Can Flightline fly into a class of his own? We’ll soon know, but Breeders’ Cup Classic odds certainly imply it.
What the racing world has waited for since Flightline demolished the TVG Pacific Classic Field in September has arrived. It’s the chance to see whether he can go 6-for-6 this year by winning the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic from Keeneland on Saturday. His matchup versus the year’s best 3-year-olds culminates the two day, 14-race, $31 million horse-racing-lover’s paradise.
Post time for the 1 1/4-mile Classic is set for 5:40 p.m ET. Bettors can access the action by clicking on the odds below. We’ll also break down the field and offer betting strategies. If you are new to betting horse racing, scroll to the bottom for our how to video.
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Breeders’ Cup Classic Odds: Morning Line and Post Positions
| Post Position | Horse | ML Odds | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taiba | 8-1 | Bob Baffert | Mike Smith |
| 2 | Life Is Good | 6-1 | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz |
| 3 | Happy Saver | 30-1 | Todd Pletcher | John Velazquez |
| 4 | Flightline | 3-5 | John Sadler | Flavien Prat |
| 5 | Hot Rod Charlie | 15-1 | Doug O’Neill | Tyler Gaffalione |
| 6 | Epicenter | 5-1 | Steve Asmussen | Joel Rosario |
| 7 | Olympiad | 10-1 | William Mott | Junior Alvarado |
| 8 | Rich Strike | 20-1 | Eric Reed | Sonny Leon |
Past Performances
1. Taiba
Has been improving all season and is one of the better horses in this field. Popped two Beyers above 100 in his first two career starts, including a victory in the Santa Anita Derby. After hitting the wall at the final turn of the Kentucky Derby, stretched to 1 1/8 miles nicely with a gritty second in the Haskell Stakes and a triumph in the Pennsylvania Derby. That gave him a win at 1 1/8 miles and a career-high Beyer Speed figure of 108. Should be forwardly placed and stalking. Will need to keep the improvement ascent.
2. Life Is Good
Should be a major pace factor in trying to annex consecutive Breeders’ Cup championships. Curious to see if he takes anything out of Flightline for the home stretch. Captured the Big Ass Fans Breeders Cup Dirt Mile at the 2021 Breeders, but has not been able to get the 1 1-4 distance in 2022.
Had the lead heading for home in the 2022 Dubai World Cup but faded to fourth. Hot Rod Charlie was one of the horses who passed him.Wins in the John Nerud, the Whitney and Woodward Stakes underscore his excellence. Can he get the mile and a quarter and beat heavily-favored Flightline to do it? That’s the challenge.
3. Happy Saver
Has been running second to Olympiad and Life Is Good in varied high-level stakes. Now must contend with the addition of Epicenter and Flightline. Will run hard but has proven to be a notch below the elite. Tough spot.
4. Flightline
May go off at historic low Breeders’ Cup Classic odds after being listed at 3-5 on the morning line. Has crushed every field and won the TVG Pacific by more than 19 lengths. Ran an eye-popping 126 Beyer there, prompting speculation about whether he will exceed the sport’s distance-race mark of 128. That was done by Ghostzapper in the slop at Monmouth Park in New Jersey for the 1 1/8-mile Iselin Stakes in 2004. Ghostzapper won the Breeders’ Cup Classic that year too. The overall Beyer record is held by sprinting champion Groovy, who notched a 133 in 1987.
But there’s a word of caution in the euphoria. What happens if Flightline gets into a contested duel with Life Is Good or another horse? What happens if he has to run the last quarter of a mile under duress from a blistering pace duel? At first glance, one would think he can duplicate the effort of Knicks Go, who dominated the Classic on the front end last year. Flightline just might be that good, if not better.
Yet there are enough quality horses fighting him to make this an honest battle. If Flightline blows this field away, he’s one for the ages. He’s the chalk, but making money with him won’t be easy.
5. Hot Rod Charlie
Always around the money, sometimes collecting it. Has fallen off form slightly after finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic behind Knicks Go last year.
Was second in the Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park in New Jersey, third in the Whitney at Saratoga just behind Life Is Good and Happy Saver. Orchestrated a perfect stretch run to nip Rich Strike at the wire in the Lukas Classic. There’s never a bad race from Hot Rod Charlie. But here, he needs a great one. Stalker, will put in an effort.
6. Epicenter
Will make a bid to be ‘Epic Center’. Could be the other half of the heavyweight matchup with Flightline, if a speed duel occurs up front. Authored a career-high 112 Beyer in winning the Travers. In most years, that would make him the one to beat. This is not most years.
Always right there in the big races. Will be a factor in the homestretch. Needs a little help from another horse to pepper Flightline. Contender, will be used in most tickets.
7. Olympiad
Was enjoying a stellar campaign and was the 9-5 second choice in the Whitney at Saratoga. But he finished fourth in a five-horse field. Now he’s in a bigger field that’s more talented. The question is whether he hit the talent wall at the Whitney or whether that was a bump in the road for his improvement.
He seemed to suggest the latter in winning the Grade I, $1,000,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles in August. He registered a 105 Beyer. He had a 111 Beyer in July. A similar effort puts him in the front tier.
8. Rich Strike
He made the first loud strike in the 2022 campaign, capturing the Kentucky Derby at an astounding 80-1. Did not run well in the Belmont and the Travers. He also had the Lukas Classic Stakes in his pocket until Hot Rod Charlie snatched it at the wire. But he remains a big threat if there is a wicked speed duel. The ears of Rich Strike bettors will perk up if they hear the half-mile time of less than 46 seconds and see a duel. If it is slower than that, he’s not in a good spot.
How I’m Betting The Race
The Expected Pace Scenario
If Flightline does what’s expected, the key to making money will be having the right exacta combo and enough money on it. I’m going to take the Flightline-Epicenter exacta box, 4-6.
The logic is that Life Is Good still hasn’t proven himself at the distance. Epicenter and Flightline are the most accomplished performers at 1 1/4 miles. My feeling is that Epicenter can run down Life Is Good before the wire to get second.
As a backup, I will take a small win bet on Epicenter. And a $1 trifecta box of 2-4-6 should return a little more than the $6 it costs.
They are the serious tickets.
The Wild Card Angles
Money will be hard to find if Flightline does his thing. But a $1 superfecta key 4-6 with 4-6 with 1-2, with 1-2 only costs $4. So will any similar combo that bettors come up with, trying to nab the super without a big outlay.
Must throw Rich Strike, Hot Rod Charlie and Olympiad on the bottom of one superfecta ticket too, just in case. They are too good not to be placed in at least one wager.
The money will come from nailing one exacta combo and avoiding the temptation to spread too much.
Good luck finding your combo in Breeders’ Cup Classic odds.
2022 Breeders’ Cup Schedule, How To Watch
Friday, Nov. 4
The Breeders’ Cup begins with Future Stars Friday, featuring all five Breeders’ Cup World Championships races for 2-year-olds. They start at 3 p.m. ET and there are approximately 40 minutes between post times. All times below are ET.
The Breeders’ Cup events are:
- $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint, 5 1/2 furlongs, 3:00 p.m.
- $2 million Juvenile Fillies 1 1/16 miles, 3:40 p.m.
- $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf, 1 mile, 4:20 p.m.
- $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, 1 1/6 miles, 5:00 p.m.
- $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, 1 mile, 5:40 p.m.
Friday’s races will be televised on USA Network.
Saturday, Nov. 5
There will be 12 races on Saturday, Nov. 5, featuring nine Breeders’ Cup World Championships races.
The day features two undercard races with a first race post time of 10:30 a.m. ET. The first Breeders’ Cup Championship event will be Race No. 3, which will have a post time of 11:50 a.m. ET.
The Breeders’ Cup events are:
- $2 million Filly & Mare Sprint, 7 furlongs, 11:40 a.m.
- $1 million Turf Sprint, 5 1/2 furlongs, 12:29 p.m.
- $1 million Dirt Mile, 1 mile, 1:10 p.m.
- $2 million Filly & Mare Turf, 1 3/16 miles, 1:50 p.m.
- $2 million Sprint, 6 furlongs, 2:30 p.m.
- $2 million Mile, 1 mile, 3:10 p.m.
- $2 million Distaff, 1 1/8 miles, 3:55 p.m.
- $4 million Turf, 1 1/2 miles, 4:40 p.m.
- $6 million Classic, 1 1/4 miles, 5:40 p.m.
The first seven races will be televised on USA Network, with the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Classic on NBC.
