The Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) is the most important race of the 2022 Breeders’ Cup weekend. The $6 million race is the richest of the weekend and is scheduled for Saturday, November 5 at Keeneland. If you like betting on horse races, you cannot miss it! And here at Vegas Betting, you can get expert 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic picks and advice on the best places to bet on the race online!
The Breeders’ Cup Classic covers the American Classic distance: a mile and a quarter on the dirt. Flightline will be a defined favorite in this year’s edition. However, the test will be the toughest of his short, brilliant career. With top older horses like Life Is good and Hot Rod Charlie, and leading sophomores like Epicenter and Taiba, he will need to bring his best!
This is the official field for the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic, including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:
Taiba (Bob Baffert/Mike Smith) – 8/1
Life Is Good (Todd Pletcher/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) – 6/1
Happy Saver (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez) – 30/1
Flightline (John Sadler/Flavien Prat) – 3/5
Hot Rod Charlie (Doug O’Neill/Tyler Gaffalione) – 15/1
Epicenter (Steve Asmussen/Joel Rosario) – 5/1
Olympiad (Bill Mott/Junior Alvarado) – 10/1
Rich Strike (Eric Reed/Sonny Leon) – 20/1
These morning lines are the track’s best estimate for what the tote board will look like at post time. However, real odds at the track will fluctuate come post-time. Your best bet in the Breeders’ Cup Classic is to guarantee yourself real Vegas odds by betting at an online sportsbook. There, you can lock in your wager and be confident about the price you get.
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Now that you know how to find the best places to play the race let’s get to know the best horses in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Favorite
Flightline will take a beating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Though he has raced only five times, his outings have been impressive. He showed in the Pacific Classic that he could carry his speed the classic distance, and in the Met Mile, he could handle trouble, track the pace, and get the job done. He has yet to lay a hoof wrong and is formidable even in this tough group.
Life Is Good may take some action and probably will set the early pace. But, especially with Hot Rod Charlie likely to press him on the front end, Life Is Good’s distance limitations will probably rule him out as a winning candidate. Take a stand against him, and figure Flightline will get a “stalk and take over” trip.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Contenders
Epicenter has the most upside of anyone else in the field. The star of the three-year-old division all year long, he ran an excellent second at the Classic distance in the Kentucky Derby and then dazzled over it in the Travers. He is tactical enough to be in the range from the start, he can bring his race anywhere, and though he may not be able to beat Flightline, he is the most appealing of the rest.
Taiba is another improving horse who fits in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. A mile and a quarter is a question for him, but he was so inexperienced back in the Kentucky Derby the only time he tried it. He has moved forward since then, with a strong victory in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). Expect him to be in range from the outset and keep trying late for experienced trainer Bob Baffert.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Longshots
Hot Rod Charlie broke his streak of second-itis in the Lukas Classic last. Though his foes are tougher than Rich Strike top-to-bottom this time, Hot Rod Charlie is fast enough to be involved from the outset and consistent enough to be a factor for the exotics once again. He can bring his race anywhere and belongs on horizontal wagers.
Happy Saver, likely the longest shot on the board, would be no surprise for deeper exotics. Though he has not won a race in a year and a half, he has won at one ¼ mile at the top level and consistently gets pieces of the action in Grade 1 handicap races. With much of the field liking to be on or in range of the lead, there should be plenty for him to pick off and snag a check.
2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic Expert Picks
Here are your best bets for the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic!
For 10 years, Rowan Ward has been handicapping and betting horses in Chicago. For almost as long, they has also been writing about horse racing. They are aware that the best handicapping approaches for a given race rely on a variety of variables, but they frequently discover that the proverb "the pace makes the race" can yield profitable betting opportunities. Local Chicago races, national stakes races, and two-year-old maiden races with intriguing pedigrees are some of their favorite events to handicap.