The 41st Breeders' Cup Classic is the centerpiece race on "Championship Saturday" at Del Mar, and I've thoroughly analyzed the Breeders' Cup odds for November 2 to bring you my best free betting picks for the 1 1/4-mile dirt clash.
Plus, I share my thoughts and wagers for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint odds, prediction and best bet
- Race: Del Mar Race 4
- Post time: 3:00 p.m. ET
- TV: USA, FanDuel TV
| Post | Horse |  * |
 ** |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frost At Dawn | +3,000 | 30-1 | +3,000 |
| 2 | One Magic Philly | +1,000 | 10-1 | +1,000 |
| 3 | Pleasant | +1,200 | 12-1 | +1,200 |
| 4 | Vahva | +400 | 4-1 | +400 |
| 5 | Pandora's Gift | SCR | SCR | SCR |
| 6 | Society | +300 | 3-1 | +300 |
| 7 | Zeitlos | +600 | 6-1 | +600 |
| 8 | Soul of an Angel | +1,200 | 12-1 | +1,200 |
| 9 | Ways and Means | +250 | 5-2 | +250 |
| 10 | Scylla | +1,000 | 10-1 | +1,000 |
Odds as of 11-2-2024.
Win pick: Vahva (+400)
I was captivated by the No. 4 Vahva and Alva Starr rivalry, and the latter would almost assuredly be in this race but for a fatal training accident earlier this year. Vahva enjoyed a stretch of four wins in five races that included two scores at Alva Starr's expense, with the only loss in that span being dealt by that foe.
Vahva was last seen running third in the Grade I Ballerina, with no apparent excuse except perhaps not caring for the Saratoga course. She was beaten by Society, who can occasionally uncork a monster effort but is anything but consistent, and Scylla, who was in a perfect spot on the cutback and will have neither a post nor stamina advantage here.
I'm encouraged to give Vahva a chance at winning the Filly & Mare Sprint based on her brilliant worktab heading into Saturday.
Place pick: Ways and Means (+250)
No. 9 Ways and Means was a legitimate Kentucky Oaks contender but could do no better than fourth in that race. However, she's found new life in the sprint division, crushing the competition in both the Test and the Gallant Bloom. Both of those wins were on muddy tracks, but her 4: 2-2-0 record on fast dirt suggests she'll be just fine here.
Show pick: Zeitlos (+600)
It's hard to knock a horse that's won four straight sprint races on dirt, three of them at the stakes level, but No. 7 Zeitlos is a little light on speed figures heading into her first Grade I foray. She moves up if there's a scratch but is best left in the lower rungs of the exotics assuming the field remains intact.
Best bet: $10 exacta box 4/9 ($20)
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Breeders’ Cup Classic odds, prediction and best bet
- Race: Del Mar Race 8
- Post time: 5:41 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC
| Post | Horse | * |
** |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forever Young | +600 | 6-1 | +600 |
| 2 | Highland Falls | +2,000 | 20-1 | +2,000 |
| 3 | City of Troy | +250 | 5-2 | +250 |
| 4 | Mixto | +3,000 | 30-1 | +3,000 |
| 5 | Senor Buscador | +3,000 | 30-1 | +3,000 |
| 6 | Derma Sotogake | +2,000 | 20-1 | +2,000 |
| 7 | Ushba Tesoro | +1,200 | 12-1 | +1,200 |
| 8 | Pyrenees | +3,000 | 30-1 | +3,000 |
| 9 | Fierceness | +300 | 3-1 | +300 |
| 10 | Tapit Trice | +3,000 | 30-1 | +3,000 |
| 11 | Sierra Leone | +1,200 | 12-1 | +1,200 |
| 12 | Arthur's Ride | +1,500 | 15-1 | +1,500 |
| 13 | Newgate | +2,000 | 20-1 | +2,000 |
| 14 | Next | +800 | 8-1 | +800 |
Odds as of 11-2-2024.
*FanDuel Racing odds available in AZ, CO, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY.
**bet365 Breeders' Cup odds are not available in the United States.
Win pick: Forever Young (+600)
No. 1 Forever Young has a good chance to give Japan another major victory on the world stage with a score in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The son of Real Steel nearly recorded Japan's first triumph in an American Triple Crown race, settling for third beaten a head in the 2024 Kentucky Derby in what was a roughly-run race.
Forever Young was idle from the first Saturday in May until October 2, coming back with his sixth win in seven career outings in the Japan Dirt Classic, and it was a fairly easy victory too.
Forever Young has shown resilience and versatility en route to a sparkling career record, so the rail draw is not cause for pause. Look for him to be rolling late on Saturday.
Place pick: Highland Falls (+2,000)
No. 2 Highland Falls wasn't quite ready for the big time when fourth in the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap earlier this year, but he's improved steadily since.
The son of Curlin hit the exacta in three straight graded stakes after that and capped it off with a runaway score in the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup when last seen.
A repeat of that effort should be good enough to pick up at least a piece of the Breeders' Cup Classic purse.
Show pick: Ushba Tesoro (+1,200)
No. 7 Ushba Tesoro was a decent fifth in last year's Classic and is back for more following a Grade I win in his native Japan and three solid runner-up results in 2024. The $16 million earner has plenty of back class to run back to, he just needs the right pace setup.
Pyrenees and Sierra Leone are also live long shots. The former was second to Highland Falls in the Jockey Club Gold Cup when last seen and is versatile enough to be near the lead or off of it. The latter hasn't missed the trifecta in eight lifetime starts and was denied the win in the Derby by only a nose.
Best bet: $4 exacta 1/2,7,8,11, $3 win 2,7,8 ($25)
Not intended for use in MA.
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