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This is the final and richest race of the Breeders Cup meet. The finale of the Breeders Cup is the Classic run over the one and quarter miles dirt course and has $5 million prize fund to be played for and the winner tends to pick up the horse of the year award. This race is open to all sexes of 3 years of age and over with the winner picking up $2 million.
Position
Horse
Jockey
Odds
1
Mine That Bird
Calvin Borel
12-1
2
Colonel John
Garrett Gomez
20-1
3
Summer Bird
Kent Desormeaux
9-2
4
Zenyatta
Mike Smith
5-2
5
Twice Over
Tom Queally
10-1
6
Richard's Kid
Alex Solis
20-1
7
Gio Ponti
Ramon Dominguez
14-1
8
Einstein
Julien Leparoux
20-1
9
Girolamo
Alan Garcia
33-1
10
Rip Van Winkle
John Murtagh
7-2
11
Regal Ransom
Richard Migliore
25-1
12
Quality Road
John Velazquez
12-1
13
Awesome Gem
David Flores
50-1
Past Winners of the Breeders Cup Classic
2008 - RavensPass
2007 - Curlin
2006 - Invasor
2005 - Saint Liam
2004 - Ghostzapper
2003 - Pleasantly Perfect
2002 - Volponi
2001 - Tiznow
2000 - Tiznow
1999 - Cat Thief
1998 - Awesome Again
1997 - Skip Away
1996 - Alphabet Soup
1995 - Cigar
1994 - Concern
NOTE: The real odds will change by race time - these odds will not. Also, if a horse scratches - too bad.
Suprised no one has bet on the favorite Zenyatta. This should be a great race.
__________________
"We don't have to disrespect people. We'll come to play. We don't have to be disrespected. But if they want to make a mockery of it, so be it. Their time will come." - Mark Dantonio
I love this race. But for betting I'm only considering 7 horses based on talent, record, and surface. They are:
1 - Mine That Bird
2 - Colonel John
3 - Summer Bird
4 - Zenyatta
7 - Gio Ponti
10 - Rip Van Winkle (Ireland)
12 - Quality Road
The favorite is the legendary mare, Zenyatta. She's a perfect 13 for 13, every race being a graded stakes race. She's an impressive physical talent, and she will be towering over the boys. But there are some red flags. She's never run against the boys, her competition has been questioned as soft, and she has been far from dominant this summer. She is undoubtedly one of the 2 or 3 most talented horses in the field, but at 5-2 facing the best competition by far she's ever seen, I'm staying away.
The #3 horse Summer Bird and the #10 Rip Van Winkle are the next in line favorites (Rip Van Winkle is the betting favorite in Europe). Summer Bird has been the best horse not named Rachel Alexandra this summer. He overcame a terribly unlucky run in the Kentucky Derby to weave and fight his way to 6th. After being smartly held out of the Preakness, he dominated the Belmont Stakes (and won me tons of $$$). He then ran 2nd in the Haskell Invitational behind Rachel Alexandra, then he won the Travers Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He has a great pedigree, and was built to win a race like this.
Rip Van Winkle is another really impressive horse. He's somewhat of a mystery to the Americans but he's been Europe's best horse, and the Euro's dominated the BC last year. He's won his last two races, Grade 1's in England. But he's never won at 1 and 1/4, and he's never run on synthetic. Two major red flags for me. I think I'll pass on a horse that had to cross the Atlantic only to run a length he's never won on a surface he's never seen.
A horse I love and that I'm putting some money on is the #7, Gio Ponti. He's going off at 12-1, but it's not for lack of resume or talent. It's pretty much all based on surface. And although I am a surface freak, and hate dirt horses running on synthetics and vice versa, I still love Gio Ponti. He's run 1st or 2nd in 12 of 15 career starts, and he's the worlds best Turf runner. And guess what everyone said the polytrack at last years Breeders ran like? Turf. The best turf runner in the world, on a surface that feels and runs like turf? At 12-1? Yes. Please.
I also like the #12 Quality Road. He was the country's best 3 year old pre-Derby but then had to deal with some foot issues. Those are gone, and although he was outrun by Summer Bird this summer, he had to deal with sloppy tracks and such. That won't be the case in So Cal. Quality Road is an extremely talented runner and has very attractive odds at 12-1.
I'm gettin tired... but I will say Colonel John is very talented and getting back on track, and Mine That Bird has been fading and will not finish in the money.
I love this race. But for betting I'm only considering 7 horses based on talent, record, and surface. They are:
1 - Mine That Bird
2 - Colonel John
3 - Summer Bird
4 - Zenyatta
7 - Gio Ponti
10 - Rip Van Winkle (Ireland)
12 - Quality Road
The favorite is the legendary mare, Zenyatta. She's a perfect 13 for 13, every race being a graded stakes race. She's an impressive physical talent, and she will be towering over the boys. But there are some red flags. She's never run against the boys, her competition has been questioned as soft, and she has been far from dominant this summer. She is undoubtedly one of the 2 or 3 most talented horses in the field, but at 5-2 facing the best competition by far she's ever seen, I'm staying away.
The #3 horse Summer Bird and the #10 Rip Van Winkle are the next in line favorites (Rip Van Winkle is the betting favorite in Europe). Summer Bird has been the best horse not named Rachel Alexandra this summer. He overcame a terribly unlucky run in the Kentucky Derby to weave and fight his way to 6th. After being smartly held out of the Preakness, he dominated the Belmont Stakes (and won me tons of $$$). He then ran 2nd in the Haskell Invitational behind Rachel Alexandra, then he won the Travers Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He has a great pedigree, and was built to win a race like this.
Rip Van Winkle is another really impressive horse. He's somewhat of a mystery to the Americans but he's been Europe's best horse, and the Euro's dominated the BC last year. He's won his last two races, Grade 1's in England. But he's never won at 1 and 1/4, and he's never run on synthetic. Two major red flags for me. I think I'll pass on a horse that had to cross the Atlantic only to run a length he's never won on a surface he's never seen.
A horse I love and that I'm putting some money on is the #7, Gio Ponti. He's going off at 12-1, but it's not for lack of resume or talent. It's pretty much all based on surface. And although I am a surface freak, and hate dirt horses running on synthetics and vice versa, I still love Gio Ponti. He's run 1st or 2nd in 12 of 15 career starts, and he's the worlds best Turf runner. And guess what everyone said the polytrack at last years Breeders ran like? Turf. The best turf runner in the world, on a surface that feels and runs like turf? At 12-1? Yes. Please.
I also like the #12 Quality Road. He was the country's best 3 year old pre-Derby but then had to deal with some foot issues. Those are gone, and although he was outrun by Summer Bird this summer, he had to deal with sloppy tracks and such. That won't be the case in So Cal. Quality Road is an extremely talented runner and has very attractive odds at 12-1.
I'm gettin tired... but I will say Colonel John is very talented and getting back on track, and Mine That Bird has been fading and will not finish in the money.
My official picks:
1 - Summer Bird
2 - Quality Road
3 - Gio Ponti
Where my actual money goes will be so varied it's too much to list (and I haven't figured it out). Can't wait tho this is a great weekend.
I love Gio Ponti at 12-1, but your right Quality Road should also be tough.
__________________
"We don't have to disrespect people. We'll come to play. We don't have to be disrespected. But if they want to make a mockery of it, so be it. Their time will come." - Mark Dantonio
There are only a few quality speed horses that I see with Rip Van Winkle being the best. So, I guess if they let him have an easy lead, he will be tough to beat.
So, if pressured, I think there is enough quality to go pass RVW, but who? I have the same problem with Zenyetta as another poster, this is a MAJOR field of boys. Summer Bird has best races on wet tracks.......is it expected to rain in Cali tomorrow?
Two longer shots that show GREAT in my system are the aforementioned Quality Road, Gio Ponti as well as Einstein.
I really think this is a Wide Open race....even the biggest favorites have questions. That said, here is how my system shows them.....
1. Summer Bird
1. RVW
2. Quality Road
3. Colonel John
Zenyatta
Gio Ponti
Einstein
Just looking at another horse....BIG long shot....Twice Over. Should go off huge and shows just behind those last 4 horses.
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