Most casual racing fans know about the Triple Crown and the pageantry and prestige that surrounds three Saturdays in late spring. Full time fans and bettors know the best action of the year with the strongest fields happen at The Breeder’s Cup. The event returns to Santa Anita for the 40th Anniversary.
Races start at 12:10 Central time, and I am including picks for all 12 races on the card, The Breeders’ Cup races are numbers 3-11. The weather looks great and it should be a fast track this afternoon at Santa Anita. I’ll give you my pick to win and at least my top 4 for each race. How you build those Exacts, Trifectas and Multi-Race bets is up to you. Let’s go!
Race 1 Thoroughbred Aftercare Allicance Stakes – Grade II –1 5/8 Miles (Dirt)– Purse: $250,000 – Post Time: 12:10 CDT
The under-card kicks off with a long ride for three-year olds and up. I landed on the morning line favorite 3 Siskany (GB). The European horses had some success on Breeders’ Cup Friday and 3 Siskany had some success on his last trip the the USA in June at Belmont at the two mile distance.
Win: 3 Siskany
Top 4 if playing Exotics 3-5-6-2
Race 2 Twilight Derby -Grade II 1 1/8 Miles (Turf) Purse: $250,000 Post Time – 12:50 CDT
This final lead up to the Breeders Cup races features three year olds and another invasion of horses from Europe. This race feels wide open, but I landed on the 7 Seal Team stepping up in class after going 2 for 3 in California since coming back from a long layoff. He should get a bit of a challenge from Bob Baffert horse 3 Reincarnate and a pair of British brethren 11 Mondego and 12 Silver Knott.
Win: 7 Seal Team
Top 4 if playing Exotics 7-3-11-12
Race 3 The Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile – Grade I – 1 Mile (Dirt) – Purse: $1,000,000 Post Time: 1:30 CDT
The feels like Deja Vu for this race from last year. 3 Cody’s Wish is still around. Still hasn’t lost at the 1 mile distance. He did have a bad trip two times ago out at Saratoga struggling at a longer distance and getting beat by ten lengths by White Abbario. It does feel like 4 Zozos could charge out fast and really up the pace here, which I think will hurt closer 2 Practical Move. I’m not going against Cody’s Wish here until someone beats him at a mile.
Win: 3 Cody’s Wish
Top 4 If playing Exotics 3-4-2-7
Race 4 The Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf – Grade I – 1 1/4 Miles (TURF) – Purse: $2,000,000 Post Time: 2:10 CDT
2 Warm Heart and Aiden O’brien look to replicate the trainer’s success in this event and quite honestly overall huge success at the Breeder’s Cup when pairing up with jockey Ryan Moore as they won the Juvenile Turf together on Friday also. 2 Warm Heart will be stepping back a 1/4 mile in distance and will have to contend with some more early pace than she’s had across the pond lately. 6 Inspiral is stepping up in distance from a mile, but this race starts coming down the chute and should not cause any issues there. 9 Didia has only been beaten once in the last two years, but hasn’t faced this caliber of class yet.
Win: 6 Inspiral
Top 4 If playing Exotics 6-2-9-1
Race 5 – PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Sprint – Grade I – 7 Furlongs (DIRT) – Purse: $1,000,000 – Post Time 2:50 CDT
1 Goodnight Olive, Chad Brown and Irad have been quite the trio at this distance winning 6 out of 8 tries including this same event last year at Keeneland. 7 Society who was bested by 1 Goodnight Olive by 5 lengths in April has since improved and will be in pay. I also look to the 4 Matareya to be in play near the front and if she can get out ahead of 1 Goodnight Olive along the rail the favorite could have a rough trip.
Win: 7 Society
Top 4 If playing Exotics 7-4-1-8
Race 6 The Fanduel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented By PDJF – Grade I – 1 Mile (Turf) – Purse: $2,000,000 Post Time: 3:30CDT
The favorite 10 Songline has shown the best times recently, but has a plethora of American talent at mid-level odds right behind him so I will be looking mostly towards playing some longer shot exotics in this race which I think is wide open. 10 Songline also will be making his first start on this side of the Pacific coming over from Japan and having run less than a month ago. The other favorite 14 Master of the Seas has to come all the way across from the outside and isn’t a horse that likes playing from near the front. I’m fading the chalk to win, but am giving you deeper exotic picks here.
Win: 8 Du Jour
Top 6 If playing Exotics 8-2-9-10-14-3
Race 7 The Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff – Grade I – 1 1/8 Miles (Dirt) – Purse $2,000,000 Post Time 4:10 CDT
There’s going to be too much early speed with strong horses for crowd favorite 9 Clairiere or the other closers to come from the back in this one. Look for these three horses to get out to the front and battle it all the way to the wire. Brad Cox entry 4 Idiomatic has won the last four times out including two Grade I wins. Baffert horse 5 Adare Manor has won five straight on the west coast. Chad Brown’s 8 Randomized has won the last three. I’ll take the extra odds and lock these three up in multi-race bets
Win: 8 Randomized
Top 4 if playing Exotics 8-5-4-1
Race 8 The Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf – Grade I – 1 1/2 Miles (TURF) – Purse: $4,000,000 Post Time: 4:50 CDT
Irish Derby winner 5 Auguste Rodin seemingly should be able to handle this field, but has mixed in two abhorrent trips into the last year of races where he just doesn’t show up. As long as today isn’t one of those days look for the previously mentioned combo of Aiden O’Brien and Ryan Moore to appear in the winner’s circle again. 5 Auguste Rodin has bested second choice 11 King of Steel every time they’ve run. I think the biggest challenge could come from the outside 13 War Like Goddess or possibly a sneaky longshot combo of Johnny V and Aiden O’Brien teaming up on 4 Bolshoi Ballet
Win: 5 Auguste Rodin
Top 4 if playing Exotics 5-13-4-11
Race 9 The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic – Grade I -1 1/4 Miles (Dirt) Purse $6,000,000 – Post Time 5:40 CDT
I’m fading 3 White Abbario in the big one here. While certainly improved this year this horse hasn’t stretched out to this distance and had success and there is too much talent in this field that is used to going the extra furlong here. 8 Ushba Tesoro has won six straight races in Japan and has some nice times at this distance. 11 Bright Future and 13 Proxy put up 2:03 at Saratoga in September in quite a battle and could be battling at the front of this one. Baffert’s 12 Arabian Knight hasn’t posted elite times, but has shown the ability to rally and ride from the front and should joining the 11 and 13 horses in trying to get out quick. 2 Zandon got trounced by 3 White Abbario in August, but bounced back to form in his next outing and has shown some strength at this distance. With my original pick 1 Arcangelo scratched I’m torn on this one and will have lots of horses in multi-race plays out of the classic.
Win: 11 Bright Future
Top 6 If playing Exotics 11-13-8-2-12-4
Race 10 The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint – Grade I – 5 Furlongs (TURF) – Purse: $1,000,000 – Post Time: – 6:25 CDT
With the order changed on the west coast to get the classic at it’s usual TV time for those back east we end the cup with the sprints later this year. If you want to see horses fly this is the spot. 3 Caravel has been beaten the last two times out and hasn’t looked the same, but certainly could revert to form and repeat last year’s victory. The challenge will come from everywhere. I like the remarkably consistent speed of 7 Nobals to be in play. Big improvement on their last run shows 12 Arzak will certainly have a shot, but he’ll need to find away to get across early and shorten the trip which could prove difficult with the inside speed in this race. 10 Motorious will get Flavien Prat in a look to improve from last two runs which were a step back in speed. Double digit prices on 8 Aesop’s Fables and 9 Roses for Debra are also attractive as with some improvement both could make some noise.
Win: 12 Arzak
Top 6 if playing Exotics 12-3-7-8-9-10
Race 11 The Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint – Grade I – 6 Furlongs (Dirt) – Purse: $2,000,000 Post Time 7:00 CDT
The final race of the cup is the dirt sprint. 8 Elite Power won this race last year and is the favorite here. He was beaten last time out moving up to 7f and drops back down to six here and will face some strong sprinters. 2 Dr. Schivel took most of last year off and has quickly gotten back into form. Local legends 6 The Chosen Vron who has won eight straight and 7 Speed Boat Beach will both be right there at the end. 9 Gunite hasn’t beaten 8 Elite Power at this distance, but was the horse that got him at Saratoga in August.
Win: 8 Elite Power
Top 4 if playing Exotics 8-2-9-7
Race 2 Allowance 6 1/2 Furlongs (Hillside Turf) Purse: $100,000 +30,000 Cal-Breds- Post Time – 7:30 CDT
Last chance to win some money on the card. Hopefully we had a great day and are just popping some champagne and maybe watching a late pick 4 still have a shot. No deep dive here
Win: 10 Madiha
Top 4 If Playing Exotics 10-3-7-6
