We're one week away from thoroughbred racing's biggest day, the Breeder's Cup World Championships. It's once again at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It's been a familiar theme since 2008, with the Cup only rotating between Santa Anita Park and Churchill Downs. We get a reprieve from the west coast Cup next year when it's at Keeneland Racetrack, but it returns to Santa Anita in 2016. The days of the championship day revolving track to track are long gone in the memories of most players. What was originally set up to showcase thoroughbred racetracks throughout the country, has become a event for good weather with Hollywood influence plus a three hour time difference from the east coast. The perfect mix for promoting the sport in the eyes of Breeder's Cup Limited. I've told you in the past how I feel about this situation and how much it has gotten away from it's original intent. Nevertheless, when it comes to making money on the sport, the Breeder's Cup is the way to go!
Other than the Kentucky Derby with twenty horses entered almost each year, only the Breeder's Cup do you get full fields in each race and great payouts each time. Plus with the advent of exotic and multi-race wagering, the right combinations can sometimes be life changing events. I've also found with knowing the pre-entries 10 days before the event can be a useful tool in sorting out the contenders in each race. A two day event since 2007 also gives you a chance at building a bankroll for the Saturday card, the day before. You don't have to go "deep" into the fields to make money these two days. Also with fifty cent minimum bets, you can score a nice play with minimal investment.
In races with lukewarm favorites, payouts score several hundred dollars if not more. This year, the prospects of "odds-on" runners will be at a premium. We don't have either a Wise Dan or Beholder in two of the marquee races this year. Some of the other highly talented runners from earlier in the year (Close Hatches and California Chrome) have tailed off in their last start and could be a square price this time around. There is always the European flavor also, which this year will play a major outcome in many of the races in my opinion. Fields in all the Juvenile races are wide open and may be the best paying fields in my opinion. Take advantage of the dime superfecta plays and fifty cent pick three and pick four wagers, little investment could have major payouts when including the right odds runners.
When it comes to the straight; win, place and show wagers, it doesn't hurt sometimes making a show wager on a longshot in these full fields. In the past I've have double digit show prices with logical runner up horses. Anyway you look at it, Breeder's Cup Day is a event where money can be made with a little work and a minimum money investment.
I'll be giving my plays for Breeder's Cup Friday in Thursday's edition of the Recorder. There only four races on Friday this year; the Juvenile Turf for colts (6th) post time 5:25pm EST, the Dirt Mile (7th) 6:05pm, the Juvenile Turf for fillies (8th) 6:50pm and the Distaff (9th) 7:35pm with these four races shown on the NBC Sports Network (channel 44 ~ TWC). The format I'll be using for my selections will be like I use for Saratoga with my top two selections plus comments and three horses to use underneath in exotic and multi-race wagers.
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