‘Forget his run last time, he could be a lively outsider’ – your cheat sheet for Friday’s Breeders’ Cup card at Del Mar

Friday’s card at Del Mar kicks off the 2025 Breeders’ Cup and deputy Ireland editor David Jennings has your five-minute primer for the card, which features on ITV

Race in focus: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (9.45)

The father-and-son duo of Aidan and Donnacha O’Brien dominate the betting for the Juvenile Turf Sprint with four of the top five in the betting, and the sneaky cash over the last few days seems to have been for Havana Anna. 

It’s not the first time she has been the subject of strong support. Don’t forget she was hammered from 25-1 all the way down to 13-2 for the Cheveley Park at Newmarket last time, only to find True Love too strong close home. 

There isn’t a huge amount between the pair and you can see why some punters thought 10-1 and 12-1 was just too big for the speedy daughter of Havana Grey. She’s now just 7-1 with Paddy Power. 

Havana Anna: value betCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

It’s a big day for jockey Gavin Ryan and he is drawn on the inside of True Love. Tactics will be fascinating. 

True Love is Wayne Lordan’s sole ride at this year’s Breeders’ Cup and he has spent his whole career making the most of every opportunity he gets. 

Christophe Soumillon gets down to 8st 7lb for Minnie Hauk in the Turf on Saturday but doing the same for True Love was probably pushing it. He’s on Brussels instead, who has an unfortunate habit of finding one too good. 

Mission Central won the new race on Champions Day at Ascot with new Irish champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle taking the ride, so it is hard to envisage a scenario where one of the O’Briens doesn’t win it. 

That said, Military Code has a tasty draw in stall two and shouldn’t be underestimated. The home challenge is headed by the Wesley Ward-trained Schwarzeneggar. 

One key horse for punters

Explora (10.25) 

She has to reverse form with Bottle Of Rouge after their tussle in the Debutante Stakes last month, but it all went wrong from the start there and she never got a moment’s peace on the front end after getting an early bump. 

She dusted herself off with a confidence-boosting win at Santa Anita a few weeks ago and what she did inside the final furlong there was very easy on the eye. 

At 7-2 she looks the best bet of the night under Juan Hernandez, especially given the way her trainer Bob Baffert talks about her.

Recommendation: back win only at 7-2

Jky: Juan J Hernandez Tnr: Bob Baffert

Going update

The ground at Del Mar is fast on the dirt track and firm on the turf course.

Three of the best quotes

Bob Baffert, trainer of Explora (10.25)
She is a very classy filly and she cruised around there by herself. I like the fact she can go two turns. That is not going to be an issue for her, and she has speed if she wants to use it. She’s not a one-dimensional horse.”

Ned Toffey, owner of Ted Noffey (11.45)
He’s done nothing wrong so far. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him, and he’s maybe even exceeded expectations. But it’s the Breeders’ Cup. He’s got some new challenges. On his last start, he did have a long van ride, a new track and two turns and he handled all of those things well. I think that bodes well for his ability to handle shipping out to Del Mar. He’ll have another long ship, new scenery, new surface, and, probably most importantly, some new and very good competition. It doesn’t get any easier, but certainly he has done everything right and hopefully we’ll get lucky and that will continue.

Joseph O’Brien, trainer of North Coast (12.25am)
We’re back left-handed around a bend and that will definitely suit him. You can easily put a line through his Curragh run as there was a headwind and he didn’t seem to enjoy it. He could be a lively outsider.

Read these next:

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Waiting for Frankie is like waiting for Sydney Sweeney to ask you out – it’s just not happening, is it? 

‘Frankie is going to get himself stuck in, this is not a part-time job’ – Kia Joorabchian on teaming up with the ‘Messi’ of horseracing 

Harry Wilson banged in TEN winners last week – don’t miss his tips for the five Grade 1s on the opening night at the Breeders’ Cup  

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