Baker's Dozen List of Maiden Watch 2YOs Compete in BC

This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners. The list below highlights horses that have met the Maiden Watch criteria in the past 11 months and have gone on to become starters in this year's Breeders' Cup Championships Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar.

A baker's dozen sampling of 2-year-olds from 11 months' worth of Maiden Watch scouting have arrived at racing's grandest stage: the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Exclusively 2-year-olds, the list comprises maiden winners hailing from the beaches of Del Mar to historic Saratoga, and even some Horseshoe Indianapolis in between. These juveniles broke their maidens on dirt, turf, sprinting, and around two turns, with the earliest coming June 13 (Nooni) and the last of the 13 taking their photo as late as Sept. 6. Although their journeys to Del Mar varied, all of these Maiden Watchers succeeded in taking that arduous next step from maiden winner to grade 1 contender and will be in the starting gate on Future Stars Friday Nov. 1.

Leading the charge of this precocious bunch of colts and fillies is the 3-1 morning line favorite for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Flanagan Racing's undefeated Chancer McPatrick. The strapping son of McKinzie  caught Maiden Watch's attention after his eye-popping debut July 27 at Saratoga Race Course. Although he did not draw away by multiple lengths or run an outstanding final time for the 6 1/2 furlongs, the colt's professionalism in circling the field in a last-to-first performance could only serve as a precursor of the greatness to come.

Flash forward to Breeders' Cup time, and the championship is well within his reach.

From his maiden win, Chancer McPatrick took his talents to the next level with workmanlike scores over the best 2-year-olds in the East in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) and Champagne Stakes (G1). The Chad Brown trainee, a $725,000 2-year-old purchase out of this year's Ocala Breeders' Sale Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, now will battle a handful of fresh faces, including some Maiden Watch stars from the West Coast.

Juvenile contenders Citizen Bull and Getaway Car stamped their Maiden Watch worthiness with impressive So-Cal first-out scores for trainer Bob Baffert. Both high-priced colts would go on to capture graded stakes later, with Citizen Bull defeating Getaway Car in their final prep for the Juvenile in the Oct. 5 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

Baffert also trains the most expensive Maiden Watcher to line up for Breeders' Cup Friday in the $1.8 million Nooni. Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, the daughter of Win Win Win topped the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training when she sizzled the fastest quarter-mile of the under tack show in :20 1/5. Nooni annihilated her rivals by 9 1/4 lengths going gate to wire in her Santa Anita unveiling before capturing the Sorrento Stakes (G3) at Del Mar. Runner-up in the Oak Leaf Stakes (G1) Oct. 5, it's likely the fiery Florida-bred will try to stretch her speed as far as she can on the front end in the $2 million Juvenile Fillies (G1).

The best-bred member of the bunch is arguably Repole Stable's Mentee. A full brother to 2023 champion 2-year-old and this year's Travers Stakes (G1) hero, Fierceness, Mentee and his brother become the eighth pair of full siblings to contest the Breeders' Cup in the same year when they make their respective starts in the Classic (G1) and Juvenile Turf (G1T). Fierceness and Mentee are both trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.

While Fierceness has never raced on the turf, Mentee took to the surface spectacularly in the Oct. 4 Futurity Stakes (G3T)—powering to a 3 1/2-length win during the Belmont at the Big A fall meeting. Although Mentee excelled on the grass, he graduated in track-record time on Aqueduct's main oval June 15 when he sprinted five furlongs in :56.97.