Breeders’ Cup odds: See futures for 108 choices in 6 races

Less than a week before the opening of a pari-mutuel futures pool for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, one international bookmaker cut its prices for Epicenter to win the $6 million event while posting odds for five of the other November races.

After winning Saturday’s Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga, Epicenter shortened from 16-1 to 10-1 in the fixed-odds market offered by Costa Rica-based Bovada. Still idle until the Pacific Classic (G1) next month, undefeated Flightline remained the 5-2 favorite on Sunday night.

With the dropping of injured Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal, the other 24 horses shown last week were included again in Sunday’s international odds. Only Epicenter’s price changed since last week.

Separately, Flightline was expected to be the morning-line favorite Friday for the first of two pari-mutuel Breeders’ Cup futures pools. Using the same model as the Kentucky Derby Future Wager run by Churchill Downs, this market with 23 specific horses plus an “all others” field entry will be open at North American racetracks and wagering platforms from noon EDT Friday until 6 p.m. Sunday.

Distaff. It was not just Nest. Two other Curlin fillies were among the three shortest-priced candidates to win the Distaff. With two Grade 1 wins this year, Nest opened in the international market as the 4-1 favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher. Clairière, who finished fourth in last year’s Distaff for Steve Asmussen, also has two Grade 1 victories in 2022 and was the 5-1 second choice. Malathaat, a stablemate of Nest who finished third in the 2021 Distaff, opened at 7-1.

Mile. Even with his 9-for-9 record, 4-year-old Baaeed was no better than a lukewarm, 5-1 favorite among the 26 horses listed in the opener for the Mile. Modern Games, who won last year’s controversial running of the Juvenile Turf, was the 11-2 second choice. His Godolphin stablemate Coroebus, another 3-year-old colt who won the St. James’s Palace (G1) at Royal Ascot, was the third choice at 13-2.

Sprint. At nearly even money, 11-10 to be exact, Jackie’s Warrior was made the shortest-priced favorite for any Breeders’ Cup race posted internationally. The reigning male-sprint champion has won four consecutive races for Asmussen, including two Grade 1s. As the second choice, Flightline was no shorter than 5-1, probably because his trainer John Sadler had committed the 4-year-old colt to aim instead for the Classic.

Filly & Mare Turf. Plenty of names repeated themselves in this division. England-based trainers John and Thady Gosden had three of the top four options with last week’s Nassau (G1) winner Nashwa at 4-1, Falmouth (G1) runner-up Inspiral at 5-1 and Grade 3 victor Emily Upjohn at 7-1. The first two were sired by Frankel as was McKulick, who, at 8-1, was the shortest-priced American horse. She is trained by Chad Brown, who had seven of the 16 horses in the Filly & Mare Turf market.

Turf Sprint. With six consecutive U.S. victories, Golden Pal was made the most lopsided favorite in the international futures. Coming off a last-place finish in the King’s Stand (G1) at Royal Ascot, the 4-year-old colt trained by Wesley Ward opened at 9-4. At 10-1, the next shortest-priced horse was Lieutenant Dan, who has not raced since he finished second to Golden Pal in last year’s Turf Sprint. The 6-year-old gelding resumed timed workouts for trainer Steve Miyadi in late June.