It is all about the two-year-olds in our Breeders’ Cup tips for Friday, with five fascinating Grade One juvenile contests being shown live from Keeneland on ITV4.
European raiders have a good record in the three races run on turf, but here are our selections for this season’s renewals:
18:55 Tip
18:55 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT – BRICKYARD BELLE @ 9/2
Libertango sets a strong standard among the European team after winning the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Lowther at York before finishing a rock-solid second to Sun Goddess in Newmarket’s Group One Cheveley Park.
However, Miguel Clement’s Brickyard Belle could prove a fly in the ointment for the home team after showing an incredible turn of foot to recover from trouble in running and land the Matron Stakes at Belmont Park via a flying finish.
19:35 Tip
19:35 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES – EMPHATIC @ 9/4
With the action switching to dirt, this daughter of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Nyquist really caught the eye when completing a hat-trick in Grade One company over the same course and distance at the start of the month. Emphatic travelled sweetly out in front throughout and then comfortably fended off the challenge of Summer Starlet, who had previously secured an elite-level success herself at Saratoga.
20:15 Tip
20:15 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF – SUN GODDESS @ 4/6
Three of the last four victors in this event have travelled over from Ireland and Aidan O’Brien’s win-machine is strongly fancied to further enhance that impressive Emerald Isle record.
Sun Goddess has been simply sensational in rattling off five straight triumphs, including three Group One strikes, and her running style suggests she should have no issues with now tackling a mile for the first time. O’Brien beamed: “Sun Goddess has a long stride and a great mind. She has great speed and is big and scopey. She is very special and very unique in everything she does.”
20:55 Tip
20:55 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE – COACH POPE (NAP) @ 4/1
The much-hyped Hughes is a hot favourite to give Bob Baffert a record-extending seventh success in this dirt race following emphatic Grade One victories at Del Mar and Santa Anita, while Todd Pletcher seeks a fourth win in five years with course and distance scorer American History.
However, Kenny McPeek’s Coach Pope still seemed to have plenty of scope for more improvement when second to that last-named rival in the Futurity here four weeks ago and is a tempting price to turn the tables.
20:55 - Coach Pope (NAP) @ 4/1
21:35 Tip
21:35 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF – FOLSOM BLUES @ 3/1
Great Barrier Reef and Haffner have to be respected as Aidan O’Brien bids to lift this trophy for the fifth straight year, but the Ballydoyle maestro’s son Joseph has the runner with the best form in the book.
After gamely chasing home Sun Goddess in the Phoenix Stakes, Folsom Blues was brilliant when scoring by six lengths in the National Stakes at the Curragh and then lost little in defeat against French ace Amusingly at Longchamp.
Moving up to a mile will be a test for this sprint-bred son of Blue Point, but the effortless way he travels throughout races suggests that quickening up off a strong pace on a tight track will be within his compass.
Betting Tips
2026 Breeders’ Cup Friday Betting Tips
20:55 - Coach Pope (NAP) @ 4/1
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