The Kentucky Derby notwithstanding, when thinking of the preeminent meets on the United States’ horse racing calendar, the famed Breeders’ Cup immediately springs to mind. This year’s two-day event will see a number of the world’s best horses, trainers and jockeys converge on Lexington’s Keeneland Racecourse – with more than $27 million in purses up for grabs.
The main race on the stacked card is the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which is run over one and a quarter miles and is open to male and female horses three-years and older. Limited to 14 starters, the Grade 1 affair has established itself as one of the most competitive thoroughbred horse races in the world today.
For those who bet horse racing – with the fixture now just weeks away, read on as we take a look at the three favourites in the antepost odds for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Flightline – 1/2
Having secured five wins from as many starts, of which includes three consecutive Grade 1 wins at Santa Anita, Belmont Park and Del Mar, this undefeated four-year-old will prove hard to beat come race day. You only have to look at his performance at Del Mar to grasp an understanding of just how talented this thoroughbred is, with the colt winning by a staggering 19 ½ lengths from the second-placed Country Grammar. In addition to his near 20-length triumph last time out, his four other wins have also been incredibly convincing, winning by a combined total of 44 lengths.
Off the back of such dominant victories, it’s clear to see why the John Sadler-trained horse is garnering such short odds.
Life is Good – 5/1
Having won nine races from 11 starts, four-year-old Life is Good is perceived as Flightline’s biggest threat when looking at the antepost odds. The colt’s trainer will be hoping his thoroughbred can continue on his form from last year’s meet, when Life is Good justified his favourites tag to romp home and defeat the nearest challenger Ginobiliby 5 ¾ lengths in the Breeeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
Couple that with his form in 2022, which has seen him win four from five outings and three consecutive Grade 1 races – and Life is Good could prove very good value at 5/1.
Epicenter – 11/2
Another horse in exceptional form, Epicenter has won four races in seven outings in 2022 – impressing last time out en route to winning by 5 ¼ lengths at Saratoga. While the three-year-old colt has come up short on three occasions this calendar year, he hasn’t been far off the pace – with his most notable second-placed finishes coming in the prestigious Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Epicenter will be one of five candidates at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships for trainer Steve Asmussen – and given the 56-year-old has won at the esteemed meeting on eight previous occasions, it’s clear he has an innate ability to have his horses peaking at the right time. With that in mind, don’t be surprised if Epicentercan upset the heavily favoured Flightline and second favourite Life is Good.
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Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.