Horse Racing Odds – Breeders’ Cup Preview

By Phil Simon

Thoroughbred racing’s annual showcase event is scheduled to take place this Friday and Saturday with the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, Calif. Top horses from around the world will participate in a total of 14 races over two days in the 38th edition of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The first day is known as Future Stars Friday with five Breeders’ Cup races that all consist of two-year-olds. Friday’s marquee races are the Juvenile and the Juvenile Fillies. Nine races are schedule for Saturday with the last being the featured event: the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

2021 Breeders’ Cup World Championships
Dates and Times: Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, All Day
Location: Del Mar Racetrack, Del Mar, CA
Breeders’ Cup TV Coverage: NBCSN, NBC

Race Schedule for Friday, November 5, 2021

All five Juvenile races will take place on the same day in what is known as Future Stars Friday. Some of horse racing’s biggest names made it to the winners circle at the Breeders’ Cup as two-year-olds. Nyquist and Street Sense captured the Juvenile and later hit it big at the Kentucky Derby. The day concludes with the 1 1/16 mile Juvenile with the winner becoming a likely favorite for the 2022 Kentucky Derby.

Juvenile Turf Sprint – 5:50 p.m. ET
At the minimum five furlongs, this race really is a sprint. Betting favorite Averly Jane won for the fourth time in as many starts running away with the Indian Summer last month at Keeneland.

Juvenile Fillies – 6:30 p.m. ET
This race for two-year-old females is run at 1 1/16 miles with the winner typically being named the champion of all two-year-old fillies. Favorite Echo Zulu is 3 for 3 with an impressive seven-length win last month in the Frizette.

Juvenile Fillies Turf – 7:10 p.m. ET
This race brings in the best two-year-old female turf horses from around the world for a one-mile jaunt on the grass track. Since 2012 it’s been among the top juvenile races on the scene. The maximum 14 horses are entered with G1 Natalma Stakes runner-up Pizza Bianca the early betting favorite.

TVG Juvenile – 7:50 p.m. ET
One of the most important races of the thoroughbred season, the Juvenile is the richest two-year-old race in North America and oftentimes the winner is made the Kentucky Derby favorite. Whoever wins this race will be viewed as a star in racing circles.

Juvenile Turf – 8:30 p.m. ET
A fairly recent edition to the Breeders’ Cup lineup, this race is now a Grade 1. Run at one mile on turf, this race has become important for the two-year-olds, who begin preparations for the longer turf races starting next year.

Race Schedule for Saturday, November 6, 2021

While the Breeders’ Cup brings together hundreds of the finest thoroughbreds from around the world, the best of the best will compete in the final race of the two-day extravaganza: the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Filly and Mare Sprint – 3:05 p.m. ET
Run at seven furlongs, the Filly and Mare Sprint will determine the fastest female thoroughbred at three-years-old and up. I think we can already say favorite Gamine is the fastest having won this race last year as one of her nine wins in 10 starts.

Turf Sprint – 3:40 p.m. ET
The Turf Sprint is a newer addition to the Breeders’ Cup lineup. Horses three-years-old and up are eligible to compete across the five furlong distance with Golden Pal and his perfect record on American soil the early favorite.

Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile – 4:19 p.m. ET
With the Breeders’ Cup Mile having been run on turf in the past, the introduction of the Dirt Mile was a welcome addition to the lineup. The field includes several horses making the jump from sprints and a few dropping down from longer distances to bring us a contrast in racing styles.

Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf – 4:59 p.m. ET
The best female grass horses take the track in this event, run at 1 3/8 miles. War Like Goddess has won six of seven starts, including her first G1 most recently.

Sprint – 5:38 p.m. ET
With horses reaching speeds of close to 40 MPH down the stretch, the Sprint is just that. The world’s fastest three-year-old and up male and female thoroughbreds will air it out for 3/4 mile.

Fanduel Mile – 6:20 p.m. ET
The Mile has always been run on grass, which is why European horses have thrived in this particular race. This is another race for horses three-years-old and older. Space Blues, a winner last month in France, is the early favorite.

Longines Distaff – 7 p.m. ET
This is the premier event of the racing season for female thoroughbreds, which will traverse the main track for 1 1/8 miles. With five consecutive victories, including four G1 triumphs, Letruska is the heavy negative odds favorite.

Longines Turf – 7:40 p.m. ET
The stakes climb in the final two races of the Breeders’ Cup with the top three-year-old and up grass horses from around the world running 1 1/2 miles for a piece of the $4 million prize purse. Tarnawa is favored to repeat her Breeders’ Cup win in this event from last year.

Longines Classic – 8:40 p.m. ET
The Breeders’ Cup lineup leads us to the main event with the Classic being the ultimate and defining race of the international season. Open to thoroughbreds three and older, the Classic annually attracts top worldwide talent. The field is limited to 14 horses which run 1 1/4 miles for part of the $6 million prize purse. Triple Crown race winners Medina Spirit (Kentucky Derby) and Essential Quality (Belmont Stakes) are entered but are behind Knicks Go on the early betting lines.