Horse players can dive into their Halloween goodies early as the international grab bag known as the Breeders’ Cup gets underway Friday with five races showcasing horse racing’s next generation of equine talent.

The two-day “world championships” of Thoroughbred racing at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky, continue Saturday with nine races for older horses, culminating in the marquee $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

First up, however, are Friday’s devilishly difficult races for 2-year-olds, also known as juveniles. These races pose a serious challenge for handicappers, with a strong European contingent adding to the difficulty of assessing lightly raced horses that are still learning the finer points of the sport.

Without Further Ado (he runs Saturday in the Dirt Mile), let’s get to it.

$1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint

5½ furlongs on the grass

There was a time when bettors could focus primarily on the European runners in most Breeders’ Cup turf races.…