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Horse of the Year honors are on the line in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday, November 4, the richest and most important race of the Breeders’ Cup! The race features the best two-turn dirt horses in the world going 1 ¼ miles on the dirt at Santa Anita Park. With such an excellent field and such a deep history, no wonder it is one of the greatest betting horse races of the year
The likely favorite will be Arabian Knight, who won the Pacific Classic (G1) but will have to contest the pace with Saudi Crown. They’ll have to hold off top older horses in White Abarrio, Zandon, and Ushba Tesoro.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic winners’ list reads like a who’s who of all-time greats: Sunday Silence, A. P. Indy, Curlin, Zenyatta, American Pharoah. Who will add their name to this list in 2023? Keep reading to find out, and to see the best places to bet the race online!
Where to Bet the Breeders’ Cup Classic
As important as it is to pick a winner in the Breeder’s Cup Classic, your first priority is to choose the right place to bet horse racing online. There are many choices, making the decision seem hard at first. However, our experts can make that choice easy, since they know the best online sportsbooks for bettors of all kinds.
All of our recommended sportsbooks offer market-leading odds and trusted payouts. Each site also offers different sportsbook bonuses such as horse racing rebates, referral benefits, deposit bonuses, and sign-up incentives. Take a few minutes to read the reviews now and find which ones suit your betting style best. This will help you build your Breeders’ Cup bankroll by hundreds or even thousands of dollars!
Breeders’ Cup Classic Horses and Odds
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 morning line is only an educated guess for the odds on the race. If you play the race at the track, you won’t know the real prices until post time, making an overlay you spot before the race meaningless.
Instead, your best bet is to play the Breeders’ Cup Classic at an online sportsbook. Since online sportsbooks offer fixed-odds wagering on major events like the Breeders’ Cup Classic, you can lock in the best odds at the moment you bet. So, when you see an overlay, you can claim it and know you will be getting the best price when your horse wins!
These are the Breeders’ Cup Classic odds at the top of the 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 |
Free Breeders’ Cup Classic Picks
With your betting account set up, it is time to meet the leading contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Classic:
Breeders’ Cup Classic Favorite
The likely favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, especially after the defection of Arcangelo, is Arabian Knight. Trainer Bob Baffert has a strong record with 3-year-olds in the Classic, but pace is the major question. He will likely have to battle hard with Saudi Crown, who is similarly speedy early. Arabian Knight likely wins that battle, but some very good horses will be there to pick him up and win the war.
Take a complete stand against Ushba Tesoro. Even though horses from Japan tend to shine on large international meets (and for the Breeders’ Cup, look no further than Songline in the Mile to do just that!), Ushba Tesoro won a weak Dubai World Cup earlier this year and will face a much better group in this return to international dirt company.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Top Contenders
Bright Future is in the right form to be an exciting price play in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. A lightly-raced son of Curlin, he held by a nose over Proxy in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), his first 1 ¼-mile try. His stalking style should translate well to racing at Santa Anita, he should get an early run on the battling leaders, and trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez are connections you can trust in the biggest races.
[cta-betting-pick bet=”Bright Future” match=”To win the Breeders’ Cup Classic” odds=”+800″ cta=”Bet Now!” id_partner=”195″]
White Abarrio also has a serious win chance. He is a better horse now than he was the last time he tried 1 ¼ miles, in the Kentucky Derby a year and a half ago. His blowout victory in the Whitney was impressive, his tactical speed should work well at Santa Anita, and he has had plenty of time to settle in at the Breeders’ Cup host track.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Exotics Horses
Both Zandon and Proxy fit similar profiles: dependable horses who often get a piece in big handicap races. Zandon is perhaps in his best form ever; though this wasn’t the strongest Woodward (G2) field ever, Zandon beat them the right way and should carry good confidence into the biggest race of his career. He may not catch the last one or two, especially going this long, but he should be finishing.
Proxy missed by only a nose to Bright Future last out. Given the track setup at Santa Anita the jump Bright Future gets on him may prove even more important this time around. But, on the other hand, Proxy did finish a good third in a Grade 1 over the same course and distance as the Classic last time he came to Santa Anita.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Free Picks
You’ve met the field, and now it is time to place your bets! These are the best bets for Saturday’s 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic:
- $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
