Wide draw is no mission impossible for Abbaye winner The Platinum Queen

Friday: 7.00 Keeneland
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (Grade 1) | 5½f | 2yo | ITV3/Sky/RTV

Wesley Ward and Irad Ortiz Jr have won the last three runnings of the Juvenile Turf Sprint and, in Love Reigns, they hold leading claims of making it four on the bounce.

Love Reigns made a sparkling debut over this course and distance before finishing an underwhelming fourth to Dramatised in the Queen Mary, although the stiff Ascot track played against her. Her win at Saratoga last time underlined she is all speed, something that she can utilise from an inside draw.

The Platinum Queen was not so fortunate with the draw, parked widest of all in stall 12, although she will have the majority of the back straight to get across and boasts the gate speed to suggest it won’t be an insurmountable obstacle.

Dramatised is on a retrieval mission, disappointing at York following her impressive Royal Ascot success, but it is far too soon to write her off after she looked so promising on her first two starts.

The fillies hold a strong hand but the colts should not be overlooked, with both Persian Force and Mischief Magic boasting sound form claims. The latter was disappointing in the Middle Park but ought to be better suited to this test of speed, his turn of foot evident in his impressive Sirenia Stakes win the time before.

Love Reigns aside the rest of the US contingent have a bit to find, although Oxymore looked good before not getting home over a mile last time while Tyler’s Tribe has won his five starts by an aggregate of almost 60 lengths. They were all on dirt, however, so he will have his effectiveness on turf to prove.

Private Creed’s form ties in with Oxymore, third to that rival in August, but he has improved since, most recently when readily winning a Listed race over this course and distance. This demands more but he is probably not finished improving yet.
Race analysis by Matt Gardner

Golden Pal shows Fahey star the way

When you've got a sprinter who likes to go forward, taking on fast-breaking US rivals for the first time, what you really don't need is a wide draw. The Platinum Queen, who has developed into one of the most popular of British-based Flat horses this year, will be widest of all when they go into the stalls for the Juvenile Turf Sprint, with 11 horses closer to the inside rail. Welcome to Keeneland.

"The draw probably didn't help us," said Richard Fahey on arrival here yesterday, "but it's not impossible."

For proof of that, look no further than Golden Pal, who won this very race from stall 13 over the same course and distance two years ago. Then again, we can't all be Golden Pal.

Is the plan still to try to get on the pace? "To be honest, from that draw, I'll just have to leave it to Hollie [Doyle]," said the trainer. "You can't give instructions from that draw. Just see how she breaks and where she lands and she'll have to ride her own race from there."

The Platinum Queen has had a busy year and won the Prix de l'Abbaye on a very different surface just over four weeks ago. But as far as anyone can tell, she's ready to go again.

"She's been well-behaved here, she can be a bit of a handful at home," Fahey said. "She's been grand, eating and drinking. She's a true professional, knows her job and she's in a good place at the minute."

What they say

Alice Haynes, trainer of Lady Hollywood
She has a lot of gate speed and a great mind. She's got nothing but faster as the year's gone on and we haven't had any rain, so that's good news for us. She's had seven runs but she hadn't been campaigned that hard early on and she's had a decent enough break from her Group 3 success in September. We're fresh and ready to go.

Karl Burke, trainer of Dramatised
We've been delighted with her. She travelled really well and I've had videos of her on the track for the first time on Tuesday and she looked really well, relaxed and cantered brilliantly. She goes there with a big chance.

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Mischief Magic
He ran a solid race in the Middle Park. I'm pleased with the draw, he'll travel round here. I think the race will suit him. He's a little bit like a Sound Of Silence, the rougher the race, the more he'll enjoy it. It won't worry me if he just half misses the kick. The more you stick him into a little hole, he'll enjoy it. If he finds life a bit too easy, he might just decide to take the easy way out.
Reporting by Chris Cook

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