The Breeders’ Cup is the most important horse racing betting event of the season, and the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday, November 4 is the richest race at the festival! Covering 1 ¼ miles on the dirt at Santa Anita Park, the race always draws an exciting mix of stars from the Triple Crown season, primed and ready to meet leading older horses from across North America and even the world.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic winners’ list features many all-time greats: Sunday Silence, A. P. Indy, Cigar, Curlin, Zenyatta, and American Pharoah, just to name a few. Read on to find out who is most likely to join this list, and to find out the best places to bet the Breeders’ Cup Classic online!
Breeders' Cup Classic Field
This is the official field for the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:
- Arcangelo (Jena Antonucci/Javier Castellano) - 7/2 - SCRATCHED
- Zandon (Chad Brown/Frankie Dettori) - 12/1
- White Abarrio (Rick Dutrow/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - 4/1
- Missed the Cut (John Sadler/Luis Saez) - 30/1
- Derma Sotogake (Hidetaka Otonashi/Christophe Lemaire) - 20/1
- Saudi Crown (Brad Cox/Florent Geroux) - 12/1
- Clapton (Chad Summers/Tyler Gaffalione) - 20/1
- Ushba Tesoro (Noboru Takagi/Yuga Kawada) - 4/1
- Senor Buscador (Todd Fincher/Geovanni Franco) - 30/1
- Dreamlike (Todd Pletcher/Jose Ortiz) - 30/1
- Bright Future (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez) - 10/1
- Arabian Knight (Bob Baffert/Flavien Prat) - 3/1
- Proxy (Mike Stidham/Joel Rosario) - 12/1
Keep in mind that the odds are just Santa Anita’s best estimate for what the tote board will look like at post time. They can be a helpful guide to who is expected to take money, but an appealing morning-line price often plummets. Your best bet is to play the Breeders’ Cup Classic at an online sportsbook, since they let you lock in your price on major horse races at the moment you bet!
Odds at the top of the Breeders’ Cup Classic market at the top online sportsbooks are featured below:
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabian Knight | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Ushba Tesoro | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| White Abarrio | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Bright Future | +800 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Saudi Crown | +800 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Derma Sotogake | +1200 | +2000 | +2000 |
Breeders' Cup Classic Online Betting
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Breeders' Cup Classic Handicapping
You know the best places to bet online, and you’ve made your wagering account. That means it’s really time to dive into the horses. Read on to get to know the best horses in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic starting gate.
Breeders' Cup Classic Favorites
The likely favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, especially after the scratch of Arcangelo, is Arabian Knight. He is locally based, and Bob Baffert has had some success with sophomores in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But, he runs his winning races on the lead -- as does Saudi Crown, which sets up badly for both. Arabian Knight is the more trustworthy of that pair to hang on for a piece, but others appeal more on top.
Take a stand completely against Ushba Tesoro. Though horses based in Japan have shined in major race meetings all over the world in recent years, the field he beat in the Dubai World Cup (G1) earlier this year is far inferior to the field he faces in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Bet against him at underlaid odds.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Contenders
This is the right year to side with an up-and-comer in Bright Future. He showed good tactical speed when winning the 1 ¼-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup, his first try at a ten-furlong trip. His stalking style should translate well to Santa Anita, and he is still lightly-enough raced to keep improving. He also has well-proven big-race connections in Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez.
White Abarrio should also run well in the Classic. He broke out as a top handicap horse with his 6 ¼-length win in the Whitney, one of the fastest races of the year. He has the tactical speed to work a good trip at Santa Anita, and he has gotten the time to settle in and get used to being at the Breeders’ Cup host track.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Exotic Keys
Both Zandon and Proxy are the kind of horses with whom you know what you’re going to get. It’s not always a win, or even usually. But both have built entire careers on stringing together good effort after good effort against top handicap horses.
Especially with a lively pace up front, expect both of them to be coming well down the lane. Neither is likely to reel in all the horses who got the jump on them, but both tend to finish well enough to find the frame.
Free Breeders' Cup Classic Picks
You have your betting account set up and you know the field. Now it’s time for the best part of all: placing your bets on the Breeders’ Cup Classic! Here are your free expert picks for the race.
- $20 to win - #11 Bright Future
- $1 exacta box - #2 Zandon, #3 White Abarrio, #11 Bright Future
- $0.50 trifecta box - #2 Zandon, #3 White Abarrio, #11 Bright Future, #13 Proxy
- $0.20 superfecta key - #2 Zandon, #3 White Abarrio, #11 Bright Future, #12 Arabian Knight, #13 Proxy
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