Breeders’ Cup 2018 Preview And Betting Guide

By Published Updated
On this page 8 sections
  1. About the 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships
  2. The Marquee Breeders’ Cup 2018 Races
  3. The Best Way to Enjoy the Breeders’ Cup 2018
  4. Horses to Watch in the Breeders’ Cup Classic
  5. What the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Taught Bettors About International Form
  6. How to Bet the Breeders’ Cup 2018
  7. From 2018 preview to recorded result
  8. Compare the preview with the 2018 outcomes

2018 archive: This preview covers the 2–3 November 2018 championships at Churchill Downs. It retains the original pre-race selections; the recorded outcomes below show what actually happened.

Breeders CupThe most prestigious two days of thoroughbred horse racing is set to occur on November 2-3 at the legendary Churchill Downs. This premier event will feature horse racing champions from all over the world. The most famous horses, jockeys, and trainers will compete to determine which horses can emerge as 2018 champions. EZ Horse Betting has your inside look at the 2018 Breeders’ Cup in this preview and betting guide.

About the 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships

This year the Breeders’ Cup will return to Churchill Downs in Kentucky, the home of the Kentucky Derby. It will be held on November 2 and 3. The event is expected to draw thousands of fans that will cheer on the horses live, and many celebrities will also be in attendance.

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships were first conducted in 1984. Since that time the races have featured horses such as Goldikova, Go For Wand, Zenyatta, and more. Trainers that regularly appear in the series include two-time Triple Crown winner Bob Baffert, Todd Pletcher, and Dale Romans. Famous jockeys including Chris McCarron, Pat Day, Gary Stevens, and Mike Smith have all ridden in this prestigious event.

Those who attend this event or watch online at their favorite racebook will be pleased to see horses from the United States, France, Japan, and Australia. It is an event that brings together the best the world has to offer in thoroughbred horse racing.

The Marquee Breeders’ Cup 2018 Races

Many races will be conducted on Breeders’ Cup weekend. These include the Juvenile Fillies, Juvenile Turf, and Turf Sprint. Each race is an exciting wagering opportunity for those who love EZ Horse Betting. Of all the races that happen over these two days, there are three that get major attention each year.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic is the Super Bowl of thoroughbred horse racing. Triple Crown runners and other champions regularly make up the field for this exciting event. It has produced some of the most thrilling moments in horse racing, such as when American Pharoah won the event to become the first-ever Grand Slam champion of horse racing.

The Breeders’ Cup Mile is another event that draws attention. This race is conducted on the turf. It features horses that are specialists on the grass at a distance of one mile. The Breeders’ Cup Distaff is the third major event. It is an event restricted to the best fillies and mares. It is also the event that tragically claimed the life of Go For Wand in one of the earliest Breeders’ Cup runnings.

Every bettor will be able to find something that appeals to their personal taste in horse racing. Each race presents a different form and pricing problem. Competitive fields can create appealing prices, but they do not ensure profitable wagers. There are also many exotic wagering opportunities for bettors which include large Pick Six jackpots.

The Best Way to Enjoy the Breeders’ Cup 2018

You could easily decide to make a trip to Churchill Downs, and who could blame you? The atmosphere is amazing and there is nothing quite like watching the horses thunder down the stretch. Unfortunately, this may be beyond the means of many horse racing fans. A better option might be to create an online racebook account so that you can watch the events from the comfort of your own home. We have recommended several racebooks for your consideration.

An online racebook is the best way to enjoy the Breeders’ Cup 2018 because you can avoid the crowds that will be present at the venue on race day. Confirm whether a chosen provider has live streaming rights and what account or wagering requirements apply. It can be very costly to travel to Churchill Downs. There are accommodations, food, and admission to consider. All of these expenses can be eliminated when you stay at home, watch, and bet the Breeders’ Cup online.

Check whether the provider carries the desired betting options when you use an online racebook for your wagering. You’ll be able to make straight wagers on the horses, play exotics like the exacta and trifecta, and even take a stab at the large Pick 3 and Pick 4 pools. There is simply no better way to enjoy the Breeders’ Cup 2018 than an online racebook.

Did you know that some racebooks will even allow you to bet the Breeders’ Cup with Bitcoin? If you have a fondness for cryptocurrency, check out the racebooks that allow this type of betting.

Horses to Watch in the Breeders’ Cup Classic

The Breeders’ Cup Classic is the marquee event of the two-day series. This race will help determine the champion race horse for 2018. Past runners in the Classic include American Pharoah, Zenyatta, California Chrome, and Mucho Macho Man. This year’s field of horses promises to be very competitive.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic picture was thrown into some disarray with the exit of Justify, the winner of the 2018 Triple Crown. Many expected that this horse would become the second winner of horse racing’s Grand Slam. An injury forced Justify into early retirement, leaving the field wide open and ripe for an upset. Here are a few horses that you might want to watch in the Breeders’ Cup 2018 Classic:

  • Accelerate, trained by John Sadler
  • McKinzie, trained by Bob Baffert
  • Pavel, trained by Doug O’Neill
  • Bravazo, trained by D. Wayne Lukas

Of all the horses that have declared their intent to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Bravazo was the horse favored in this original preview. He ultimately ran in the Dirt Mile, finishing third, rather than starting in the Classic. This horse was the only runner besides Triple Crown winner Justify to run in all three races of the Triple Crown series. Bravazo is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner D. Wayne Lukas. Lukas is no stranger to the biggest stages in horse racing, and it would be no surprise to see this horse win the race.

One cannot discount McKinzie. This stablemate of Justify is also trained by Bob Baffert, the man who has won the last two Triple Crown titles. Baffert’s record made McKinzie a runner worth assessing, but reputation did not make inclusion mandatory. The selection needed to fit the likely trip, estimated chance and ticket budget.

What the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Taught Bettors About International Form

The 2018 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs provided compelling evidence for the value of European form in assessing Cup contenders, with international runners proving competitive across multiple divisions and delivering several notable results that rewarded bettors who had done their European homework. International winners included Expert Eye in the Mile and Enable in the Turf. Those results support studying the relevant overseas form, but do not by themselves prove that European runners were underbet or that a nationality-based strategy earned an advantage. Include prices, unsuccessful runners and the conditions of each division in any comparison.

The practical lesson for bettors approaching any Breeders’ Cup is that the most efficient preparation includes genuine study of European form for the divisions most likely to attract international runners. The turf divisions are a natural priority for studying European form, including the Mile, Turf, Filly and Mare Turf and juvenile turf events. International entries can also appear in dirt divisions. The Marathon was not part of the 2018 championship program and should not be listed as one of its races. Developing comfort with the class hierarchy of European racing — understanding how a Group 2 winner in France compares to an allowance winner in the US — can improve a form comparison, but a Group label alone does not quantify a betting advantage. For comprehensive Cup preparation, our articles on 2021 Breeders’ Cup Championships and Breeders’ Cup minimum bets provide practical guidance.

How to Bet the Breeders’ Cup 2018

You’ll want to have a healthy bankroll before you make your Breeders’ Cup bets. Remember that there are two days of exciting racing to wager on. You don’t want to head into day two with a limited amount of funds to wager.

Many bettors like to make straight wagers when it comes to the Breeders’ Cup. This can be profitable given the high odds that are offered on many race horses. The minimum straight wager for win, place, or show will be $2. A win bet needs first place; a place bet covers first or second, and a show bet covers first, second or third, subject to the applicable pool rules.

Straight wagers are nice, but the big betting action happens with the exotics. These are the multi-horse and multi-race wagers where you can make a lot of money. Without question, one demanding multi-race option is the Breeders’ Cup Pick Six. This bet requires you to pick the winner of six consecutive races. The last race in the series is usually the Classic, and the sequence of races is very competitive. This makes the bet hard to hit.

If you are thinking about playing the Breeders’ Cup 2018 Pick Six, your best bet will be to spread out your winning selections in several races. To keep the ticket affordable you will also need to single some horses in some of the events. We recommend spreading out in the Classic because there are so many talented horses to consider.

This is an event that will put your handicapping skills to the ultimate test. You will be called upon to consider multiple factors before making your bet. You can get free past performances from your online racebook that will help you in your handicapping. The racebook will also provide you with a library of race replays that you can watch to observe the previous performances of race horses that will be competing in the event.

Are you ready to bet on the Breeders’ Cup 2018? Now is the best time to join an online racebook. Check our Bovada racebook review, Twinspires review or even our Betamerica review. Check current availability and account eligibility in your jurisdiction. online racebook comparison for folks anywhere! Eligible customers may qualify for a nice horse betting welcome bonus when you create your account today.

Check out : 2021 Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, The Breeders’ Cup Fix Six Scandal

From 2018 preview to recorded result

This article was written before the November 2018 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs. The completed event included 14 races, and Accelerate won the Classic. The official Breeders’ Cup historical record provides the results, surfaces and race-day conditions. Treat the proposed contenders and promotions above as pre-race views, not current selections or offers.

For a useful retrospective, compare each previewed horse’s expected trip with the final chart. Churchill Downs listed the main track as fast and the turf as yielding on Saturday, a reminder that the two surfaces posed different handicapping problems on the same card. Note the price available before the race as well as the outcome; a correct selection at an unattractive price and a losing selection at a reasonable price are different decisions. Current Breeders’ Cup dates, venue and rules require a new official check.

Compare the preview with the 2018 outcomes

Scroll horizontally to view the full table
Selected 2018 championship results
Race Winner Retrospective note
Classic Accelerate. The original Bravazo selection did not start in this race.
Dirt Mile City of Light. Bravazo finished third in this division.
Mile Expert Eye. A European-trained winner; assess price as well as origin.
Distaff Monomoy Girl. The championship for fillies and mares.
Turf Enable. A different turf-distance test from the Mile.

The official 2018 review lists these results and the fast main track and yielding turf on Saturday. Keep an early contender list separate from the final race assignment. To study the preview fairly, record what was known when it was written, then add acceptances, conditions and prices in sequence rather than rewriting the original selection with hindsight.

Related research

Continue the Analysis

Browse the full research library

Similar Posts