Whereas some individuals fixate on the Kentucky Derby annually, my favourite horse racing occasion has lengthy been the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. I simply love rapid-fire elite races throughout two days with each million-dollar stakes one other likelihood for a giant rating.
If you happen to had a very rancid opinion in a single race, simply put it behind you and transfer onto the following golden alternative to money a giant ticket in about half-hour.
If you happen to favor grass races to dust, there are many choices on the turf. Choose stamina exams reasonably than sprints, you might be in luck at Breeders’ Cup. In case you are a chalk participant, you may get 3-1 or 7-2 on the most definitely winner as a substitute of 8-5 or 2-1 on a traditional raceday. There’s something for every type of bettors Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar.
This yearly characteristic is all about massive costs: double-digit worth bets and 20-1 or 30-1 longshots. I’m not predicting longshots will win each race, and even nearly all of the 14 championship races, however upsets incessantly occur on the Breeders’ Cup and I’m looking out for longshots in each race which may result in a hefty reward.
Let’s get to it …
FRIDAY
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash, 5:45 p.m. ET
Eight of the 12 runners in the primary physique of this subject are delivery in from different nations. I had hoped for a greater value than 7-2 on Japan’s #8 Ecoro Sieg, the tepid morning-line favourite, however apparently, he’s no secret. My longshot play in right here is #4 Magnum Drive (15-1).
Magnum Drive has completed within the prime three in all 4 begins and enters off a third-place end in a Group 3 race in September at Doncaster behind two runners he’ll face once more right here, #2 Aesterius (9-2) and #3 Massive Mojo (4-1). He was overwhelmed by 1 ½ lengths in that race in his fourth profession begin and is triple the value of each runners.
$2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, 6:25 p.m. ET
Favorites have received this race at a 47.5% clip in 40 editions, so it’s not usually a fantastic spot for worth, however 20-1 on #1 Vodka With a Twist jumped out to me as a terrific value on the morning line. She enters off back-to-back runner-up finishes on this monitor within the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes and Grade 1 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante Stakes and has tactical velocity for an excellent coach in Phil D’Amato. I believe she will be able to win.
$1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, 7:05 p.m. ET
Aidan O’Brien’s unbeaten a number of Group 1 winner #1 Lake Victoria (8-5 favourite) seems formidable, however with two short-priced fillies – native hope #7 Thought Course of is 5-2 – there’s worth throughout among the many different entrants. U.S.-based runners have traditionally fared nicely on this race, so I’ll attempt #9 Kilwin (20-1) and #12 Might Day Prepared (20-1) to spice issues up. Kilwin is stretching out in distance however enters off a powerful stakes win at Kentucky Downs through which she closed within the stretch on a course that favored velocity all meet. Might Day Prepared improved to 3-for-3 with a well-timed win underneath Frankie Dettori within the Jessamine Stakes Introduced by Keeneland Gross sales.
$2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Introduced by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, 7:45 p.m. ET
I might be stunned if one in every of #1 East Avenue (5-2) or #10 Chancer McPatrick (3-1) didn’t win this race, however the post-position draw did neither any favors. American Pharoah Stakes Introduced by DK Horse runner-up #2 Getaway Automotive (20-1) suits my historic profile of a longshot winner in a race that has produced 10 double-digit odds winners within the final 25 years. If it’s not one of many favorites, I believe Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert’s longest shot from amongst his three entrants can pull the upset.
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, 8:25 p.m. ET
A lot of the main target on this race can be on bet365 Summer time Stakes winner #11 New Century (5-2) and runner-up #4 Al Qudra (4-1), who shipped over from Europe for the standard barns of Andrew Balding and Charlie Appleby, respectively, for his or her remaining prep race. I believe that would enable a few different worldwide runners to fly underneath the radar. Japan-based #1 Satono Carnival (20-1) is 2-for-2 and most lately led from begin to end in a Group 3 race in his native nation. He may discover himself on their lonesome in entrance and be robust to catch late. I additionally like Irish Group 1-placed #7 Seagulls Eleven (15-1) to outrun his odds for coach Hugo Palmer on the agency floor in Southern California.
SATURDAY
$1 million PNC Financial institution Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Dash, 3 p.m. ET
The logical win candidates look robust in right here, however #10 Scylla (10-1) has been excellent this yr for Corridor of Fame coach Invoice Mott. The Juddmonte homebred filly by main sire Tapit out of champion Shut Hatches had been operating round two turns, together with a second-place end to now-retired Adare Manor within the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Introduced by Oak Tree Racing Affiliation on this monitor. She reduce in distance when second within the Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap Aug. 24, and must be rested and razor sharp in her second attempt at this seven-furlong distance.
$1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash, 3:41 p.m. ET
Coach Charles Appleby is 10-for-20 within the Breeders’ Cup and also you get 10-1 morning-line odds on #6 Star of Thriller. She’s made her final three begins within the U.S. with a graded stakes win and top-three finishes in her different two races in a Grade 1 and a Grade 2. I’d be thrilled with 6-1 odds or greater on an achieved 3-year-old filly with 5 wins and 5 seconds in 12 begins. The place do I signal?! My finest wager of the weekend.
$2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, 4:21 p.m. ET
Effectively, I’m both going to look actually, actually dumb or like a genius for this choice however, heck, it’s Breeders’ Cup. Let’s swing for the fences.
Japanese invader #4 Alice Verite (20-1) is a real wild card within the Distaff. She initially was pointed to the Maker’s Mark Filly and Mare Turf and cross-entered right here, however despite the fact that she would have drawn into that race, her connections opted for the 1 1/8-mile Distaff and the Kizuna filly’s her first begin on dust. She’s a Group 3 winner on grass in her native Japan and what jumped out to me in watching her final three races was the ways. She opened up an enormous early lead each time and dared the remainder of the sector to come back and catch her.
Twice, she held on to win at 1 ¼ miles on the grass and most lately, she was handed late. Having by no means skilled dust being kicked again in her face, I assume jockey Kyle Frey can be instructed to ship her to the entrance and see how lengthy she will be able to cling on. With speedy champion Idiomatic retired, Alice Verite may discover herself on their lonesome in entrance getting into the stretch with a shot at a large upset in a race an eighth of a mile shorter than she has been operating.
$5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, 5:01 p.m. ET
In case you are beginning to discover a pattern, sure, I believe Japan may have a giant weekend Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar. #3 Shahryar (10-1) completed third on this race a yr in the past. Whereas winless in two begins in 2024, he was second fellow Turf contender Insurgent’s Romance within the $6 million Longines Dubai Sheema Basic in March. The 6-year-old by Deep Affect was fifth in his return from 4 ½ months off in August in his native Japan, however I view that as a steppingstone to this goal. I’ll wager Shahryar to win and field him within the exacta with #5 Jayarebe (4-1) and #11 Insurgent’s Romance (5-2).
$7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic, 5:41 p.m. ET
A lot focus has been on DraftKings Travers Stakes winner #9 Fierceness (3-1), English basic winner #3 Metropolis of Troy (5-2), and a formidable Japanese trio that Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes winner #2 Highland Falls (20-1) has flown underneath the radar within the Breeders’ Cup Basic. A regally bred Godolphin homebred for two-time Eclipse Award-winning coach Brad Cox, Highland Falls has actually come into his personal as a 4-year-old with two wins and two seconds in his final 4 begins. He has tactical velocity, confirmed class, and terrific kind. Highland Falls earned an excellent 5 ¾ on the Ragozin sheets within the Jockey Membership Gold Cup – by nearly each velocity determine a career-best effort – and with 9 weeks relaxation, he’s poised to take a step ahead within the Breeders’ Cup Basic. Highland Falls is “in nice fettle” as Wilmington (Del.) Information Journal handicapper Rick Smyth was fond of claiming.
$2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, 6:25 p.m. ET
I didn’t like #2 Full Depend Felicia’s (12-1) possibilities within the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile, a race unkind (to be charitable) to hurry horses, however I believe she suits properly right here. She must be on their lonesome in entrance within the Filly and Mare Turf with an opportunity to steer them a great distance, coming off back-to-back pacesetting wins in a Grade 2 and Grade 1 at Woodbine. I’ll play her to win-place and key her in my exacta and trifecta bets with #3 Cinderella’s Dream (4-1), #7 Content material (6-1), and #10 Moira (8-1).
$2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Dash, 7:05 p.m. ET
Raging Torrent (10-1) rides a three-race profitable streak into the Dash for coach Doug O’Neill, and I imagine his morning-line odds provide excellent worth for an bettering 3-year-old colt who has proven prior to now the flexibility to charge off the tempo and end. He’s set the tempo in his final three wins. I don’t see that occuring right here, but when he can tuck in simply behind the early leaders, Raging Torrent ought to have one thing left for the ultimate furlong. He appears like the sort that matches proper into that double-digit odds candy spot – 9 Breeders’ Cup dash winners within the 9-1 to 23-1 vary within the final 25 years – and can anchor my exacta with #10 Mullikin (7-2) and #4 Nakatomi (6-1).
$2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Introduced by PDJF, 7:45 p.m. ET
This race appears just like the deepest on the two-day World Championships playing cards. I’ll be holding a detailed eye on the percentages as we get near submit time and would like to get a sq. value on one of many two European 3-year-old fillies – #1 Ramatuelle (5-1) and #7 Porta Fortuna (4-1) – if bettors are scared off by the prospect of them going through older males right here. I’m not. When it comes to longshots, there actually aren’t any I really like within the Mile however I do assume there’s a good quantity of velocity within the race and it may arrange for a better like #8 Extra Than Seems (20-1) or #10 Win for the Cash (30-1) to fill out the trifecta (or possibly even the exacta) at a monster value.
$1 million Massive Ass Followers Breeders’ Cup Grime Mile, 8:25 p.m. ET
Whereas the Breeders’ Cup Mile is my favourite from among the many Breeders’ Cup races, the Grime Mile holds the spot on the different finish of the spectrum. When it comes to worth, #12 Mufasa (12-1) certain suits the invoice coming off a terrific 4 ¼-length within the Vosburgh Stakes. The submit place with a brief run into the primary flip didn’t assist his trigger … or #14 Skippylongstocking’s (4-1) for that matter. In case you are searching for a real bomb in right here to spice issues up, attempt #7 Tumbarumba (30-1). He’s completed within the prime three in his final eight races towards high quality competitors and no worse than second in 5 races in 2024. He’s additionally versatile sufficient to set the tempo, press, or stalk and will work out a good journey underneath Luis Saez.
