2014 Breeders Cup Betting Odds

Like most major stakes races there won’t be any ‘official’ 2014 Breeders’ Cup betting odds until the week of the race.  That notwithstanding, several bookmakers in Las Vegas offer a very early futures market on the marquee races.  The Wynn Las Vegas posts the earliest Breeders’ Cup odds starting with the ‘main event’ of the weekend—the Breeders’ Cup Classic—and adding other high profile races as the event draws nearer.   Other sports books in Las Vegas and offshore will post their own Breeders’ Cup futures market as the horse racing season progresses.

UNDERSTANDING FUTURES ODDS:

The only Breeders’ Cup odds that are currently available are the futures odds at the Wynn Las Vegas on the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  As of mid April the Wynn lists a total of 38 horses on their betting board.  The upside to futures betting is that the eventual race favorite can often be found and double and triple digit odds.   The other good thing about betting these futures odds—they are not parimutuel meaning that the number on your ticket is what the bet pays.  The bad news is that betting futures odds can be a guessing game.  If you bet on a horse that doesn’t make it to the Breeders’ Cup Classic you lose your wager.

CURRENT BREEDERS’ CUP FUTURES FAVORITE:

The current favorite in the Wynn Breeders’ Cup Classic market is the four year old horse Will Take Charge.  Will Take Charge was unimpressive in his 2013 Triple Crown races finishing 8^th in the Kentucky Derby, 7^th in the Preakness and 10^th in the Belmont.  After a month and a half off he returned to action and looked like a different horse.  He’s finished first or second in six races since the Belmont including a win in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes and a 2^nd place finish in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.  At age 4 he’s just entering his competitive prime and is currently priced at 9/2.

ODDS ON OTHER TOP CONTENDERS:

Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man is next on the futures board at 5/1 followed by the BC Classic post time favorite Game on Dude at 7/1.  Also at 7/1 is the 2013 Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice who finished 6^th in last year’s BC Classic but has looked dominant in winning his first two starts this year (the G2 Gulfstream Park Handicap and the G2 New Orleans Handicap).  The only horse posted at current odds of 10/1 or less is the presumptive Kentucky Derby favorite California Chrome.  Should California Chrome win the Kentucky Derby he’ll have recent history working against him—only 2 Kentucky Derby winners have gone on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the same year (Sunday Silence in 1989, Unbridled in 1990).  The reason for this is fairly obvious—a Kentucky Derby winner is a 3 year old running against more mature horses.  Additionally, he’s already been through a draining Triple Crown season and its very tough to bounce back and win against such an elite class.