Breeders' Cup 2024 Tips - Peter Fornatale's Day 1 Selections

Typically competitive stuff and a case can be made for most of these. Big Mojo looks to have a solid chance of giving his connections a repeat in this race while Japanese runner Ecoro Sieg comes into the reckoning on the clock.

At bigger prices each-way, I’m happy to take a chance on MAGNUM FORCE. He has little to find with Big Mojo and Asterius on the Flying Childers running and he will relish swinging around here off a fast pace.

I was very taken with the way SHAREHOLDER moved through the race in the Norfolk when beating Whistlejacket, and I think an each-way bet is in order if only for insanity insurance.

I’m going to go back to the well with QUICKICK, who I think is better than the bare form suggests. 

I like this filly a lot, and I think she had a very difficult trip last time that might be masking her improvement. She was knocked around at the start in the Alcibiades and was subsequently caught wide. She was trying all the way to the line and while she couldn’t get to Immersive, I think she might have more scope for improvement given everything that went wrong for her. Form of the Saratoga win is excellent – subsequent G1 winner Scottish Lassie was behind her. I’ll admit, I may be falling into the trap of betting a “trip” horse out of a slow race but she’s a live longshot and could be my key at double-digit odds. Solid each-way chance.  

She has one of the favourites, Scottish Lassie, on the form book, and is an excellent each-way play at double-figure odds.

A race in which many can be given a chance and several have potential to produce bigger effort. On what we have seen to date, though, this looks a two-horse race. And as such my main play in the race will be an exacta with LAKE VICTORIA and THOUGHT PROCESS. 

Lake Victoria is a filly out of the top drawer and the current 1000 Guineas favourite warrants the utmost respect. She has been a little weak in the betting recently, however, and stall 1 asks questions of a horse that has basically been the slowest into stride the last twice. 

As a result, if forced to make a win choice between the two the call is THOUGHT PROCESS. This currently overpriced filly looks a bit of a machine and has the numbers to back up the visual impression of her victories, having run faster than older horses and stakes class juvenile colts last time despite never coming off the bridle. Well drawn with good gate speed, she has very few negatives over a track we know she loves.

I’m going to go with CHANCER MCPATRICK to make it a perfect four-for-four. 

I’m hoping there will be enough pace to set up his late run and the draw helps this idea: East Avenue has to gun from down there and you figure at least one of Baffert’s three-headed monster will be all over him. I am willing to gamble that Chancer handle the two turns. 

The other favourites, East Avenue and Jonathan’s Way look the logical alternatives/the ones to use for USA exotics, and I also might end up doing something with Ferocious in exotics if the price is right.

A difficult puzzle to crack. Many of the top European runners will be relying on a strong pace, which isn’t impossible if Seagulls Eleven, Mentee and Tenacious Leader push on from wide draws. 

A strong pace would bring the likes of New Century and Al Qudra into the reckoning, while I feel Zulu Kingdom and Noble Confessor have more to come. However, at the prices, I’ll take a couple of each-way chances starting with SATONO CARNAVAL despite the lay-off. 

The number he ran on his last start already gives him a shot and I feel like he has scope to be even better over this distance. I also think the price may continue to rise on the maiden, NOBLE CONFESSOR, making an each-way flyer on him irresistible.