Hurricane Clair the Pick in Breeders’ Stakes, Side Street has Steal Chance

Hurricane Clair the Pick in Breeders’ Stakes, Side Street has Steal ChanceBreeders’ Stakes (1 1/2 Miles on Turf)
Woodbine Racetrack, Race 9, Sunday, September 29, 2024
Distance: 1 1/2 Miles Surface: Turf Purse: $400,000

Breeders’ Stakes Picks

1. Hurricane Clair
2. Side Street
3. Roscar
4. Saccharine

Breeders’ Stakes Analysis

Hurricane Clair takes on six rivals, including four maidens, in the Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday, and we’ll take a shot that one of those maidens can make the exact pay.

Hurricane Clair (8/5) is the horse to beat off her hard-earned victory in the Wonder Where Stakes going 1 ¼-miles on the turf. She’s 6-for-7 in the money on the turf and has the sharp jockey-trainer combo of Civaci and Drexler, who are winning at a 24% clip together. She also has tactical speed, which is lacking in many of her rivals here. If she does happen to open up early, she would likely be very tough to catch, but she can win from off the pace. She fought hard to defeat the 1-5 favorite in a long stretch duel in her last and is the top choice for numerous reasons.

Side Street(6-1) is the most intriguing horse in the Breeders’ Stakes and appears to be improving fast. One of three Chiefswood Stable runners in the race along with Roscar and Saccharine, he’s the most likely of the three to be on the lead based on his dueling performance in his last race going 1 1/4-miles on the turf in a Maiden Special Weight. He showed some courage in that race before finishing second beaten a nose, and if he opens up early and slows down the pace he could go a long way. Longshot speed.

Roscar (5/2) has the top Beyer Speed Figure in the field by a point over Hurricane Clair 82-81 and he earned that number going a 1 ¼-miles on the turf. He has enough pedigree to get the distance of the Breeders’ Stakes and he did have some minor trouble in his last, but it wasn’t as bad as some think. Still he could rally into the exacta and does have a shot to win with a perfect trip.

Saccharine (8-1) is yet another maiden in this year’s Breeder’s Stakes, but she is on the improve and was only beaten 3 ¼-lengths by likely favorite Hurricane Clair in the Wonder Where Stakes in her last race. She is a tryer and another step forward here under top jock Hernandez could put her in the exacta.

King Rosso (4-1) is still a maiden but he has shown enough talent to belong in this race. He is gradually improving and really just needs to be placed in a winning spot. This might not be it, but he could give a decent account of himself with a late rally. Three-time Woodbine leading rider Kimura takes over from apprentice Aebly and trainer Keven Attard is totally capable of winning these kinds of races. Some things to like.

Jokestar (10-1) probably fits in this race class wise compared to the other runners, but he hasn’t been a serious threat in his last three stakes performances. He’s also only run once on the turf, and that was a tenth beaten 14 ¼-lengths performance in his debut after a poor start. The team of jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson and Kevin Attard can never be discounted, and maybe he’ll like the turf. He’d likely need a hot pace to run at to get a piece of the trifecta, but that’s not out of the question.

Thor’s Cause (20-1) is still a maiden and has only run on the turf once in his life in his debut. In his last race he finished seventh in the King’s Plate at 110-1 but he at least showed that he might not mind the 1 ½ miles of the Breeders’ Stakes. The question is class, he has yet to finish anywhere close to winning in nine starts. If you can find a winning angle on this horse good luck, because we can’t see him finishing in the top two.

The race sets up on paper with Side Street on the lead and Hurricane Clair pressing from the outside. If Side Street doesn’t sneak away on the turn she’ll likely end up dueling with Hurricane Clair in the stretch and those two could go all the way to the wire. If an early duel develops between those two, ralliers Rosca and Saccharine will be flying late. Simple right?

If we can get better than 7/5 on Hurricane Clair we’ll bet her win-place and also wheel her in the exacta over Side Street, Rosca and Saccharine. If we can’t get our price on Clair, we’ll make a smaller win-place bet on Side Street, wheel her up and down in $1 exactas and take extra exactors with Side Street over and under Hurricane Clair, Rosca and Saccharine.

Good luck!