Weaver aims talented trio at Juvenile Turf Sprint

Royal Ascot winner Crimson Advocate one of three contenders for Breeders’ Cup glory.

Royal Ascot scorer Crimson Advocate will lead George Weaver’s three-pronged attack on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

Crimson Advocate provided her American handler with a first winner at the Royal meeting when blazing a trail in the hands of John Velazquez before showing real guts to hold off William Haggas’ Relief Rally in a thrilling finish to the Queen Mary Stakes.

That form has been boosted by the runner-up who is unbeaten in two starts since and having been freshened up over the summer months, Weaver is confident his daughter of Nyquist can dominate once again when returning to the track in California next month.

Crimson Advocate winning the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot
Crimson Advocate winning the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“She is breezing great and hopefully she can get a good trip and show us what she can do,” said the handler.

“I wanted to give her a break when she came back (from Ascot). She had a busy campaign and is not an overly big filly – she’s an April foal. It just seemed like a good time (to take a break) and there wasn’t anything lucrative for her over here in the summer. I just wanted to freshen her up and have her right for the big race.

“She’s doing as good as she ever has, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Joining Crimson Advocate on the teamsheet for the $1,000,000 contest are stablemates No Nay Mets and Amidst Waves.

The former, who is owned by baseball star Alex Bregman, disappointed when the mount of Frankie Dettori in the Norfolk Stakes but has since displayed his class on home soil with victories in both the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park and the Rosie’s Stakes at Colonial Downs.

Meanwhile, Amidst Waves has won three of her five career starts and, having secured black-type victories at both Monmouth and Saratoga, earnt her place in the line-up with a fine run to finish a nose second to Committee Of One in Keeneland’s Indian Summer Stakes earlier this month.

“All three of them are going for the race,” continued Weaver.

“At Ascot, that wasn’t No Nay Mets, that wasn’t him. I don’t know if he needed to be ridden differently or it was the ground – Frankie said he wasn’t in the right part of the turf course – but he is better than that and he has shown it since he has come back here.

“They are all legitimate contenders, it’s not like only one of them is a legitimate contender and the others just hopefuls. All three of them have put together resumes that make them look good in this race.

“I hate to run horses against each other, but I guess I would rather have three for one race than none.”

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