If anyone was wondering how popular the new Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint would be, wonder no more. The inaugural edition of the race has drawn 28 pre-entries, more than twice the 12 slots in the starting gate.

Trainer Wesley Ward pre-entered half a dozen youngsters for this race, but only two, Shang Shang Shang and Stillwater Cove, currently hold spots in the main body of the field. Stablemates Chelsea Cloisters, Moonlight Romance, Mae Never No, and Dragic, in that order, are on the outside looking in for the race, which can list up to four also-eligibles on the program when final entries are taken next Monday, Oct. 29.

Shang Shang Shang, who has been the favorite throughout the fall on Daily Racing Form handicapper Brad Free's line, earned a guaranteed spot in this field by winning the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes in June at Royal Ascot, her most recent start. The Norfolk was the first of four "Win and You're In" automatic qualifiers for the Juvenile Turf Sprint, with Its Gonna Hurt (Speakeasy Stakes), Strike Silver (Indian Summer Stakes), and Uncle Benny (Grade 3 Futurity Stakes) grabbing the other guaranteed berths.

The European contingent is led by Soldier's Call, a group stakes winner who was recently a close third to older horses in Group 1 company in France.

Here are the 12 horses currently guaranteed a spot in the field for the Juvenile Turf Sprint, in alphabetical order:
Bulletin (second preference Juvenile Turf), Its Gonna Hurt, Pocket Dynamo, Queen of Bermuda, Sergei Prokofiev, Shang Shang Shang, So Perfect (second preference Juvenile Fillies Turf), Soldier's Call, Stillwater Cove, Strike Silver, Uncle Benny (first preference Juvenile Turf), Well Done Fox

Not selected into the field and listed in order of preference by the Breeders' Cup racing directors/secretaries panel:

Chelsea Cloisters, Moonlight Romance, Big Drink of Water, Comedy, Van Beethoven, Legends of War, Stellar Agent (first preference Juvenile Fillies Turf), Whooping Jay, Mae Never No, Backtohisroots, Never No More, Tracksmith (first preference Juvenile Turf), Dragic, Order and Law (first preference Juvenile Turf), Sovereign Impact, All About It

The Juvenile Turf Sprint will be the first Breeders' Cup race of the weekend, kicking off "Future Stars Friday" with all five Breeders' Cup races on one program.

More to follow on DRF.com.