in 1991 is considered by many to be the most outstanding seen in any Breeders’ Cup race. Arazi had never raced before on dirt track and was given the worst starting place for the race. The popular Bertando, who had previously won the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes and the Del Mar Futurity, took the lead while Arazi trailed by 12 lengths. Late in the race, Arazi and jockey Pat Valenzuela made a dramatic dash to the front, overtaking Bertando and proceeding to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by a record margin.
Year |
Winner |
Time |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 2008 | Midshipman | 1:40.90 | G.Gomez | B.Babbert |
| 2007 | War Pass | 1:42.76 | C. Velasquez | N. Zito |
| 2006 | Street Sense | 1:42.59 | C. Borel | C. Nafzger |
| 2005 | Stevie Wonderboy | 1:41.64 | G Gomez | D. O’Neill |
| 2004 | Wilko | 1:42.09 | F. Dettori | J. Noseda |
| 2003 | Action This Day | 1:433/5 | David Flores | Richard Mandella |
| 2002 | Vindication | 1:493/5 | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert |
| 2001 | Johannesburg | 1:421/5 | Michael Kinane | Aidan O’Brien |
| 2000 | Macho Uno | 1:42:00 | Jerry Bailey | Joe Orseno |
| 1999 | Anees | 1:421/5 | Gary Stevens | Alex Hassinger Jr. |
| 1998 | Answer Lively | 1:44:00 | Jerry Bailey | Bobby Barnett |
| 1997 | Favorite Trick | 1:412/5 | Pat Day | Patrick Byrne |
| 1996 | Boston Harbor | 1:432/5 | Jerry Bailey | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 1995 | Unbridled’s Song | 1:413/5 | Mike Smith | James Ryerson |
| 1994 | Timber Country | 1:442/5 | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 1993 | Brocco | 1:424/5 | Gary Stevens | Randy Winick |
| 1992 | Gilded Time | 1:432/5 | Chris McCarron | Darrell Vienna |
| 1991 | Arazi | 1:443/5 | Pat Valenzuela | Francois Boutin |
| 1990 | Fly So Free | 1:432/5 | Jose Santos | Scotty Schulhofer |
| 1989 | Rhythm | 1:433/5 | Craig Perret | Shug McGaughey |
| 1988 | Is It True | 1:463/5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 1987 | Success Express | 1:351/5 | Jose Santos | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 1986 | Capote | 1:434/5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 1985 | Tasso | 1:361/5 | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Neil Drysdale |
| 1984 | Chief’s Crown | 1:361/5 | Don MacBeth | Roger Laurin |
2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
Bob Baffert’s Midshipman took the spoils in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with the assistance of award-winning jockey, Garrett Gomez. Midshipman won the race with a brilliant burst on the outside over the final furlongs of the race, passing Rafael Bejarano on Square Eddie to take a 1 1/2 length victory. Street Hero claimed third place, but suffered a knee injury after the race and has since retired from racing.