Del Mar racetrack in California is once again ready to stage the 2021 Breeders’ Cup – the biggest horse racing betting event in the American thoroughbred calendar – and it’s fair to say there’s plenty of interest around the big names here.
The likes of Medina Spirit and Essential Quality are bringing their Kentucky Derby sparkle to the big Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 6, while the Distaff and Turf are likely to turn heads with some of the most competitive racing of the year.
There were a good few “Win and You’re In” races across the country last weekend, which means the race cards for the biggest events in the Breeders’ Cup are shaping up nicely.
We won’t know the full cards until much closer to the November meet – but that hasn’t prevented the bookmakers from revealing their favorites for the festival.
Breeders’ Cup Classic
Betting on the Breeders’ Cup Classic is already underway and KNICKS GO is being backed in to favorite at +300. The thoroughbred is one of the most sought-after horses in racing betting right now, having won a host of big races in 2021. That includes the Pegasus World Cup and the Whitney Stakes. Last year Knicks Go won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and is now advanced to the Classic.
The rivals for Knicks Go appear to be Essential Quality and Medina Spirit, two horses that ran in the Kentucky Derby earlier this year. Medina Spirit actually won the Derby after initially being disqualified, while Essential Quality won the Belmont Stakes. At +400 and +700 respectively, these horses could well be backed in to favorite one the coming weeks.
Hot Rod Charlie was one of the outliers for the Kentucky Derby and came third at a price of +800. He is +1000 to win here and has plenty of loyal backers.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is one of the most prestigious races in horse racing, and attracts eyeballs from all over the world. This year it has a $6m purse and is the big race of the day on November 6. We haven’t seen a prospective field as competitive as this in years.
Breeders’ Cup Distaff
The Distaff is a nine-furlong race for fillies and mares with a $2m purse and LETRUSKA confirmed her tag as favorite after winning the $500,000 Grade I Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland in October. Letruska finished more than a length clear of her rivals.
It’s likely that jockey Irad Ortiz Jr will once again ride Letruska in the Distaff. The horse is picking up wins wherever she goes this year and is an understandable +175 favortie to claim victory in Del Mar.
Other horses to qualify for the Distaff are Malathatt and Private Mission. Malathatt cruised to Kentucky Oaks victory earlier in the year and is one of trainer Todd Pletcher’s top-performing thoroughbreds. Three-year-old Private Mission is a much less experienced horse, having only truly begun her racing career this year. Yet wins in Del Mar and Santa Ana this fall suggest she will attract place bettors at +700.
Breeders’ Cup Turf
British-bred Japan competes in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and is a big outsider at +2500 after disappointing in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in October. That race was won by ROCKEMPEROR, who has the opportunity to run in the Turf if trainer Chad Brown desires. However, there’s no guarantee we’ll see Rockemperor in the $4m purse race, as Brown has to decide whether to field runner-up Serve the King instead.
It’s likely that Rockemperor will be selected but for now there are no odds on the five-year-old.
The current Turf favorite is Tarnawa (+200), the Irish flat supremo that enjoyed a remarkable hot streak in 2020. Tarnawa has finished either first or second in each of his seven races run over the past two years. Channel Maker and Arklow both secured their place in the Turf recently but the two are big outsiders to challenge for the win. And German Derby winner Sisfahan will also run, although hasn’t been priced up yet.
