Every other major sport has wrapped up or hasn’t hit its stride yet. Horse racing prepares for its international marquee weekend with the 2023 Breeders Cup at Santa Anita Park!
With 14 graded stakes races, all sporting a purse of $1M or more. It is unquestionably the richest weekend in horse racing. Gigantic betting pools draw the attention of the wagering public.
Without further adieu, let’s take a look at some of the best bets for Breeders’ Cup weekend!
2023 Breeders’ Cup Weekend Horse Racing Picks and Best Bets!
Saturday Santa Anita Race 3 – 8 Furlong Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
The Bet – Trifecta 3/5,6,8/3,5,6,8
The dirt mile features a heavy favorite in the form of #3 Cody’s Wish. Cody’s Wish was installed as the 4/5 ML favorite in this race. All things considered, Cody’s Wish has been a feel-good story. Beating this deep closer on Saturday is a tall order. Cody’s Wish should sit off the pace, which will be emphatically swift, and he passes other horses late. In second and third, three horses are boxed together. Two of them, by comparison to Cody’s Wish, are long shots that have a chance to crack the minor awards.
Saturday Santa Anita Race 5 – 7 Furlong FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint
The Bet – Win #4 Materaya (6-1 ML)
Undoubtedly, the older female horse divisions might provide the most compelling races of the weekend. The Filly and Mare Sprint, from a talent standpoint, is stacked. In this race, the choice is to go against the 6/5 morning line favorite, #1 Goodnight Olive. Instead, opt for a win bet on #4 Matareya, who was given 6-1 odds on the morning line. Matareya runs a stalking-style race. Hopefully, that will be able to sit behind an ample amount of pace and hopefully score late.
Saturday Santa Anita Race 7 – 9 Furlong FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Distaff
The Bet – Exacta 6,9/6,8,9
Evidently, there will be some team tactics at play in this race as #6 Search Results and #8 Randomized are both entered for owner Seth Klaravich and trainer Chad Brown. Being that Randomized is a horse that needs to be on the lead and will be sent hard for the front. Due to the fact that a lot of other horses need the lead, too, the pace should get very quick, very fast.
Search Results conversely should be able to relax behind this warm pace created by his stablemate and get up at the wire. In this exacta, the #9, Clariere, is another horse that will run from off the pace that could benefit from the pace set up created by Search Results’ stablemate, Randomized.
Saturday Santa Anita Race 8 – 12 Furlong FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Turf
The Bets – Win #8 Up to the Mark (5-1 ML) and Win #12 Balladeer (30-1 ML)
One of the things that feels like a certainty most years is that a European horse will win the BC Turf. A challenger has emerged from the US with #8 Up to the Mark. Up to the Mark looks like the American horse that can handle the tall order and should be plenty fit to win this race.
In addition to Up to the Mark, consider also sprinkling a small amount on a horse with huge odds, #12 Balladeer (30-1 ML). Balladeer is the lone early speed in this race, and that is a hard angle to pass up in this race. Balladeer should be controlling the pace, but the question is if he’s good enough to last the full mile and a half (12 furlongs).
Saturday Santa Anita Race 9 – 10 Furlong Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic
The Bets – Win #8 Ushba Tesoro (4-1) and Win Bet #9 Senor Buscador
There’s been a bit of an aberration in run styles winning major races in the United States. Horses that are fast early with high cruising speeds haven’t been winning the major races. The pace in this race opens it up for horses that can come from off the pace to win, and there are two that look capable. One is a sensible short price, and the other is a massive longshot.
The sensible short price, #8 Ushba Tesoro, has an excellent chance for a Japanese horse to win the BC Classic. His performance in the Dubai World Cup in Meydan was undeniable. If the pace is there with a clean trip, he could easily win. Senor Buscador is a horse that has hit its stride as it continues to age. Senor Buscador has hit a new gear in his 5-year-old campaign. While some of the past successes of other entries are daunting, Senor Buscaror could logically spring an upset.
Enjoy the Super Bowl weekend of horse racing!
