Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Breeders’ Cup Day One on 30 October 2026.
Race 6 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT (Grade 1)
No1 MOONRISE (Each Way)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Home form can prove the key to a pulsating opener to Breeders’ Cup #43 with the Cheveley Park placings at Newmarket possibly set for a shake up. Juvenile Fillies Turf-bound Sun Goddess led them home in that Newmarket Group 1 followed by LIBERTANGO, Alwaysanangel and MOONRISE but the placed fillies cut back on the distance ladder round a sharp turn here, and that should benefit MOONRISE.
The daughter of Churchill displayed the early pace required to get an early handle on today’s race from her post next to the rail. She won’t have the stiff uphill finish to encounter this time, and I detected more than a hint of optimism from Andrew Balding when talking to him about this temptingly priced runner, who has Oisin Murphy doing the steering. LIBERTANGO, who had previously landed the Group 2 Lowther at York, is the Morning Line favourite and enjoys an even better draw in gate three.
She should again be bang on the premises with the unbeaten BRICKYARD BELLE best of the Americans.
Prediction: 1st MOONRISE, 2nd Libertango, 3rd Brickyad Belle
Race 7 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES (Grade 1)
No10 EMPHATIC
Traner: Brendan Walsh – Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Seeking a fourth success on the spin and to remain unbeaten, EMPHATIC brings a top Beyer figure to the party on a second visit to Keeneland. She downed an odds on foe in Summer Starlet in the Grade 1 Alcibiades to confirm her preference for the two turn 1600 metres and in many respects looks bombproof.
MISS MONICA is her closest challenger in the market but less easy to assess granted her two long odds on triumphs happened at Del Mar, while this is her first shot at the mile.
FOXIEST a is an interesting roughie by Gun Runner who appreciated the extra when landing a maiden special weight with a thundering stretch drive at Churchill and I fancy Brad Cox’s contender to pep up the exotics in a race with no overseas runners.
Prediction: 1st EMPHATIC, 2nd Miss Monica, 3rd Foxiest
Race 8 JOHN DEERE BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES (Grade 1)
No10 AMUSINGLY (Nap)
Trainer: Francis Graffard – Jockey: Colin Keane
The clash between SUN GODDESS and AMUSINGLY highlights the Friday action with Aidan O’Brien’s three times Group 1 winner trading at close to evens on the Morning Line. By Sioux Nation, her five straight successes were climaxed by the silencing of Libertango in the Cheveley Park and that Newmarket form is on paper at least, the best on offer.
However, following her to Kentucky is an element of pressure as the stand out from Coolmore’s army of runners and she will have work to do from gate nine, along with her main market rival AMUSINGLY who is drawn alongside her in ten. Francis Graffard was high in his praise for the Group 1 Lagardere winner on trackside, inferring that the Juddmonte-owned filly possesses the turn of foot of a budding champion. In beating the colt Folsom Blues at Longchamp she passed the entire field in a majestic swoop through the final 250 metres and I fancy her to cause problems for the favourite.
Both Sun Goddess and Amusingly will require a certain amount of luck in running and if that doesn’t materialise don’t rule out CURRACLOE who unlike them in unbeaten, but needs to show she can handle this vastly different ground.
Prediction: 1st AMUSINGLY, 2nd Sun Goddess, 3rd Curracloe
Race 9 FAN DUEL BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE (Grade 1)
No6 AMERICAN HISTORY
Trainer: Todd Pletcher – Jockey: John Velazquez
Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert are sharing the same barn on the backside and the two legends could also share the spoils in this $2 million contest with AMERICAN HISTORY and HUGHES.
Pletcher will hope for a strongly run race like that off which American History closed to run down COACH POPE in the Grade 1 Futurity here at the start of the month. Should that materialise John Velazquez’s mount can complete a fine hat-trick and remain unbeaten whilst cementing his claims for next year’s Kentucky Derby. Baffert has likened Hughes to a deer in the way he glides over the dirt and the colt fairly bolted up in the American Pharoah to make it five on the bounce under Juan Herndandez. His chances are clear, but it’s a first visit to Kentucky for the California shipper and that could count against him.
Prediction: 1st AMERICAN HISTORY, 2nd Hughes, 3rd Coach Pope
Race 10 BROWN ADVISORY BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF (Grade 1)
No10 FOLSOM BLUES
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien – Jockey: Dylan Browne McGonagle
If AMUSINGLY wins or runs well in the Juvenile Fillies Turf it will be a pointer towards FOLSOM BLUES in a finale likely to be dominated by European colts. The Group 1 National Stakes winner encounters quicker ground, but under the talented McGonagle he can get the job done.
GREAT BARRIER REEF took out the best two-year-old race of the early season in the Coventry, and after being rested came back with a solid podium finish in the Dewhurst.
Aidan O’Brien finds it hard to split this colt and HAFFNER although the last name runner can’t beat my selection on the evidence of that National Stakes form.
Prediction: 1st FOLSOM BLUES, 2nd How’s Al Today, 3rd Great Barrier Reef
