The $400,000 Dixiana Breeders' Futurity (G1) is the major local prep and "Win and You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, with a field of 11 two-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the Polytrack. 11-2 J.B.'s Thunder set a slow early pace of 24.19, 48.64, and 1:13.40 while as many as 1 1/2 lengths in front of 13-1 Typhoon Slew second. At the top of the stretch, jockey Shaun Bridgmohan sent the pacesetter loose as J.B.'s Thunder drew off to win by 4 lengths over late-running 6-1 Santiva in 1:44.12. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to 6-1 Willcox Inn third, while 5-2 favorite Major Gain was fifth.
Winning trainer Al Stall Jr. said, "I had a feeling he’d leave on his toes today. He had been so sharp. He had a chance to school around here and get comfortable. Obviously he did, and Shaun just took it to them. (Running in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile) is very much 50-50 at best. We’ll probably go to Fair Grounds and point for the Delta Jackpot or the Lecomte."
Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan said, “He’s a versatile horse, smart head on his shoulder. It just happened that he inherited the lead, and we just nursed it around there.”
Results chart
