2019 Breeders Cup Mile, Turf and Sprint Betting Odds and Preview

The Breeders’ Cup Mile, Turf and Sprint are among the Grade 1 thoroughbred horse races which are part of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships held every year in the United States ( except in 1996 when it was staged in Canada ) since 1984.

The Breeders Cup was a one-day event until 2007 when it was expanded to a two-day affair due to new and additional races.  Below is the full list of races that are currently run in the Breeders Cup:

• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT)
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT)
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (new for 2018)
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I)
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I)
• $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT)
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I)
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT)
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I)
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I)
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT)
• $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I)
• $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT)
• $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I)

Last year, the 2018 Breeders Cup took place on November 2 and 3, 2019 and was held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It consisted of 14 races with all but one of the races being a Grade 1 race.

Great Britain’s Expert Eye won the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Mile, His breeder, and owner Juddmonte Farms, trainer John Gosden and jockey Frankie Dettori also won the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf with the horse Enable. With the victory, Enable became the first horse in history to win both the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Breeders Cup Turf in the same year. On the other hand, the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Sprint was won by Roy H, whose victory was his second straight in the said race.

This year, the 2019 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held on November 1and 2, 2019 at the Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in the United States. For this article, we will preview three of the main races of the event and these are the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Breeders’ Cup Turf and Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Let’s get to know each first.

As its name reveals, the Breeders’ Cup Mile covers a distance of one mile and it is open to horses three years or older and is run on a grass course. The Breeders’ Cup Turf is known as the Longines Turf after its sponsor. It is a 1 ½ mile race on turf and is open to horses three years old or older. On the other hand, the Breeders’ Cup Sprint is also open to three-year-olds or older and covers a distance of six furlongs only.

Now let’s take a look at the early ante-post odds for the three races. Odds were taken from MyBookie.ag as of 7/5/19:

Breeders Cup Mile

The Breeders Cup mile is where the world’s best grass milers, three-year-old or older compete.

King of Comedy is a three-year-old Irish bay colt owned by Lady Bamford and trained by John Gosden. He’s won two out of three-mile-long races this year, winning the Norwich Novice Stakes in April and Heron Stakes last March. He finished second behind Circus Maximus at the St. James Palace Stakes  (Group 1 ).

Laurens is a four-year-old bay filly owned by John Dance and trained by Karl Burke. She finished second behind Mustashry at the Lockinge Stakes last May and was 6th in the Queen Anne Stakes. Ohio is an eight-year-old owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and trained by Michael McCarthy. Ohio won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile a Group 1 race last March.

Prediction: I think this is any horse’s race to win right now and while King of Comedy is the top favorite, Laurens and Ohio are good picks here as well.

Place Your Bet Here

Breeders Cup Turf

Enable won this race last year and became the first horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in the same year. Her victory in the Arc last year was her second in a row and she was also victorious at the September Stakes.

Crystal Ocean is a five-year-old bay horse trained by Sir Michael Stoute and owned by Sir Evelyn De Rothschild. Crystal Ocean has two Grade 3 victories this year and is coming off a third win last month at the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes at Ascot. Magical won the Alleged Stakes in April and the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup last May at Curragh. Cross Counter was the Lexus Melbourne Cup winner of 2018 who also triumphed in the 2018 Dubai Gold Cup.

Prediction: Enable is a solid horse racing betting favorite here and was last year’s winner in this event. But when it comes to betting value, I’m intrigued by the +1600 on Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter.

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Breeders Cup Sprint

Roy H is the horse to beat when it comes to sprints. This 7-year old gelding won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2017 and 2018. He is also the Palos Verdes ( G2 ) winner of 2018 and 2019. All of these races are at the length of six furlongs.

Mitole has won seven out of his last 8 races and is unbeaten in four races in 2019 including the Churchill Downs Stakes- G1 and Metropolitan Handicap-G1. X Y Jet was the winner of the Dubai Golden Shaheen- G1 last March.

Prediction: No doubt, Roy H is a solid favorite in the Sprint, given his history in this race and his track record in 6-furlong races. Mitole and X Y Jet have solid resumes as well but experience in this race weighs heavy in my books.

Place Your Bet Here