Breeders’ Cup Odds: Best Picks, Preview & Horses to Watch

The latest Breeders’ Cup odds are shaping up as we get closer to the World Championships in Del Mar, California – and it’s fair to say punters aren’t wasting any time jumping on the ante-post prices.

The Breeders’ Cup brings to an end America’s premier flat racing season that has seen some remarkable stories this year. From Medina Spirit’s contentious Kentucky Derby victory to Rombauer’s sublime +1200 triumph in the Preakness Stakes, it’s certainly been a year for horse racing betting fans to remember.

Indeed, welcoming back fans to racetracks across the country following the coronavirus pandemic has made for an even more special year.

And now it all comes to a dramatic climax this November when the world’s best thoroughbreds descend on California for two days of elite-level horse racing.

The full race cards for each of the 14 big races won’t be finalized until a few days before the weekend. But that doesn’t stop us from checking out the ante-post markets to find the best horses to watch out for during the Breeders’ Cup World Championships!

2021 Breeder’s Cup Winner Odds

This year’s Breeders’ Cup will include the following World Championship races on Friday, November 5, and Saturday, November 6, 2021.

Friday, Nov 5 schedule

• Juvenile Turf Sprint (Post time: 5:50 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies (Post time: 6:30 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Post time: 7:10 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Juvenile (Post time: 7:50 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Turf (Post time: 8:30 p.m. ET)

Saturday, Nov 6 schedule

• Breeder’s Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (Post time: 3:05 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint (Post time: 3:40 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile (Post time: 4:19 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Filly and Mare Turf (Post time: 4:59 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Sprint (Post time: 5:38 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Mile (Post time: 6:20 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Distaff (Post time: 7:00 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Turf (Post time: 7:40 p.m. ET)
• Breeder’s Cup Classic (Post time: 8:40 p.m. ET)

2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic Betting Pick

When it comes to betting on the Breeders’ Cup there’s no better race than the Classic. This 1 and 1/4 race is open to horses aged three and up, and boasts an eye-watering $6m purse. Recent champions include Authentic (2020), Accelerate (2018), and Arrogate (2016).

Throughout the two-day World Championships there are plenty of races to enjoy – and here are the current race cards* and horse racing odds for three big runs on Saturday.

Dirt Mile (Saturday, November 6 at 4:19 p.m. ET – 1 mile)

Knicks Go won this race last year and will likely challenge for the Breeders’ Cup Classic instead of returning to the Dirt Mile. In his place is three-year-old LIFE IS GOOD, who has won three of his four races to date. Life is Good cruised to Belmont Park victory in September and has twice beaten Medina Spirit in Santa Anita. If he runs he could be hard to beat.

Elsewhere, Jackie’s Warrior has been tested much more than Life is Good and was winning races as a two-year-old last fall. Priced at +500 the all-American thoroughbred cruises under jockey Joel Rosario.

An outside tip is four-year-old Ginobili who won a Grade 2 stakes race at Del Mar in August, well ahead of Saturday’s unfancied CZ Rocket. Indeed, this track has proved successful for Ginobili over the past two years and a place here wouldn’t be a shock.

Distaff (Saturday, November 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET – 1 and 1/8 miles)

Some of the potential runners in the Distaff may be bumped up to the Classic in the days leading up to the Breeders’ Cup weekend, but let’s take a look at the contenders most likely to run here. LETRUSKA is turning heads and plenty of hearts among the horse racing betting community with odds of +150 to win the Distaff. The five-year-old has recorded top-grade wins at Belmont, Saratoga, and Keeneland this year but has never raced at Del Mar.

So heavy is Letruska’s odds that many punters are seeking at the place markets, and Shedaresthedevil is in a great position here at +800. The four-year-old won a Grade 1 race at Del Mar back in August and comes into the Breeders’ Cup off the back of four wins from five in 2021. Jockey Florent Geroux is proving to be an excellent steer.

Breeders’ Cup Classic (Saturday, November 6 at 8:40 p.m. ET – 1 and 1/4 miles)

Knicks Go is the heavy favorite to win the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic, having won his last three races. The 2021 Pegasus World Cup winner is in great form and justifies his +275 price. However, there are other candidates in the Breeders’ Cup Classic runners list that are just as worth taking notice of.

Indeed, ESSENTIAL QUALITY won the Belmont Stakes this summer and the Juvenile at the Breeders’ Cup in 2020. The Godolphin horse is in supreme form and has kicked on from a fourth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby.

The winner at Churchill Downs, Medina Spirit, is the fourth favorite at +700 but many punters will be looking towards Hot Rod Charlie instead for a high-odds winner. Hot Rod Charlie (in from +1000 to +550) was second in the Belmont Stakes and third in the Kentucky Derby. He is a prime wager to place here at a distance that suits him, and got the best of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic draw earlier in the week.

*Note that racecards are subject to change and not all horses in the ante-post markets have been confirmed for each specific race. Updated racecards for all three races will be made available closer to race day.

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