Breeders’ Cup Classic odds: Cody’s Wish tops early betting
Cody’s Wish has not won going longer than a mile and has not raced past nine furlongs. Yet he already has been established as the international favorite in early futures betting for the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic.
U.K. bookmaker Coral has made the popular 5-year-old Curlin horse its 8-1 top choice to win the $6 million race Nov. 4 at Santa Anita. That was the best price reported by Oddschecker, a website that monitors betting shops across the British Isles and Ireland.
With six wins in a row including the Met Mile and three other Grade 1s, Cody’s Wish was on offer at 7-1 at Ladbrokes and Bet365 and as short as 4-1 at Unibet. However, he was not showing at all at William Hill U.K., where 2022 juvenile champion and Belmont Stakes runner-up Forte was the book’s 7-1 early favorite for America’s richest race.
Trainer Bill Mott has been mulling the idea of stretching Cody’s Wish to 1 1/8 miles for Whitney (G1) on Aug. 5 at Saratoga and has not said which Breeders’ Cup division he might pursue. Last fall at Keeneland, Cody’s Wish won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile while teenager Cody Dorman, watching from his wheelchair, saw the horse he befriended as a yearling pull off a fairytale victory.
Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo was best-priced at 10-1 at William Hill U.K., yet curiously unlisted at Unibet.
Four horses who have been on the shelf showed up with best odds of 12-1. They included Taiba and Arabian Knight, two graded-stakes winners from the Bob Baffert stable who have not raced since winter. Two older horses from Japan, Dubai World Cup (G1) victor Ushba Tesoro and 10th-place Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) finisher Lemon Pop, also were 12-1 in spite of their absences from racing since late March. Lemon Pop was showing at only one bookmaker, Unibet.
Kentucky Derby winner Mage, who was third in the Preakness, was 16-1 at Bet365 and as short as 10-1 at Ladbrokes and Unibet. Coming off his sixth-place effort in the Belmont, Preakness winner National Treasure ranged from 25-1 at William Hill U.K. to 10-1 at Unibet.
In the absence of domestic wagering for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Oddschecker provides a snapshot of action where live betting actually is available. However, it has been known to be shaky in keeping up to date with bookmakers’ changes, even including retired and dead horses in its reports.
With that as a caveat, these were the best odds for the Breeders’ Cup Classic that were posted Thursday:
| BC Classic | U.K. | Trainer | Age-sex | Last race |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody’s Wish | 8-1 | Bill Mott | 5 h | 1st Met Mile (G1) |
| Forte | 9-1 | Todd Pletcher | 3 c | 2nd Belmont (G1) |
| Arcangelo | 10-1 | Jena Antonucci | 3 r | 1st Belmont (G1) |
| Arabian Knight | 12-1 | Bob Baffert | 3 c | 1st Southwest (G3) |
| Lemon Pop | 12-1 | Hiroyasu Tanaka | 5 h | 10th Golden Shaheen (G1) |
| Taiba | 12-1 | Bob Baffert | 4 c | 8th Saudi Cup (G1) |
| Ushba Tesoro | 12-1 | Noboru Takagi | 6 h | 1st Dubai World Cup (G1) |
| Blazing Sevens | 14-1 | Chad Brown | 3 c | 2nd Preakness (G1) |
| Angel of Empire | 16-1 | Brad Cox | 3 c | 4th Belmont (G1) |
| Arabian Lion | 16-1 | Bob Baffert | 3 c | 1st Woody Stephens (G1) |
| Defunded | 16-1 | Bob Baffert | 5 g | 1st Hwd. Gold Cup (G1) |
| First Mission | 16-1 | Brad Cox | 3 c | 1st Lexington (G3) |
| Mage | 16-1 | Gustavo Delgado | 3 c | 3rd Preakness (G1) |
| Smile Happy | 16-1 | Kenny McPeek | 4 c | 1st Alysheba (G2) |
| Two Phil’s | 16-1 | Larry Rivelli | 3 c | 2nd Kentucky Derby (G1) |
| Art Collector | 20-1 | Bill Mott | 6 h | 2nd Alysheba (G2) |
| Auguste Rodin | 20-1 | Aidan O’Brien | 3 c | 1st Epsom Derby (G1, turf) |
| Bishops Bay | 20-1 | Brad Cox | 3 c | 2nd Peter Pan (G3) |
| Derma Sotogake | 20-1 | Hidetaka Otonashi | 3 c | 6th Kentucky Derby (G1) |
| Disarm | 20-1 | Steve Asmussen | 3 c | 1st Matt Winn (G3) |
| Red Route One | 20-1 | Steve Asmussen | 3 c | 8th Belmont (G1) |
| Algiers | 25-1 | S. & E. Crisford | 6 g | 2nd Dubai World Cup (G1) |
| Country Grammer | 25-1 | Bob Baffert | 6 h | 4th Hwd. Gold Cup (G1) |
| National Treasure | 25-1 | Bob Baffert | 3 c | 6th Belmont (G1) |
| Practical Move | 25-1 | Tim Yakteen | 3 c | 1st Santa Anita Derby (G1) |
| Tapit Trice | 25-1 | Todd Pletcher | 3 c | 3rd Belmont (G1) |
| West Will Power | 25-1 | Brad Cox | 6 h | 3rd Alysheba (G2) |
| Geaux Rocket Ride | 33-1 | Richard Mandella | 3 c | 1st Affirmed |
| Military Order | 33-1 | Charlie Appleby | 3 c | 14th Epsom Derby (G1, turf) |
| Everso Mischievous | 66-1 | Brad Cox | 3 c | ELP allowance |
| U.K.: Oddschecker |