253 Showlhs N

2022 Breeders' Cup Classic Tips, Odds and News


DateSaturday November 5, 2022
TrackKeeneland
Distance2000m
ClassGroup 1
Race TypeSet weights
Prize money$6 million
Age3YO+

2022 Breeders' Cup Classic Odds


Name
Odds
Flightline4/7
Epicenter5/1
Life Is Good11/2
Taiba9/1
Olympiad12/1
Art Collector12/1
Bar16/1

*Odds taken on 19/10/22*

2022 Breeders' Cup Classic Preview

Following his demolition job in the Pacific Classic, John Sadler's Flightline was awarded an astronomical Beyer Speed Figure of 126. That mark puts Flightline in the same league as legends like American Pharoah, Cigar and Secretariat, so it's no surprise to see Unibet quoting odds of 4/7 on Sadler's new stable star.

Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes winner, Epicenter sits closest to Flightline in the market. Last year's Dirt Mile winner, Life Is Good warmed up for his return to the Breeders' Cup with an easy win in the Woodward Stakes. Runaway Pennsylvania Derby winner, Taiba also sits prominently in the Classic market.

Billy Mott's duo of Olympiad and Art Collector can be backed at 12/1. Bob Baffert's Country Grammer,  Doug O'Neill's Hot Rod Charlie and Todd Pletcher's Charge It sit around the 20/1 mark.

Other likely Breeders' Cup runners include Kentucky Derby placer Zandon, the front-running Classic Causeway, Haskell Stakes hero Cyberknife and shock Saudi Cup winner, Emblem Road.

2022 Breeders' Cup Classic Tips

When our guide to the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic goes live, you'll find it on this page.

Breeders' Cup Classic Day Card

Time (UK)
Title
4:50pm Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade 1)(Dirt) 7f
5:29pm Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1)(Turf) 5½f
6:10pm Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (Grade 1)(Dirt) 1m
6:50pm Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1)(Turf) 1m1½f
7:30pm Breeders' Cup Sprint (Grade 1) (Dirt) 6f
8:10pm Breeders' Cup Mile presented by Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund (Grade 1)(Turf) 1m
8:55pm Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (Grade 1)(Dirt) 1m1f
9:40pm Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (Grade 1)(Turf) 1m4f
10:40pm Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (Grade 1)(Dirt) 1m2f

Breeders' Cup Classic history


The Breeders' Cup Classic was first run in 1984 and is now considered the fourth leg of US racing's Grand Slam.

The Grand Slam also features the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, which run under the Triple Crown banner.

American Pharoah became the first horse to win the Grand Slam and the phrase has been coined by journalists since.

The first winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic was 30/1 long shot Wild Again, which produced one of the most thrilling finishes in the history for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The 1993 Breeders' Cup Classic resulted in 133/1-chance Arcangues being too good for its rivals. No winner has come close to paying those odds since the big upset.

The French-based horse wasn't given a chance by local bookmakers and it helped pave the way for more international success in the future.

Cigar won in the 1990's. It was a cult hero which rattled off eight consecutive Group 1 victories, culminating in the Breeders' Cup Classic. 

Cigar ran the quickest time of that period and it came on a rain-affected track, which makes the win even more impressive. 

One of the more popular recent winners at Zenyatta, which came into the race with a perfect 13-from-13 record. 

The 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic featured a high-quality field with names such as Gio Ponti, Rip Van Winkle, Twice Over and Summer Bird. Zenyatta proved too strong and used her typical come-from-behind style that excited the big crowd on track. 

Tiznow is the only horse to have won the race twice when winning in 2000 and 2001. 

The biggest margin of victory is shared by American Pharoah and Volponi when both runners scored by 6.5 lengths.

Bob Baffert has dominated the race in recent times, winning in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Breeders' Cup Classic betting guide

The Breeders' Cup Classic is the biggest race of the Breeders' Cup festival.

Held at a different course every year in November, the $6 million race is run on dirt and features some of the world's best middle-distance horses in the world.

The premier race in the US, the Breeders' Cup Classic has been taken out by the likes of Arrogate, Zenyatta and Unbridled, which were all champions in their own right.

Betting on the Breeders' Cup Classic spans all around the world with big betting pools on offer.

The Breeders' Cup Classic produces high-quality winners and punters often get good odds for the champion runners.

2017 winner Gun Runner paid $6.80 to win when beating Collected and West Coast. The best-backed runner in the field was Arrogate, which produced a disappointing effort after winning in 2016 and would never hit top form again.

Arrogate paid $5.40 to win in 2016 and that was another great result for punters.

The field included California Chrome but there was a lack of international interest in 2016. 

American Pharoah was far too good for them in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic with the Bob Baffert-trained colt winning by 6.5 lengths. 

It was the final start for the Kentucky Derby-winning colt and it was the first time any horse had won the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic in history. 

There has been the odd upset in recent history with Bayern winning at odds of $14.20 at Santa Anita in 2014.  

Trained by Bob Baffert, Bayern was a three-year-old winner and defeated a field that included California Chrome.

Breeders' Cup Classic qualifying races


There are seven automatic qualifying positions up for grabs for the Breeders' Cup Classic. 

These are run from February through to October and cover the likes of Japan and the US. 

  • February Stakes (Tokyo) 
  • Stephen Foster Handicap (Churchill Downs) 
  • Haskell Invitational (Monmouth Park) 
  • Whitney Handicap (Saratago Race Course) 
  • Pacific Classic (Del Mar) 
  • Awesome Again Stakes (Santa Anita) 
  • Jockey Club Gold Cup (Belmont Park) 

Past Breeders' Cup Classic winners


Year
Winner
2021Knicks Go
2020Authentic
2019Vino Rosso
2018Accelerate
2017Gun Runner
2016Arrogate
2015American Pharoah
2014Bayern
2013Mucho Mucho Man
2012Fort Larned
2011Drosselmeyer
2010Blame
2009Zenyatta
2008Raven's Pass
2007Curlin
2006Invasor
2005Saint Liam
2004Ghostzapper
2003Pleasantly Perfect
2002Volponi
2001Tiznow
2000Tiznow
1999Cat Thief
1998Awesome Again
1997Skip Away
1996Alphabet Soup
1995Cigar
1994Concern
1993Arcangues
1992A.P. Indy
1991Black Tie Affair
1990Unbridled
1989Sunday Silence
1988Alysheba
1987Ferdinand
1986Skywalker
1985Proud Truth
1984Wild Again