The anticipated showdown between Bob Baffert’s Game Winner and Chad Brown’s Complexity never materialized in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Friday, November 2 as Game Winner, despite a wide trip, easily overpowered the field en route to a 2 ¼ length win.

Owned by Gary and Mary West and trained by Bob Baffert, Game Winner ($4) dropped to midpack soon after the start as the race’s second-choice, Complexity, assumed the early lead.  Complexity guided the field into the far turn before tiring, as longshot Knicks Go assumed the lead.

Game Winner, biding his time under Joel Rosario, launched a wide bid and steadily reeled in Knicks Go at the top of the lane. The two briefly raced side-by-side, with Knicks Go initiating some bumping, before Game Winner gradually pulled clear.

Knicks Go held on to finish second, with Signalman a length back in third.  He was 6 ¼ lengths clear of Mr. Money in fourth and Gunmetal Gray finished 3-lengths behind in fifth. Complexity tired to finish tenth.

This was the fourth Breeders’ Cup Juvenile win for Bob Baffert and the first for Joel Rosario.  Baffert teamed with Gary and Mary West to win the 2013 edition of the Juvenile.
The final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.67 over a track labeled fast.