Casual horse racing fans can be excused for not paying close attention to the sport after the Triple Crown winds up with the Belmont Stakes in June. Granted, there are lots of exciting races and horses, but not many approach the Triple Crown in terms of public interest. Except for the Breeders’ Cup.
The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is held every year at one of the nation’s leading racetracks. This year, California’s Del Mar Thoroughbred Club welcomes the event on October 31 and November 1. Here’s a quick roundup of the best bets.
The Breeders’ Cup features 14 Grade 1 races, but a few stand out as the most important and prestigious.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic
This is the undisputed centerpiece and most important race of the entire event.
It has the highest purse (around $7 million this year) and is considered the year-end championship event for North American Thoroughbred racing. The Breeders’ Cup Classic is a race for horses aged three and older, run on dirt over 1 1/4 miles. This year, it is one of the most anticipated races of the year because of its star-studded field.
| 1. Fierceness | 4-1 |
| 2. Baeza | 15-1 |
| 3. Nevada Beach | 20-1 |
| 4. Contrary Thinking | 50-1 |
| 5. Forever Young | 6-1 |
| 6. Sovereignty | 6-5 (Morning-Line Favorite) |
| 7. Sierra Leone | 8-1 |
| 8. Mindframe | 10-1 |
| 9. Journalism | 10-1 |
| 10. Antiquarian | 15-1 |
Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby, skipped the Preakness, and then defeated the winner of that race, Journalism, in the Belmont. Sierra Leone is the defending champion, so this race looks like a “classic.”
The Breeders’ Cup Turf: This is a premier race, particularly attracting top international turf horses. It features one of the highest purses at the event ($5 million) and is run on 1 ½ miles of grass. The two favorites are the British horse, Rebel’s Romance at 5-2 and the Irish filly Minnie Hauk at 8-5. The French horse, Goliath, is 8-1.
The Breeders’ Cup Distaff
This is the championship race for the best fillies and mares aged three and older. It carries a significant purse ($2 million) and is highly ranked among Grade 1 races for its division, and is run over 1 1/8 miles of dirt. Here’s the draw for this race.
| 1. Nitrogen | 4-1 |
| 2. Sarawak Rim | 12-1 |
| 3. Clicquot | 10-1 |
| 4. Scylla | 15-1 |
| 5. Scottish Lassie | 12-1 |
| 6. Alice Verite | 20-1 |
| 7. Gin Gin | 12-1 |
| 8. Seismic Beauty | 9-5 |
| 9. Majestic Oops | 30-1 |
| 10. Gun Song | 30-1 |
| 11. Dry Powder | 20-1 |
| 12. Dorth Vader | 5-1 |
| 13. Regaled | 30-1 |
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
An important race for two-year-olds on the dirt, often serving as an early indicator of future stars and potential Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown contenders. This has a heavy favorite, Ted Noffey, who has yet to lose.
| 1. Intrepido | 8-1 |
| 2. Blackout Time | 5-1 |
| 3. A. P. | 30-1 |
| 4. Comport | 30-1 |
| 5. Civil Liberty | 20-1 |
| 6. Litmus Test | 16-1 |
| 7. Brant | 5-2 |
| 8. Ted Noffey | 4-5 |
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