Breeders' Cup Mile 2020: Odds shakeup with Pinatubo retirement
The Breeders' Cup lost one of its' marquee stars on Friday morning with the announcement that European sensation Pinatubo has been retired.
It is a disappointing development that the champion and three-time Group 1 winner -- considered by many to be the best miler in the world -- will not make the trip to Keeneland for the Mile as originally planned.
Optimists out there will point out that with Pinatubo's defection, the Mile possibly just became the most wide open betting race of the two days.
Prior to his scratch, Pinatubo was listed as the 11-4 favorite for the Mile. The next shortest price was 8-1 on fellow Europeans Palace Pier and Kameko.
Sportsbooks had six different horses listed between 8-1 and 12-1 for the Mile prior to the big scratch, which tells one that this race is now up for grabs.
Related: See the odds for other Breeders' Cup races:
Classic, Distaff, Dirt Mile, Turf, Juvenile, F&M Sprint, F&M Turf
Favoritism could be decided in the QE II at Royal Ascot on Oct. 17. Top milers Palace Pier, for John Gosden, and Kameko, for Andrew Balding, are set to clash in this affair and both are considered possible for the Breeders' Cup.
Early steam has already begun to come in on Palace Pier. His odds immediately dropped to 11-2 following Pinatubo's retirement. Kameko is following close behind at 13-2 currently.
Defending champion and recent First Lady winner Uni, who is rounding back to her best form, is taking the most early money of any U.S. runner. Her odds quickly dipped to 6-1 following the news.
Mo Forza, who has been dominated his California turf foes, is listed as the 10-1 fourth-choice.
Ivar stamped himself as a Mile contender over the weekend with an upset victory over Chad Brown's Raging Bull and Without Parole in the Shadwell Mile. Ivar went from unlisted the previous week to 16-1 currently.
Additional Breeders' Cup Sprint updates
• Chad Brown stated that Newspaperofrecord could race as a 5-year-old, but the Matriarch at Del Mar, not the Breeders' Cup, would be her next target.
• Connections of three-time Group 1 Prix de la Foret winner One Master are debating between the Champions Sprint at Ascot on Oct. 17 and the Breeders' Cup Mile for their star mare.
• Brad Cox said Beau Recall is under consideration for the Breeders' Cup and would face the boys in the Mile if she went.
• Fourstardave winner Halladay was scratched from the Shadwell Mile with a hind leg infection, but trainer Todd Pletcher is hopeful he can still make the Breeders' Cup Mile.
Who's already going: Mo Forza, Safe Voyage, March to the Arch, Social Paranoia, Ivar, Uni, Raging Bull
Who could be going: Starship Jubliee, Beau Recall, One Master, Halladay, Earthlight, Circus Maximus, Without Parole, Analyze It, Bowie's Hero
Upcoming preps:
Hill Prince — Decorated Invader
Sun Chariot Stakes — Champers Elysees
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Ascot) — Palace Pier, Kameko
Below are the best available current odds from various sportsbooks for the Breeders' Cup Mile:
| Horse | Claim to Fame | Last Race | Best Odds |
| Palace Pier | Multiple Group 1 winner | 1st Prix Jacques le Marois | 11-2 |
| Kameko | 2-time Group 1 winner | 1st Joel Stakes | 13-2 |
| Uni | 2019 BC Mile winner | 1st in First Lady | 6-1 |
| Mo Forza | Del Mar Mile winner | 1st in City of Hope | 10-1 |
| Earthlight | 2-time Group 1 winner | 2nd in Prix de la Foret | 12-1 |
| One Master | 3-time Prix de la Foret winner | 1st in Prix de la Foret | 12-1 |
| Circus Maximus | 3-time Group 1 winner | 3rd in Prix Du Moulin | 12-1 |
| Halladay | Fourstardave winner | 1st in Fourstardave | 14-1 |
| Analyze It | Multiple G3 winner, 3rd in 2019 BC Mile | 8th in Shadwell Mile | 14-1 |
| Raging Bull | G1 Shoemaker Mile winner | 2nd in Shadwell Mile | 16-1 |
| Ivar | G1 Shadwell Mile winner | 1st in Shadwell Mile | 16-1 |
| Beau Recall | Multiple G2 winner | 2nd in First Lady | 16-1 |
| Champers Elysees | Group 1 Matron Stakes winner | 4th in Sun Chariot Stakes | 16-1 |
| Safe Voyage | Multiple Group 2 winner | 3rd in Prix de la Foret | 18-1 |
| Starship Jubliee | G1 Woodbine Mile winner | 1st in Woodbine Mile | 20-1 |
| Decorated Invader | 2019 G1 Summer Stakes winner | 5th in Saratoga Derby | 20-1 |
| March to the Arch | 2nd in G1 Woodbine Mile | 2nd in Woodbine Mile | 20-1 |
| Without Parole | Multiple Group 1 winner | 3rd in Shadwell Mile | 25-1 |
| Social Paranoia | Multiple G3 winner | 1st in Poker Stakes | 25-1 |
| Bowie's Hero | 2019 Shadwell Mile winner | 7th in Shadwell Mile | 30-1 |
Sources: Bovada and Oddschecker