Breeders’ Cup
Breeders’ Cup Picks, & Prediction (Main races)
The Breeders Cup odds have been available since early this year, but the final fields have now been declared, which means that the excitement is at an all-time high.
But, who could be some of the biggest stars that emerge out of the Breeders’ Cup this year, and which selections feature highly on the Breeders Cup expert picks?
Breeders’ Cup Classic
There is no race like the Breeders’ Cup Classic, as it brings together the best-performing horses on the dirt from the past 12 months.
The Grade 1 will see runners compete over 1¼ miles at Keeneland, and many Breeders Cup expert picks are expecting something very special from Flightline.
The four-year-old for John Sadler will be the ride of Flavien Prat, and he got every fan talking after a sensational performance in the G1 Pacific Classic on his previous start.
That was his first run over the Classic distance, as he finished over 20 lengths clear of Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer.
Life Is Good
To put into context, Life Is Good, who is the second favorite, finished five lengths behind the same horse in the Dubai World Cup.
On the basis of that form alone, many Breeders Cup picks highlight that it will be difficult to take on the favorite.
Epicenter looks like the most realistic three-year-old contender after landing the G1 Travers on his previous start, while Taiba looked back to somewhere near the form we saw at the start of the season when he claimed victory in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby.
However, as an underneath play, I like the chances of Hot Rod Charlie. The four-year-old won the G2
Lukas Classic on his previous start and constantly delivers a strong ride for trainer Doug O’Neill. That is evident by the fact that he has placed in each of his four starts.
Breeders’ Cup Turf
It isn’t all about the dirt at Keeneland, as some of the biggest names in turf racing will be in action at the Breeders’ Cup.
This race will be run over a distance of 1½ miles, and the betting is dominated by European contenders that are making the trip Stateside.
Rebel’s Romance currently heads the betting after landing the G1 Preis von Europa last time out.
But, his stablemate, Nations Pride, looks the best profile. The runner for Charlie Appleby has dominated in the U.S. over the second half of the season, most recently landing the G3 Jockey Club Derby.
However, I like two of the runners that were last seen in the G1 Prix De l’Arc de Triomphe.
First, Broome, the Aidan O’Brien runner, finished a decent eighth in the prestigious Grade 1 and often delivers strong challenges when competing in the U.S.; as evident last year as he finished second to Yibir.
Is There a Partnership Between Mishriff and Frankie Dettori?
Mishriff will likely make his final career start this weekend and will be partnered with Frankie Dettori.
Connections were delighted with his effort to finish 13th in Arc, and the conditions at Keeneland this weekend could play more to his strengths.
As an outsider, Highland Chief is a former British-trained runner that has been targeted at the Turf throughout the season, and he looked very solid when winning the G3 Sycamore last time out.
Horse Racing Pick: Broome/Mishriff/Highland Chief
Breeders’ Cup Distaff
The Breeders Cup expert picks are mixed when it comes to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff this year, as this year’s race looks like one of the most competitive in years.
Nest will take a lot of money at the top of the betting for trainer Todd Pletcher after bouncing back from her Kentucky Oaks and Belmont Stakes runner-up finishes with a trio of graded wins.
That includes success in the G2 Beldame to warm up for this weekend’s race.However, Malathaat’s re-emergence could make for the most compelling betting angle.
After defeats to Clairiere earlier in the season, the four-year-old has bounced back to the top of her game with dominant victories in the G1 Spinster and G1 Personal Ensign.
Bids for Success
It could be worth following the four-year-old one more time as she bids for success in the Distaff at the second opportunity.
Clairiere is fascinating if you can look past the G1 Personal Ensign, where she struggled throughout before taking fifth.
Before that effort, she landed back-to-back wins against Malathaat in the G1 Ogden Phipps and G2 Shuvee Stakes.
The field is extremely deep, and further Graded winners such as:
- Search Results
- Society
- Secret Oath
Can’t be ruled out either.
Horse Racing Pick: Malathaat
Other Breeders’ Cup Expert Picks
With 14 Grade 1s taking place across two days at Keeneland, there’s more than enough racing for fans to enjoy.
The G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile looks like a very strong renewal of the race, with previous Breeders’ Cup champions Order of Australia and Modern Games headlining the European raiders.
However, it could be a rare turf race that goes the way of the U.S., as Annapolis looked incredibly strong over course and distance in the G1 Coolmore Turf Mile last month.
It could be worthwhile siding with the favorites in both the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and Breeders’ Cup Sprint, as both Golden Pal and Jackie’s Warrior look as though they’ll take a lot of beating.
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
Meanwhile, in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Cody’s Wish looks a solid favorite.
But, Senor Buscador could be worth following, as the four-year-old looked incredibly progressive when landing the G3 Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs in October.
There are few more exciting events on the horse racing calendar than the Breeders’ Cup. The annual event attracts the biggest names from around the globe, with over $30 million in prize money up for grabs. Stars from the dirt and turf all descend on the event, as they compete in a magnitude of Grade 1s, including the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The event is staged at a different course annually, and you can find out all the relevant information when it comes to the Breeders Cup 2022 and Breeders Cup betting below.
2022 Breeders Cup Contenders
Horse
- Flightline
- Epicenter
- Hot Rod Charlie
- Happy Saver
- Country Grammer
- Zandon
- Olympiad
- Cyberknife
- Life is Good
- Mandaloun
- Emblem Road
- Royal Ship
- Rich Strike
- Charge It
- Taiba
- Express Train
- Americanrevolution
Trainer
- J. Sadler
- S. Asmussen
- D. O'Neill
- T. Pletcher
- B. Baffert
- C. Brown
- W. Mott
- B. Cox
- T. Pletcher
- B. Cox
- A. Botti
- R. Mandella
- E. Reed
- T. Pletcher
- B. Baffert
- J. Shirreffs
- T. Pletcher
History of the Breeders Cup
The Breeders’ Cup is one of the most prestigious events on the racing calendar and has been since it was first introduced back in 1984. The first edition of the Breeders’ Cup took place at Hollywood Park Racetrack. Lucrative prize purses have been evident throughout the history of the Breeders’ Cup, with the purse increasing to $25.5 million in 2008.
The purses were increased once again ahead of the 2018 event, as the Juvenile Turf Sprint was introduced. That meant a total of $30 million has been available since. A number of previous races that have been run at the meet have been removed over the past ten years, including the Breeders’ Cup Marathon and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint, which were discontinued in 2013 and 2012, respectively.
Race Information
The Breeders’ Cup, or Breeders’ Cup World Championships, is an annual event featuring multiple Grade 1 races. Races are run on both the dirt and turf over the two-day meet, with the course changing annually. The Breeders’ Cup 2022 will be taking place at Keeneland in November for the third time. In its current format, there are 14 races that take place across the two-day meet.
Horses that line up in this field are determined by ‘Win and You’re In’ races, while a panel of racing experts can also add horses to respective fields. In total 14 Grade 1s are run during the meet, including the prestigious G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic and G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf. The meet is always one of the most popular, with sportsbooks always offering Breeders’ Cup odds on the biggest races.
Records
Some of the biggest trainers and jockeys have enjoyed massive victories at the event. Their entries are always popular when it comes to making Breeders’ Cup picks. The leading jockey in terms of Breeders’ Cup wins is Mike Smith, who has recorded 26 victories. Meanwhile, John Velazquez has recorded 18 wins, while Jerry Bailey and Frankie Dettori round off the top four.
Wayne Lukas has an excellent record at the event, and he has won 20 races as a trainer. The leading owner at the Breeders’ Cup is Juddmonte Farm, who has taken over $17 million in prize money throughout the event’s history. The highest-earning racehorse remains Zenyatta, who won just under $5 million during her career.
A number of special horses have won multiple times at the event. Tiznow is the only horse to have won back-to-back Breeders’ Cup Classics, while Zenyatta won the Distaff in 2008 before winning the Classic the following year. Beholder and Goldikova are the only two horses to have won three Breeders’ Cup races. Meanwhile, as of 2019, 107 favorites in the Breeders’ Cup odds have won 346 races. The biggest-priced winner was Arcangues, who won the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 133/1.
Last 5 Winners
The Breeders’ Cup betting race is the Classic. This race has created legends of the sport throughout its history. Below, you can find the previous five winners of the prestigious race, as well as their starting Breeders’ Cup odds.
| Year | Winning Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Knicks Go | Brad Cox | Joel Rosario | 5/2 |
| 2020 | Authentic | Bob Baffert | John Velazquez | 9/5 |
| 2019 | Vino Rosso | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr | 4/1 |
| 2018 | Accelerate | John Sadler | Joel Rosario | 3/1 |
| 2017 | Gun Runner | Steve Asmussen | Florent Geroux | 9/5 |
Tips On How To Win With Horse Racing
Making Breeders’ Cup picks is one of the toughest of the year, as a number of contenders will have leading chances. Below, you can find out about some of the most important tips to follow when making wagers on the Breeders Cup 2022.
As the course for the Breeders’ Cup changes annually, one of the most important factors to consider is the course form. Horses that have proven records over the track will stand a better chance than those that haven’t yet lined up at the course.
The Breeders’ Cup sees races taking place on both the dirt and turf. Therefore, it is important to consider that the horses traveling over from Europe may excel on the turf, while the dirt will be the preferred surface for the leading American chances.
Before making Breeders’ Cup picks, it is essential to look at the form of the trainer. Trainers in the better form will stand a better chance of winning, as their strike rate will show that their yard is firing. However, you should be warier about betting on a trainer’s horse that has gone a while without a victory.
Breeders Cup Frequently Asked Questions
The Breeders’ Cup takes place annually in November. The 2022 event takes place across the 4th and 5th of November at Keeneland.
The biggest race of the Breeders’ Cup is the Breeders’ Cup Classic. This Grade 1 is worth a staggering $6 million.
The leading trainer at the Breeders’ Cup is D. Wayne Lukas. The legendary trainer has recorded 20 victories to date.
There are 14 Grade 1s across two days at the event. As well as the Breeders’ Cup Classic, there is also the Turf, Juvenile Turf, Dirt Mile, and Sprint.
Only one horse has managed to win the Grand Slam. American Pharoah achieved that feat in 2015, as he won the Breeders’ Cup alongside the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Preakness Stakes.
