The best dirt route horses in the world line up for the richest race of the Breeders’ Cup festival: the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday, November 4. Everyone who enjoys betting horse races knows that this is one of the greatest wagering opportunities of the year, and this is the place to get expert 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic picks and real Vegas odds on the race!
The Breeders’ Cup Classic covers 1 ¼ miles on the dirt at Santa Anita Park, the American classic dirt distance. Arabian Knight is the likely favorite after the defection of Arcangelo, but he won’t have it easy. He has to face another top sophomore Saudi Crown up front, and will have to try to hold off top older horses like Zandon, Proxy, and Ushba Tesoro.
Who will join a winners’ list that includes greats like Sunday Silence, Cigar, Zenyatta, and American Pharoah? Keep reading to find out, and to see the best places to bet the Breeders’ Cup Classic online.
This is the official field for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:
Remember that these morning lines are Santa Anita’s estimate for what the tote board will look like. It can be a useful guide to which horses are or are not expected to take money. However, you cannot lock in those prices.
Your best bet in the Breeders’ Cup Classic is to bet the race online. After all, online betting sites allow you to lock in real Vegas odds on major races like the Breeders’ Cup Classic just by placing a bet. It’s simple: watch the prices, place your bet when you see an overlay on your pick, and be confident that you have the best odds on your horse. That’s it!
These are the odds at the top of the Breeders’ Cup Classic market.
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 |
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Now that you have made your account at the best betting site for your playing style, it’s time for the fun part. Let’s get to know the best horses in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
With the defection of Arcangelo, Arabian Knight will be the favorite. However, there is a strong reason to play against him. He does his best work when he makes the lead: but, so does Saudi Crown. Barring some difficulty at the start, both of them should be vying on the pace from the outset and there is a good chance they will tire each other out.
The smart move is to bet the horses who can overhaul the pacesetters in the lane. Perhaps Arabian Knight stays on for the lowest rungs – he is more likely to do so than Saudi Crown – but at the price, lean more heavily elsewhere.
Bright Future is going the right way into the biggest race of his life. He has found a home as a stalking type in longer races, winning tn allowance comfortably two back and then stalking, leading, and holding by a nose to the more experienced Proxy in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. If he can draft behind the pacesetters and make his move, he could get the jump on the closers and win the Classic at a price.
White Abarrio is another who can get a good trip in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He comes out of an impressive victory in the Whitney, something he achieved in stalk-and-pounce fashion. He still has to prove he can stretch out to the Classic distance, but he is settling in well at Santa Anita and should be in the picture late.
Zandon and Proxy do not always win against top-level company, but both of them are consistent, dependable sorts who have piled up many in-the-money finishes against top handicap horses. Zandon should be able to save ground, and it is good that he was able to rediscover his winning instinct last out. Proxy finished a good third at this course and distance in March, though he will lose a lot of ground from the outermost gate.
You know the top contenders, so now all that’s left is to bet the biggest race of the Breeders’ Cup. These are the best bets for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic!
Summary
For 10 years, Rowan Ward has been handicapping and betting horses in Chicago. For almost as long, they has also been writing about horse racing. They are aware that the best handicapping approaches for a given race rely on a variety of variables, but they frequently discover that the proverb "the pace makes the race" can yield profitable betting opportunities. Local Chicago races, national stakes races, and two-year-old maiden races with intriguing pedigrees are some of their favorite events to handicap.