Breeders' Cup Classic 2022: Odds, preview, free PPs, more

The best racehorse in North America – and maybe one of the best ever – faces his biggest test on a world championship stage.

Flightline is the 3-5 morning-line favorite for the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Post time is 5:40 p.m. EDT, with NBC showing the 1 1/4-mile event from Keeneland.

Click here for Keeneland entries and results.

The Grade 1, $6 million Classic is the culmination of 14 Breeders’ Cup events, including nine on Saturday’s schedule. Eight runners, all of whom are Grade 1 victors, will go postward in the 11th race of Saturday’s card, but one carries expectations that stand tall above the rest.

Flightline is perfect in five career starts, with his last three wins all coming against Grade 1 foes. He took Santa Anita’s Malibu Stakes last December by 11 1/2 lengths, Belmont Park’s Metropolitan Handicap in June by six and, most recently, Del Mar’s Pacific Classic on Sept. 3 by an awe-inspiring 19 1/4.

For his Pacific Classic romp, Flightline garnered a 126 Beyer Speed Figure from the Daily Racing Form. Hall of Famer Ghostzapper and champion sprinter Groovy are the only runners to ever post better Beyer numbers.

Flightline enters the Breeders’ Cup Classic in peak form. He produced back-to-back bullet six-furlong works last month at Santa Anita that were clocked at 1:11.80, followed by a five-furlong breeze last Saturday at Keeneland in a steady 1:00.60.

Trainer John Sadler won the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic with Accelerate, while jockey Flavien Prat seeks his first Classic win with Flightline. This race will offer the stiffest competition yet for the 4-year-old Tapit colt.

Epicenter (5-1) is the second choice on the morning line off a 2022 campaign where he won four races, including the Travers Stakes (G1) on Aug. 27 at Saratoga. The Steve Asmussen-trained Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes runner-up faces older runners for the first time.

Life Is Good (6-1) boasts four Grade 1 wins since last November, including against 2021 Classic hero Knicks Go in January’s Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Todd Pletcher trainee prepped for the Breeders’ Cup by winning the Woodward Stakes (G1) on Oct. 1 at Aqueduct.

Taiba (8-1)’s resume is highlighted by wins in April’s Santa Anita Derby (G1) and in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Sept. 24 at Parx. Trainer Bob Baffert won the Breeders’ Cup Classic both other times it was at Keeneland, in 2020 (Authentic) and 2015 (American Pharoah).

Olympiad (10-1) bounced back from a fourth-place effort behind Life Is Good in August’s Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga by winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) there Sept. 3. Trainer Bill Mott saddled Classic heroes in 2011 (Drosselmeyer) and 1995 (Cigar).

Hot Rod Charlie (15-1) has raced in the Breeders’ Cup twice for trainer Doug O’Neill, crossing second in the 2020 Juvenile and fourth in the 2021 Classic. He won the Lukas Classic (G2) by a head Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs over Rich Strike in a race marred by claims of reckless riding and toe grabs.

Rich Strike (20-1) faced older runners for the first time that day at Churchill when he was a head shy of Hot Rod Charlie at the wire. Trained by Eric Reed, his only two wins came in a September 2021 maiden claiming race and, by way of a stunning upset, in the 2022 Kentucky Derby.

Happy Saver (30-1) is the long shot of the field for Pletcher, trainer of 2019 Classic hero Vino Rosso. A fourth-place effort in the Lukas Classic marked his only career finish out of the money in 12 starts.

Here is a look at the field for the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic (trainer and jockey in parentheses) with morning-line odds:

1. Taiba (Bob Baffert, Mike Smith), 8-1

2. Life Is Good (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.), 6-1

3. Happy Saver (Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez), 30-1

4. Flightline (John Sadler, Flavien Prat), 3-5

5. Hot Rod Charlie (Doug O’Neill, Tyler Gaffalione), 15-1

6. Epicenter (Steve Asmussen, Joel Rosario), 5-1

7. Olympiad (Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado), 10-1

8. Rich Strike (Eric Reed, Sonny Leon), 20-1

TimeformUS’ pace projections show Flightline under Prat and Life Is Good under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. both going to the front and setting a fast early pace.

Visit Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page for more information on the Breeders’ Cup Classic field.

Breeders’ Cup Classic links

Matt Shifman analyzes the Breeders’ Cup Classic field, writing that Flightline will be a winner as the heaviest favorite of the weekend, with Epicenter and Taiba vying for second and third along with Hot Rod Charlie.

Flightline trainer John Sadler sat down with Alicia Hughes recently on a morning at Keeneland, reflecting on the journey on which the unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite has taken him. He said the Pacific Classic “was just one of those days where no horse in the world ever would have beat him that day, in my opinion, at any time.”

As trainer Steve Asmussen approaches 10,000 career wins, he has the chance to score one of his biggest in the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Epicenter. “If he beats this field, he’s horse of the year,” Asmussen said of the Travers Stakes (G1) hero.

Reinier Macatangay reviewed the videos of Epicenter and Flightline’s final Breeders’ Cup Classic works.

“I’m not coming into this race thinking we can beat him,” Taiba trainer Bob Baffert said of Flightline. “We’ll need racing luck. I think he’ll run well. You want to see how he’ll stack up against those other 3-year-olds.”

Taiba is one of several Breeders’ Cup runners who will represent leading second-crop sire Gun Runner this weekend. “He is just in a whole different atmosphere, a different world,” said Ron Winchell of Winchell Thoroughbreds, which campaigned Gun Runner and shares ownership of him with Three Chimneys Farm.

Super Screener founder Mike Shutty thinks there is value in betting on Flightline to suffer his first-ever defeat, and he thinks it could come at the hooves of Taiba.

Flightline’s owner Kosta Hronis, Happy Saver and Life Is Good trainer Todd Pletcher and plenty of others preview the Breeders’ Cup on the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. The podcast feed also includes a sixth annual hard-core handicappers’ pop-up episode previewing the Breeders’ Cup.

Ed DeRosa conducted a fair-odds exercise of all 56 possible Breeders’ Cup Classic exacta combinations. Macatangay also weighed exacta possibilities, picking Flightline on top and Epicenter to pick off tired horses late for second.

Private clocker and bloodstock agent Gary Young offered his thoughts on Breeders’ Cup Classic contenders. He looks back at Flightline’s Metropolitan Handicap (G1) score, which is the only race where jockey Flavien Prat “has had to ask” the Classic favorite.

Keith Bush uses his Equus model to find fair odds in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Dirt Mile, and Distaff. Bush says his emotional brain will place a $2 win bet on Flightline as a souvenir, but that smart money is on the rail with Taiba.

This week on HorseCenter, hosts Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman announce their top picks for all 14 races at the 2022 Breeders' Cup, culminating in the Classic.

Classic starters Epicenter, Flightline, Hot Rod Charlie, Life Is Good, Olympiad, and Taiba are among 34 of J. Keeler Johnson’s horses to watch running Saturday in Breeders’ Cup races and elsewhere.

While Hot Rod Charlie and Rich Strike prepare to square off again Saturday in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, controversy still follows their last meeting. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has agreed to hear an appeal of a ruling that said Hot Rod Charlie did not wear illegal toe grabs in winning the Oct. 1 running of the Lukas Classic (G2) at Churchill Downs.

The Super Screener criteria for each Breeders' Cup race can reveal important overall trends that you need to know before you make your plays.

Breeders’ Cup Classic card

Here is a look at the other Breeders’ Cup events scheduled Saturday at Keeneland. All post times are EDT.

11:50 a.m. – $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), 3-and-up fillies and mares, seven furlongs, FanDuel TV

Goodnight Olive (3-1) has won each of her last five starts, including Saratoga’s Ballerina Handicap (G1) on Aug. 28 by 2 3/4 lengths in her graded-stakes debut. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. stays aboard the 4-year-old Ghostzapper filly for trainer Chad Brown. Michael McCarthy trains Ce Ce (4-1), the 2021 Filly & Mare Sprint heroine who prepped for this year’s edition by winning the Chillingworth Stakes (G3) on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita. Echo Zulu (6-1), last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner, has won six of seven starts for trainer Steve Asmussen, including Sept. 24 at Churchill Downs in the Dogwood Stakes (G3).

12:29 p.m. – $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), 3-and-up, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf), FanDuel TV

Golden Pal (2-1) aims for a third Breeders’ Cup triumph after winning the 2020 Juvenile Turf Sprint and 2021 Turf Sprint for trainer Wesley Ward. Ortiz will be up on the 4-year-old Uncle Mo colt, last-out winner of the local Woodford Stakes (G2) on Oct. 8. John Quinn trains Highfield Princess (7-2), whose three straight Group 1 wins include the Flying Five Stakes on Sept. 11 at the Curragh. Bill Mott trainee Casa Creed (6-1) is a three-time Grade 1 victor who cuts back in distance after crossing fifth Oct. 8 in the Keeneland Turf Mile (G1).

Related: Breeders’ Cup: Ward feels blessed with Golden Pal at home | Golden Pal will stand at Ashford Stud after Breeders' Cup start

1:10 p.m. – $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), 3-and-up, one mile, FanDuel TV and USA Network

Cody’s Wish (5-2) comes in on a three-race winning streak for Mott, highlighted by a Saratoga upset of Jackie’s Warrior on Aug. 27 in the Forego Stakes (G1). Jockey Junior Alvarado seeks his first Breeders’ Cup win aboard the 4-year-old Curlin colt. Asmussen trains Gunite (7-2), another Grade 1 winner who wheels back two weeks after a local Perryville Stakes win Oct. 22. Two-time Grade 1 hero Cyberknife (9-2) could have raced in the Breeders’ Cup Classic for trainer Brad Cox but instead runs here after finishing third Sept. 24 at Parx in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1).

Related: Laurel River, Bran scratch from Breeders' Cup Saturday | Breeders' Cup 2022: Bobo's keen eye gives her 2 contenders | Fincher has New Mexico set for Breeders' Cup redemption

1:50 p.m. – $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), 3-and-up fillies and mares, 1 3/16 miles (turf), FanDuel TV and USA Network

Nashwa (5-2) makes her North American debut for trainer John Gosden off a runner-up effort Oct. 2 at Longchamp in the Prix de l’Opera (G1). Jockey Hollie Doyle comes stateside to ride the 3-year-old Frankel filly, a dual Group 1 winner. Brown trains In Italian (7-2), whose back-to-back Grade 1 wins include a gate-to-wire effort Oct. 8 in the local First Lady Stakes. Group 1 victor Above the Curve (9-2) finished third in the Prix de l’Opera for trainer Joseph O’Brien.

Related: Breeders’ Cup: O’Brien tries to reclaim glory with 7 horses | Breeders’ Cup 2022: Fair odds, preview of Filly & Mare Turf

2:30 p.m. – $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), 3-and-up, six furlongs, FanDuel TV and USA Network

Jackie’s Warrior (4-5) owns five Grade 1 wins in his stellar career but has not finished better than fourth in two prior Breeders’ Cup starts for Asmussen. Jockey Joel Rosario maintains his longtime mount on the 4-year-old Maclean’s Music colt, second-place runner last out to Cody’s Wish in the Forego. Ward trains Kimari (4-1), a Grade 1 winner who battles the boys off a Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2) score Sept. 25 at Aqueduct. Elite Power (6-1) also enters off an Aqueduct stakes win, his coming Oct. 8 in the Vosburgh Stakes (G2) for Mott.

Related: Jackie's Warrior owner believes he'll get his Breeders' Cup win | Catalano is a survivor blessed with 3 Breeders’ Cup long shots

3:10 p.m. – $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), 3-and-up, one mile (turf), FanDuel TV and USA Network

Modern Games (7-2) won the infamous 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf – one of three Grade or Group 1 wins he has tallied in his career – and was second Oct. 15 at Ascot in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1). Jockey William Buick and trainer Charlie Appleby look for a second Breeders’ Cup win with the 3-year-old Dubawi colt in as many years. Ralph Beckett trains Kinross (9-2), winner of the British Champions Sprint Stakes (G1) on that same Ascot card. Three-time Grade 1 winner Regal Glory (6-1), runner-up to In Italian in the First Lady, aims to deliver Brown his second Breeders’ Cup Mile score.

Related: Zipse: Domestic Spending aims for epic Breeders' Cup win | Breeders’ Cup 2022: DeRosa’s fair odds for $2 million Mile

3:55 p.m. – $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), 3-and-up fillies and mares, 1 1/8 miles, FanDuel TV and NBC

Nest (9-5), the Belmont Stakes runner-up, has picked up three Grade 1 wins this season, one of which came at Keeneland in April’s Ashland Stakes. Trained by Pletcher and ridden by Ortiz, the 3-year-old Curlin filly prepped for this race by winning Aqueduct’s Beldame Stakes (G2) on Oct. 9. Pletcher also trains five-time Grade 1 heroine Malathaat (3-1), whose three Keeneland scores include the Spinster Stakes (G1) by 5 1/4 lengths at this distance Oct. 9. Clairiere (4-1), twice a Grade 1 winner for Asmussen, has not raced since a fifth-place effort Aug. 27 in Saratoga’s Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) won by Malathaat.

Related: Head-to-Head: Handicapping the Breeders' Cup Distaff | Division Rankings: Breeders' Cup Distaff delivers yet again | Breeders' Cup: How Wellman brought Eclipse to the big stage

4:40 p.m. – $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), 3-and-up, 1 1/2 miles (turf), FanDuel TV and NBC

Rebel’s Romance (3-1) has raced throughout Europe and the Middle East for Appleby, last winning the Preis von Europa (G1) on Sept. 25 at Koln in Germany. Jockey James Doyle has the assignment on the 4-year-old Dubawi gelding. Appleby also trains Nations Pride (7-2), the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1) hero who last won the Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes (G3) on Sept. 17 at Aqueduct. War Like Goddess (9-2) beat male rivals Oct. 8 at Aqueduct in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1) for Mott.