2024 Breeders’ Cup: Championship Racing Meets Ultimate Betting Opportunity

For serious horseplayers and casual fans alike, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships represent the pinnacle of thoroughbred racing. This year’s event at Del Mar on November 1 and 2 offers unparalleled opportunities for life-changing payouts, with record international participation, full fields across 14 championship races, and multi-million-dollar betting pools combining to create the year’s most attractive wagering propositions.

Last year, handicapper Kenneth Strong successfully hit a Pick 5, a Pick 4, and several other exotics, yielding a substantial profit. Let’s aim to do it again this year!

Record-Breaking International Presence

The 2024 championships have drawn 212 pre-entries, the second-highest in event history. Japan has its largest-ever delegation with 19 horses, while renowned European trainer Aidan O’Brien has pre-entered a record 19 runners. According to Strong, this global representation not only enhances the championship’s prestige but creates unique betting angles, as talented international contenders may be overlooked by the North American betting public.

Horses and Races to Watch

This year’s Breeders’ Cup brings exciting matchups across all 14 races. Friday’s juvenile races on Future Stars Friday promise tomorrow’s champions, including a highly anticipated clash in the Juvenile between East Avenue and Chancer McPatrick, both early Kentucky Derby hopefuls.

The turf races feature a strong international lineup, including a powerful European contingent in the Juvenile Turf Sprint and Japanese speedster Ecoro Sieg in a competitive field. In the Juvenile Fillies Turf, all eyes will be on Aidan O’Brien’s Lake Victoria if she travels, while local favorite Thought Process brings Del Mar experience.

Saturday’s card intensifies with a thrilling lineup, starting with the Filly & Mare Sprint’s duel between Ways and Means and Society, while the Turf Sprint could be the weekend’s toughest betting challenge. The Distaff offers a tactical battle between speedster Idiomatic and Thorpedo Anna, and the Turf has drawn strong European contenders. The Classic is headlined by European favorite City of Troy, alongside Japan’s formidable trio of Forever Young, Ushba Tesoro, and Derma Sotogake. The American contingent is led by Travers Stakes winner Fierceness, a prime Horse of the Year contender with a Classic win, while the versatile Next adds intrigue.

Kenneth Strong notes that the Mile might be Saturday’s most competitive race, featuring a top-tier matchup between American milers Kyle Spackler and More Than Looks and a deep European lineup. Even the Dirt Mile finale offers intrigue, with horses like Domestic Product and Mufasa vying for breakthrough performances.

Complete Championship Schedule

Friday, November 1

First Post: 11:35 a.m. PT / 2:35 p.m. ET

Undercard Races:

• Race 1: Ocean View (11:35 AM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 5, Super High-5
• Race 2: Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (12:10 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 4, Super High-5
• Race 3: Golden State Juvenile Fillies Stakes (12:45 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Super High-5
• Race 4: Senator Ken Maddy Stakes (1:25 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 4, Super High-5
• Race 5: Golden State Juvenile Stakes (2:05 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 6, Super High-5

Breeders’ Cup Championship Races:

• Race 6: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) (2:45 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3 & $3 All-Turf Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 5, Super High-5
• Race 7: NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) (3:25 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Special Daily Double (w/Saturday Race 6), Pick 4, Super High-5
• Race 8: John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) (4:05 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Super High-5
• Race 9: FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) (4:45 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double, Special Daily Double (w/Saturday Race 8), Super High-5
• Race 10: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) (5:25 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Special Daily Double (w/Saturday Race 7), Super High-5

Saturday, November 2

First Post: 10:05 a.m. PT / 1:05 p.m. ET

Undercard Races:

• Race 1: The Sunrise (10:05 AM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 5, Super High-5
• Race 2: Bayakoa Stakes (G3) (10:40 AM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 4, Super High-5
• Race 3: Goldikova Stakes (11:15 AM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Super High-5

Breeders’ Cup Championship Races:

• Race 4: PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) (12:00 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 5, Super High-5
• Race 5: Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) (12:41 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 4 & All-Turf Pick 4, Super High-5
• Race 6: Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) (1:21 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Special Daily Double (w/Classic), Pick 4 & All-Dirt Pick 4, Super High-5
• Race 7: Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) (2:01 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 4 & Pick 6, Super High-5
• Race 8: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) (2:41 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 5, Super High-5
• Race 9: Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) (3:25 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Pick 4, Super High-5
• Race 10: Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) (4:05 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double, Super High-5
• Race 11: FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) (4:45 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double, Super High-5
• Race 12: Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) (5:25 PM PT) – WPS, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Super High-5

Wagering Opportunities

With diverse betting options and unique strategies, the Breeders’ Cup offers unparalleled wagering possibilities:

• Base Wagers: Win, Place, Show ($1 minimum); Exacta ($1 minimum); Trifecta (50-cent minimum); Superfecta (10-cent minimum)
• Featured Multi-Race Wagers:
• Friday: $3 All-Turf Pick 3, Early Pick 5 (50-cent minimum), Pick 6 ($1 minimum)
• Saturday: All-Turf Pick 4 (50-cent minimum), All-Dirt Pick 4 (50-cent minimum), Three Pick 5 sequences including mandatory middle Pick 5 payout, Pick 6 with mandatory payout
• Special Daily Doubles:
• Friday-Saturday Cross-Card: Juvenile Fillies/Distaff (Friday Race 7/Saturday Race 6), Juvenile/Classic (Friday Race 9/Saturday Race 8), Juvenile Turf/Turf (Friday Race 10/Saturday Race 7)
• Saturday Special: Distaff/Classic with mandatory payout

Strategic Betting Approaches

Maximize your Breeders’ Cup chances with these strategies from handicapper Kenneth Strong:

• Expand selections in multi-race bets rather than relying solely on favorites.
• Identify “chaos races” where upset opportunities exist.
• Leverage mandatory payouts to increase returns.

International Wagering

This year’s Global Pool encompasses Canada, England, France, Germany, and Ireland, with separate pool wagering in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and more. This international reach can create unique opportunities for price differences across markets.

Looking Ahead

The 2024 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar promises an unforgettable two days of championship racing with unmatched betting potential. From chasing Pick 6 payouts to strategically playing multi-race wagers, no other event combines high stakes with international caliber like the Breeders’ Cup.

Final entries and post positions will be drawn on Monday, October 28, when we’ll dive deeper into each race. Kenneth Strong’s strategic bets last year yielded profits, and he’s looking forward to another successful year.