With high quality racing and a wealth of betting opportunities, the Breeders' Cup is an event which ought to be right at the top of any racing fan's calendar. Unfortunately it largely appears to be shunned by European punters but that ought not be the case as, aside from 14 championship races in which to seek the winner, there is a wide range of more exotic bets that can be played on the Tote.
Various Pick 4s, 5s and 6s are available but it is the late Pick 4 on Saturday night, comprising races nine through to twelve, that has caught my eye the most with the pool being guaranteed at $3 million. A minimum stake of 50 cent per line ensures that we can throw a few selections at it without racking up too much expense.
All we need is four winners to net the booty. Sounds simple, right?
22:22 - Breeders' Cup Turf
Connections of The Fugue have got it absolutely bang on by targeting this race rather than the Filly & Mare Turf, as she is proven at a mile and a half and the extra two furlongs will hopefully allow William Buick more time to negotiate a clear passage, a feat which was beyond him 12 months ago.
Point Of Entry and Little Mike head the home charge but the biggest danger could be Aidan O'Brien's relatively unexposed Irish 2000 Guineas winner Magician, who is likely to stay this far and seems certain to appreciate the rattling ground. However, The Fugue is my banker of the meeting and I'm not about to desert her here.
23:01 - Breeders' Cup Sprint
I'm going to let you into a little secret here, which is that I don't know very much about any of the horses in this race. Fortunately there are only 12 runners and, as we've banked in the first leg, are going to do the same in the next and need only two in the Classic, let's play safe, include them all, and move on.
23:40 - Breeders' Cup Mile
Olympic Glory is a top-class performer, winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day, but the quick ground and tight, turning track at Santa Anita presents a completely different challenge and he's not sure to be up to it. He also meets Wise Dan, the highest rated Flat horse in training on Timeform ratings and an incredibly formidable opponent.
Wise Dan was beaten last time out, but that won't happen here. That day he met a peak-form Silver Max on an artificial surface that had standing water. Connections reported that Wise Dan struggled to get a grip on the surface and he was simply below form but, returned to turf, he will take the world of beating here.
Hopefully, after watching the video above, you'll agree that Game On Dude is an absolute machine and deserves his standing at the head of the market for the Breeders' Cup highlight. The six-year-old has taken his form to a new level on his last two starts, winning a Grade 1 at Hollywood Park and then destroying the field in the Pacific Classic, and he is the one to beat in this field.
The only one that I can see troubling Game On Dude is Coolmore's Declaration Of War, winner of the Queen Anne and Juddmonte International this season. He's unraced on dirt but has the pedigree to be effective on the surface and could surprise the Americans if running right up to his best.
Selections:
22:22 - 7
23:01 - All 12
23:40 - 8
00:35 - 5, 9
= 24 lines
You can bet on the Tote at Santa Anita through Betfair.