It’s that time of year again where the best horses from America and the rest of the world gather for 2 days of fantastic racing at the Breeders Cup.
This betting preview will explore some of the best Breeders Cup 2021 betting tips and provide some expert picks and early predictions on some of the best competitions that horse racing bookies have to offer.
The Breeders Cup originated in 1982 by John R Gaines, who was worried about American professional horse racing in the early ’80s. His idea was that America needed a showpiece event, a contest that pitted the best of the best against one another. It wasn’t until 1984 that the first Breeders Cup was held.
The inaugural edition was held at Hollywood Park and contained 7 races. The event was moved to 2 days in 2017, and the schedule was adjusted from 7 races to the 14 we have now.
Currently leading the betting lines at 5/2 is Knicks Go. Knicks Go is a 2-time Breeders Cup winner and one of the fastest speed horses. If allowed an early uncontested lead, he will be a tough horse to peg back, so the jockeys on the other horses mustn’t give Knicks Go too much room.
Second, in the betting is Essential Quality at 3/1. Essential Quality is a horse that has only been beaten once in his career, as in the Kentucky Derby. The winner of the Breeders Cup Juvenile last year, Essential Quality, is a tough game horse that could be hard to beat. You wouldn’t get 2 more contrasting horses in Knicks Go and Essential Quality, as Knicks Go is a much flashier type. Essential Quality is a grinder and looks for him to chase down Knicks Go as they enter the final turn.
The third is one of the most popular and most loudly owned horses on the US circuit in Hot Rod Charlie. Hot Rod Charlie is owned by a consortium of recent college graduates, making him the most cheered horse on race day. He is a quality horse and finished third in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Belmont Stakes. He can be backed at 6/1, but against this level of opposition, it has to be questioned whether he is good enough to win a race of this magnitude.
25+ sportsSuperb bonusesEasy to useVIP programLive gamesMany bonusesMany bonuses24/7 supportMobile appsHorses that win Breeders Cup races are often the best in their class and go on to cement themselves as some of racing’s finest. As you can imagine, in the Breeders Cup, there have been many famous winners. Here are some of the best:
Royal Academy’s victory by a short neck from Itsallgreektome is remembered for the first-ever Breeders Cup victory for legendary British Jockey Lester Piggott and Hall of Fame Irish trainer Vincent O’Brien. It completed a remarkable turnaround for Piggott, who had been released from prison following tax evasion charges just months earlier.
In what many regards as one of the greatest Breeders’ Cup races, Personal Ensign defeats that year’s Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors. Personal Ensign flew home in the final furlong to overhaul the Derby winner by a nose, joining an elite list of horses and finishing her career undefeated with an impressive 13-0 record.
Goldikova is the most famous Breeders Cup horse, becoming the first to win 3 Breeders Cup races. She won successive Breeders Cup races in 2008, 2009, and 2010, rightly making her the Queen of the Breeders Cup.
Azeri produced perhaps the greatest ever Breeders Cup performance of all time and became the first horse from Europe to win a Breeders Cup race on dirt. His victory was made even more impressive as he cantered over the line to claim victory by 10 lengths, the biggest winning margin in the history of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Arguably the greatest of them all. American Pharoah entered the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Classic to become the first Grand Slam champion in racing history. It was never in doubt; American Pharaoh showed he was a class above the rest prevailing by 6 ½ lengths to create a huge piece of racing history.
If you want to place a Breeders Cup 2021 bet, look no further, as our expert picks have you covered. After scouring the lineup, here are tips and predictions for the most famous Breeders Cup race, the Breeders Cup Classic, which is worth a whopping $3 million of prize money to the winner.
As ever, this race features multiple groups and 1 winner, and the 2021 Breeders Cup Classic odds make this a fascinating race prospect.
The Breeders Cup bookmakers’ current favourite is Knicks Go, which is priced at 5/2. Knicks Go is a front-runner with just tonnes and tonnes of speed. He has 2 Breeders Cup victories on his impressive resume. With Knicks Go, you know that the race will be fast and the gallop relentless. Now a veteran in horse racing terms, it remains to be seen whether Knicks Go has the stamina to win this deep race. Post position for this front winner will be key, and an inside draw will be ideal, as he will be looking to lead coming into the first turn. He could be hard to peg back if allowed an easy, uncontested lead-up front.
Another class horse in this field is Essential Quality. He is currently priced with morning-line prices at 3/1. Owned by Godolphin and world-class trainer Brad Cox, Essential Quality is a grinder of a horse who has only experienced one defeat in his career, which came in this year’s Kentucky Derby. Essential Quality is a relentless galloper and will grind and grind his way to the finish line. His wins often aren’t the prettiest, but he is as tough as they come and will be a hard horse to beat. His trainer Brad Cox knows how to ready a horse for these races, as last year Cox tied the record for saddling four winners over the 2020 weekend.
There is perhaps no more controversial horse in the history of horse racing than Medina Spirit. The 2021 Kentucky Derby winner is still under investigation following a positive test for steroids, and it remains undecided whether he will keep the race. Medina Spirit is another one who likes to lead from the front but might have a tough task in battling past Knicks Go.
His abilities were cast further doubt following a third-place finish in the Preakness before being scratched from the Belmont Stakes. He is priced at 8/1 to pull off the upset, and with his battling qualities, he can never be underestimated, but this race might be just beyond him.
With 14 top-quality races in store, you can make a whole host of different bets when trying to evaluate the best Breeders Cup 2021 horses’ odds.
If you are new to betting, here’s our quick guide to the different types of bets you can place:
The Breeders Cup will surely provide some of the best racing of the year, with stars being born and many legends cementing their place amongst the greats.
The showpiece is the Breeders Cup Classic and like so many renewals before it, this year’s edition looks set to be a classic. At the top of the market, you couldn’t get 3 more contrasting horses and styles, but the smart money looks to be between Knicks Go and Essential Quality.
The question remains whether Knicks Go can take the finish out of Essential Qualities legs. My feeling is that he can’t. Essential Quality is such a tough competitor, and even though he finished 4th in the Kentucky Derby, many felt that he would have won given a clear run.
At 3/1, we like the price, and we know that his trainer Brad Cox can ready one for the big day. In what should be a fantastic weekend of racing, we hope to find a winner at the top of what’s bound to be a classic Breeders Cup with Essential Quality.
For all live betting, morning line odds, and Breeders Cup 2021 predictions, follow BetZillion, which can cover your horse racing needs!
