2025 Breeders’ Cup: Handicapping Future Stars Friday Pick 5

The 2025 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar begins with five championship races for two-year-olds, the Future Stars Friday program, and the opening-day Pick 5 has been lucrative, returning $16,347 and $4,660 on a 50-cent wager the last two years.

There are some imposing public choices, with 20-time Breeders’ Cup race winner Aidan O’Brien sending out the morning line favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), and I will take a swing at the sequence with a $30 budget.

Breeders’ Cup Friday Pick 5 Wager (Races 6-10)

• 50-cent ticket: 1,9,10,11,12 with 3,4,5,7 with 3,10,13 with 8 with 14 ($30)

Race 6: Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), 5:45 p.m. ET

#9 True Love (7-2) is the one to beat following a Group 1 win at Newmarket, but the imposing filly does face a sharp test of speed on a tight oval. 

I will also use #1 Brussel (8-1), a close second in the Middle Park (G1) two back; #10 Cy Fair (6-1), a sharp winner over males in a Woodbine sprint last out; expected pacesetter #11 Schwarzenegger (5-1), who broke his maiden leading all the way in the Indian Summer at Keeneland; and #12 Lennilu (8-1), unbeaten from a pair of U.S. stakes attempts on turf and third to True Love in the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot.

Race 7: Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), 6:25 p.m. ET

It will be no surprise if the chalk performs well, but the numbers earned by the top choices are underwhelming. And there isn’t an abundance of early speed entered. I’ll take a shot with #3 Meaning (15-1), who stretches to two turns and steps up to face stakes competition following a sharp frontrunning maiden win at Los Alamitos.

#4 Percy’s Bar (9-2), disqualified from a frontrunning first-place finish in the Alcibiades (G1), will be included along with #5 Tommy Jo (7-2) and #7 Explora (5-2), the expected top two betting choices. 

Race 8: Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), 7:05 p.m. ET

#13 Precise (6-5) merits serious respect following back-to-back convincing Group 1 wins, but she hasn’t broken sharply in the last two starts and doesn’t want to get left from the far outside post at a tight mile distance.

The up-and-coming #2 Queen of Hawaii (12-1) and #10 Ballantina (30-1), who has performed well overseas on firmer ground, will be added to the ticket.

Race 9: Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), 7:45 p.m. ET

The first of two singles, multiple Grade 1 winner #8 Ted Noffrey (4-5) drew well outside in a shorter field and looks poised to keep advancing for four-time Juvenile winner Todd Pletcher.

Race 10: Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), 8:25 p.m. ET

#14 Gstaad (9-5) has not experienced the best of trips in recent starts, but his class showed finishing second in three consecutive Group 1 events. He’s displayed tactical ability and an affinity for firmer ground, and the outside post may not prove a detriment for the talented colt.