2023 Breeders' Cup Betting Odds & Tips

2021 Breeders’ Cup Betting Preview

The 2021 Breeders’ Cup will take place over two days, namely Friday 5 November and Saturday 6 November.

There are five prominent Juvenile races being run on Day 1 of the Breeders’ Cup meeting and they are as follows:

Day 1 Betting Preview

Juvenile Turf Sprint – The bookies are expecting an open contest although preference is given to Averly Jane who might take all the beating. Perfect Power and Twilight Gleaming could be in the final shake-up.

Juvenile Turf – Albahr looks to be the most solid selection when it comes to this race, with Annapolis also to be respected based on previous showings.

Juvenile Fillies – Echo Zulu could be the horse to beat and is trading favourite, with Jujus Map, Aint Easy and Hidden Connection the other runners trading at single figure odds.

Juvenile Fillies Turf – there is plenty of each-way betting potential here, with Tenebrism and Discoveries heading the market. Wild Beauty, Zellie and Agartha are the other female horses to respect here.

Juvenile – many punters are latching on to Jack Christopher for the Juvenile race although Corniche and Major General might be more attractive options at a bigger price.

Day 2 Betting Preview

Golden Pal was an impressive winner at 1/2 when obliging at Keeneland, with the Wesley Ward-trained runner having shortened significantly for the Turf Sprint race. Gear Jockey and Glass Slippers could be the horses that give the market leaders most to think about.

Letruska has recently scored wins at Saratoga and Keeneland, with the five-year-old now as short as even money to win the Distaff. Malathaat is an interesting each-way possibility, with Shedaresthedevil looking like a runner that could also be in the shake-up.

Gamine is regarded by the bookmakers as having a greater than 50% chance of winning this race. At the time of writing, the mare is trading at a best price 4/5 and there’s a strong case for the horse claiming victory. Bella Sofia could be an each-way bet to nothing, with Ce Ce available at 8/1 and she’s third favourite.

Space Blues was a sensational winner at Longchamp at the beginning of October, with the Godolphin horse now taking his chances in Del Mar. Mo Forza could be his biggest rival over the one mile distance, with Mother Earth also expected to line up.

War Like Goddess has won her previous four races and it would be no surprise if William Mott was able to guide the horse to victory on the turf at Del Mar. Love is likely to line up for trainer Aidan O’Brien, while Teona and Loves Only You are the other horses that look certain to feature.

Trainer Dermot Weld will hope that Tarnawa will be third time lucky after his horse finished second at Leopardstown before landing a runner-up position in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. There’s a chance to more than double your money by backing a horse that has the stand-out credentials.

Jackie’s Warrior has been all the rage leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, with all the bookies having this horse trading at around the 6/4 mark. Dr Schivel and Following Sea are also single figure prices, although money has been coming for Special Reserve.

Life Is Good was beaten at odds-on when finishing second in Saratoga at the end of August, although the bookies still think the horse is the most likely winner here. Jackie’s Warrior is entered but could reroute to the Sprint race, with Art Collector the other interesting runner.

Brad H Cox has a potential superstar on his hands, with Knicks Go heading the betting for this big money race and the horse has won his past three outings. A victory in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga means that there’s plenty to like about this runner’s chances.

Racing Highlights

The action at the Breeders’ Cup meeting takes place over two days. The opening day, known as Future Stars Friday, includes five races for the top juveniles in the game, ranging in distance from five and a half furlongs to just over a mile.

It is the Saturday of the Breeders’ Cup that includes the races the fans really want to see and bet on though.

• Classic, Grade 1, 1m2f - The biggest race of the meeting, the Classic offers a staggering $6 million in prize money and attracts the 14 best in the business.
• Turf, Grade 1, 1m4f - There’s a cool $4 million up for grabs in this race, one in which jockeys and trainers from across the Atlantic have enjoyed plenty of success.
• Dirt Mile, Grade 1, 1m - “Just” a million available in prize money here, but it’s still a fantastic spectacle and a great race on which to bet.
• Filly & Mare Turf, Grade 1, 1m3f - The females take centre stage here as the fillies and mares get a chance to shine, and to earn their share of the $2 million purse.
• Filly & Mare Sprint, Grade 1, 7f - Another for the fillies and mares, but that bit quicker, this sprint has been run since 2007.
• Turf Sprint, Grade 1, 5½f - A challenging race for the best sprinters in the business offers up a $1 million purse.
• Mile, Grade 1, 1m - Not many mile races are worth $2 million, but this one is, and there are plenty of top quality contenders going all out to claim top prize.

Betting Pointers And Tips

Given that the Breeders’ Cup takes place at different tracks (see below), picking the best runners to bet on is not as straightforward as when betting on a meeting that takes place at the same place each year, such as the Cheltenham Festival.

Taking into account the form of runners, riders and trainers in races at the specific track at which the Breeders’ Cup will be run this year is key to your betting success. Of course, opting to back horses that have performed at the highest level at any track is also a good place to start, but given the difference between the tracks, a horse that performs sublimely at Churchill Downs, might not be all-conquering at Monmouth Park.

Certain trainers also seem to target particular races at the Breeders’ Cup meeting. For instance Ireland’s Aidan O’Brien has won the Turf race six times so anything he enters to that race should be given serious consideration. Bob Baffert’s historic treble of winners in the Classic from 2014 to 2016 mark that trainer out as one to watch in the biggest race.

When it comes down to it though, the winners at the Breeders’ Cup meeting will be the runners and riders who are able to keep their nerve in the face of immense pressure. There is so little between the best of the best that you will have to rely on a little bit of luck to back winners here. Of course, seeking out the best value racing odds helps you get the best deal whatever you choose to bet on and our odds comparison makes that incredibly easy.

Breeders’ Cup Racetracks

Note that the Breeders’ Cup meeting takes place at different racetracks in the USA (and indeed once in Canada). The meeting has taken place most regularly at Churchill Downs in south Louisville, Kentucky, and Santa Anita Park, in Arcadia, California. Including the 2018 meeting those tracks have hosted the Breeders’ Cup nine times each.

The Breeders’ Cup has been run at various other tracks over the years including Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, Monmouth Park in New Jersey, and Gulfstream Park in Florida.

Breeders’ Cup – A Brief History

The Breeders’ Cup meeting first took place at Hollywood Park in 1984 and was run as a one-day event until it expanded to two days in 2007. As mentioned above the meeting takes places at different racetracks, but it has been known to stick at one track for two or three years in succession.

The meeting is known for its hefty prize purse (which is $30 million in 2018) and the high quality of its races. The Classic is rated by many as one of the biggest and best races in the world, up there with the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Dubai World Cup and the Derby. In 2018 only the Pegasus World Cup and the Dubai World Cup offered a greater prize purse.

American jockey Mike Smith has ridden the most Breeders’ Cup winners, with a total of 26. D Wayne Lukas has trained the most winners to date with 20 but each year new names are written into the history of this amazing horse racing spectacle.