Juveniles Set for Their Moment of Truth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Races

Brant and Ted Noffey headline the boys’ division, while Tommy Jo stands out among the fillies—setting up a pair of thrilling dirt showdowns

Tommy Jo will be awfully hard to beat if she brings her best / BREEDERS' CUP

By Diego H. Mitagstein (Special Correspondent for Turf Diario at Del Mar, California, USA)

DEL MAR, California – This year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies promise to deliver two of the most compelling clashes of the entire festival. In both divisions, the 2023 crop brings unbeaten stars and a symbolic East-versus-West duel—a meeting of philosophies, training styles, and sheer talent—with Del Mar serving as the perfect battleground for supremacy.

In the Juvenile, the spotlight shines on a pair of gray colts already making headlines: Brant and Ted Noffey. Representing the “Team West,” Brant is the latest weapon in Bob Baffert’s ever-expanding arsenal. The Hall of Famer has already captured this race six times—each victory a coronation of sorts—and the son of Gun Runner, purchased for $3 million by Zedan Racing, looks tailor-made to add to that record. Undefeated in two starts, both at Del Mar, including a decisive score in the GI Del Mar Futurity over stablemate Desert Gate (Omaha Beach), Brant combines speed, composure, and grit in a way that suggests he’ll relish the 1 1/16 miles of the Juvenile.

From the East comes his mirror image, Ted Noffey—gray, unbeaten, and backed by Spendthrift Farm, the home of Into Mischief, whose brilliance clearly runs in the family. His emergence at Saratoga was the stuff of fairy tales: a sharp debut win in August followed by a devastating GI Hopeful Stakes triumph by more than eight lengths. With John Velazquez aboard and Todd Pletcher calling the shots, Ted Noffey enters as the leading hope of “Team East” and a major threat to Baffert’s dominance.

Adding intrigue is Litmus Test (Nyquist), another Baffert trainee who was third behind Ted Noffey in the GI Breeders’ Futurity. The depth of this field ensures that whichever gray prevails will emerge as the undisputed leader of the juvenile division. One key stat looms large: five of Baffert’s six previous Juvenile winners went on to be crowned Eclipse Award champions.

If the colts bring the power, the fillies promise no less drama. The GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies shapes up as a true championship final, bringing together all four Grade I winners of the season. From Saratoga, unbeaten Tommy Jo(Into Mischief) arrives carrying an aura of invincibility—though not without controversy. Her narrow, much-debated promotion in the GI Alcibiades left some questions unanswered. If she reproduces her dazzling GI Spinawayperformance, the race could be over early; if she shows the more vulnerable version seen at Keeneland, expect fireworks.

The biggest threat may come from Bob Baffert, who is eager to end a surprisingly long drought in the Juvenile Fillies—his last win coming in 2007. This time, he sends out two live contenders in Explora (Blame) and Bottle of Rouge(Vino Rosso). Explora proved her stamina and class when taking the GII Oak Leaf, while Bottle of Rouge, owned by Jill Baffert, brings a pair of Del Mar victories and the kind of tactical speed that can change the complexion of any race.

Then there’s the big-money newcomer, Iron Orchard (Authentic), purchased by KatieRich Stables for $2.5 millionfollowing her GI Frizette win. Unbeaten in three starts for trainer Danny Gargan, she’ll debut for her new connections under pressure to prove every dollar well spent.

The stage is set: America’s most promising 2-year-olds—colts and fillies alike—will clash in the Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies, two races that shape the very future of the sport. It’s where champions are born. And if Del Mar’s history has taught us anything, it’s that when the gray horses come charging down the California dirt, epic stories tend to follow.