There are few more exciting days of racing action than the Breeders’ Cup. The spectacle takes place annually in November, with 14 high-quality on the card over the two-day meet.
This year’s host will be Del Mar for the first time in the history of the event, but which horses are the current favourites in the betting to win the most illustrious races?
Breeders’ Cup Classic
One of the most prestigious races of the season takes place at the Breeders’ Cup, as the Breeders’ Cup Classic is the featured race. Superstars such as Cigar, American Pharoah and Zenyatta have won the race in the past. This year’s renewal looks to be the most open for years, with cases to be made for many of the horses at the top of the betting.
Knicks Go is the current leader in the betting. The five-year-old has been in scintillating form since returning to the United States after finishing fourth in the Saudi Cup.
Knicks Go also won the Pegasus World Cup in January, and has added further graded success in the forms of the G3 Cornhusker and G1 Whitney in the last couple of months. Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality could be the leading pick of the three-year-olds involved.
Breeders’ Cup Turf
While the Breeders’ Cup Classic sees the best on dirt compete, it is the turn of the star of turf in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. This race has been won by superstars such as English Channel, Enable and Tarnawa in the past, with the latter looking to return for a history-equalling second success this year.
Tarnawa is one of the biggest stars in the world of flat racing, and is already the clear favourite in the betting for the Breeders’ Cup Turf later in the year. She hasn’t tasted defeat since October 2019, and won last year’s race by a length from Magical.
Her only run so far this season came at Leopardstown, as he returned to the track with a dominant six and a half length victory over Silence Please in the G3 Grant Thornton Ballyroad Stakes. Other British contenders that look set to oppose Tarnawa in this year’s race include globe-trotting Mishirff, and superstar Lover. Both also have leading claims after winning Group 1s this season in the United Kingdom.
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf also looks set to be one of the most eye-catching races on the card at Del Mar in November.
This is run by fillies and mares that are three and older, and has been one by legendary female horses such as Audarya, Ouija Board and Sistercharlie in the past.
Aidan O’Brien is yet to train the winner of this race, but that is something that he is looking to change given the route that he has taken with this filly throughout the season. After a disappointing fifth in the Epsom Oaks, and a second in the Pretty Polly Stakes, Santa Barbara was shipped to the United States.
She hasn’t looked back in the US, as she has won on both starts in very convincing fashion. On her first start, she won by half a length from Con Lima in the G1 Belmont Oaks, before she was more dominant in the G1 Beverly D. Stakes, beating Mean Mary by three lengths.
Snowfall could be her main rival if she travels over to Del Mar, as the three-year-old has been a superstar throughout the season in Europe. Epsom Oaks success was followed by victories in the Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks.
However, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe almost certainly looks like her target for the season.
There you have it, the most likely winners of the Breeders Cup races. Check out 2021 Breeders’ Cup Odds by TwinSpires here before placing your bet.
