Breeders’ Cup odds: Taiba makes move among 140 choices
A second Grade 1 victory has put Taiba among the shortest-priced futures favorites to win the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
His win Saturday in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) led an international bookmaker to cut Taiba from 16-1 to 8-1 to win the climactic Nov. 5 race at Keeneland. Trained by Bob Baffert, the 3-year-old colt also won the April renewal of the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
Since last week there were only seven changes among the 140 betting choices listed by Costa Rica-based Bovada for nine Breeders’ Cup races, all for horses who are at least 3 years old.
Classic. One of five Saturday stakes winners sired by Gun Runner, Taiba shared the third-shortest odds for the Classic. Only undefeated Pacific Classic (G1) winner Flightline at 1-2 and Travers (G1) victor Epicenter at 5-1 carry shorter prices. Life Is Good, the likely favorite for Saturday’s Woodward (G1) at Aqueduct, also is 8-1.
| BC Classic | Now | Was | Trainer | Age-sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flightline | 1-2 | 1-2 | John Sadler | 4 c |
| Epicenter | 5-1 | 5-1 | Steve Asmussen | 3 c |
| Life Is Good | 8-1 | 8-1 | Todd Pletcher | 4 c |
| Taiba | 8-1 | 16-1 | Bob Baffert | 3 c |
| Olympiad | 12-1 | 12-1 | Bill Mott | 4 c |
| Art Collector | 14-1 | 14-1 | Bill Mott | 5 h |
| Cyberknife | 16-1 | 16-1 | Brad Cox | 3 c |
| Country Grammer | 18-1 | 18-1 | Bob Baffert | 5 h |
| Hot Rod Charlie | 22-1 | 22-1 | Doug O'Neill | 4 c |
| Happy Saver | 25-1 | 25-1 | Todd Pletcher | 5 h |
| Mandaloun | 25-1 | 25-1 | Brad Cox | 4 c |
| Speaker's Corner | 25-1 | 25-1 | Bill Mott | 4 c |
| Zandon | 25-1 | 25-1 | Chad Brown | 3 c |
| Americanrevolution | 33-1 | 33-1 | Todd Pletcher | 4 c |
| Scalding | 33-1 | 33-1 | Shug McGaughey | 4 c |
| Smile Happy | 33-1 | 33-1 | Kenny McPeek | 3 c |
| Echo Zulu | 40-1 | 40-1 | Steve Asmussen | 3 f |
| Fulsome | 40-1 | 40-1 | Brad Cox | 4 c |
| Messier | 40-1 | 40-1 | Tim Yakteen | 3 c |
| Newgrange | 40-1 | 40-1 | Phil D'Amato | 3 c |
| Dr Post | 50-1 | 50-1 | Todd Pletcher | 5 h |
| Tiz the Bomb | 50-1 | 50-1 | Kenny McPeek | 3 c |
| We the People | 50-1 | 50-1 | Rodolphe Brisset | 3 c |
Sprint. Gunite, another Gun Runner 3-year-old, was shortened from 10-1 to 6-1 to win the six-furlong Sprint. That was after his triumph Saturday in the Harrods Creek at Churchill Downs. His Steve Asmussen-trained stablemate and reigning division champion Jackie’s Warrior remained the plus-135 (6-5) favorite.
| BC Sprint | Now | Was | Trainer | Age-sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackie's Warrior | 8-5 | 8-5 | Steve Asmussen | 4 c |
| Jack Christopher | 5-2 | 5-2 | Chad Brown | 3 c |
| Cody's Wish | 7-2 | 7-2 | Bill Mott | 4 c |
| Gunite | 6-1 | 10-1 | Steve Asmussen | 3 c |
| Laurel River | 8-1 | 8-1 | Bob Baffert | 4 c |
| Aloha West | 14-1 | 14-1 | Wayne Catalano | 5 h |
| American Theorem | 16-1 | 16-1 | George Papaprodromou | 5 r |
| Pinehurst | 20-1 | 20-1 | John Terranova | 3 c |
Filly & Mare Sprint. For the second week in a row the odds moved in this division for two horses who have not raced in weeks. Matareya, third last out in the Test (G1), went from 10-1 to 9-1. Ce Ce, who was fifth in the Ballerina Handicap (G1), was cut from 12-1 to 11-1. Ballerina winner Goodnight Olive still was the 3-1 favorite.
| BC F&M Sprint | Now | Was | Trainer | Age-sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodnight Olive | 3-1 | 3-1 | Chad Brown | 4 f |
| Kimari | 5-1 | 5-1 | Wesley Ward | 5 m |
| Just One Time | 6-1 | 6-1 | Brad Cox | 4 f |
| Bell's the One | 8-1 | 8-1 | Neil Pessin | 6 m |
| Obligatory | 8-1 | 8-1 | Bill Mott | 4 f |
| Matareya | 9-1 | 10-1 | Brad Cox | 3 f |
| Ce Ce | 11-1 | 12-1 | Michael McCarthy | 6 m |
| Becca Taylor | 16-1 | 16-1 | Steve Miyadi | 4 f |
| Bella Sofia | 16-1 | 16-1 | Rudy Rodríguez | 4 f |
Turf. For the second month in a row, Rebel’s Romance won a Group 1 test in Germany. This time it was his score in the 1 1/2-mile Preis von Europa (G1) that led to his odds being shortened from 12-1 to 8-1 to win the 1 1/2-mile Turf. Coolmore’s 3-year-old Luxembourg, the winner of the Irish Champion (G1), held firm as the 5-1 favorite.
| BC Turf | Now | Was | Trainer | Age-sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg | 5-1 | 5-1 | Aidan O'Brien | 3 c |
| Yibir | 6-1 | 6-1 | Charlie Appleby | 4 g |
| Mishriff | 13-2 | 13-2 | John & Thady Gosden | 5 h |
| Adayar | 7-1 | 7-1 | Charlie Appleby | 4 c |
| Nations Pride | 7-1 | 7-1 | Charlie Appleby | 3 c |
| Rebel's Romance | 8-1 | 12-1 | Charlie Appleby | 4 g |
| Botanik | 10-1 | 10-1 | André Fabre | 4 g |
| Vadeni | 10-1 | 10-1 | Jean-Claude Rouget | 3 c |
| Emily Upjohn | 12-1 | 12-1 | John & Thady Gosden | 3 f |
| Gufo | 14-1 | 14-1 | Christophe Clément | 5 h |
| Adhamo | 16-1 | 16-1 | Chad Brown | 4 c |
| Classic Causeway | 16-1 | 16-1 | Kenny McPeek | 3 c |
| Hurricane Lane | 16-1 | 16-1 | Charlie Appleby | 4 c |
| Santin | 16-1 | 16-1 | Brendan Walsh | 4 c |
| Tuesday | 16-1 | 16-1 | Aidan O'Brien | 3 f |
| Bay Bridge | 20-1 | 20-1 | Sir Michael Stoute | 4 c |
| Broome | 20-1 | 20-1 | Aidan O'Brien | 6 h |
| New London | 20-1 | 20-1 | Charlie Appleby | 3 c |
Mile. It appears there is a bull market for Modern Games to win again in the Breeders’ Cup. His win in this month’s Woodbine Mile (G1) continued to resonate, with his odds moving from plus 175 (7-4) to plus 150 (3-2) to win the Mile on the Keeneland grass.
| BC Mile | Now | Was | Trainer | Age-sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern Games | 3-2 | 7-4 | Charlie Appleby | 3 c |
| Inspiral | 6-1 | 6-1 | John & Thady Gosden | 3 f |
| Real World | 7-1 | 7-1 | Saaed bin Suroor | 5 h |
| Songline | 7-1 | 7-1 | Toru Hayashi | 4 f |
| My Prospero | 8-1 | 8-1 | William Haggas | 3 c |
| Homeless Songs | 10-1 | 10-1 | Dermot Weld | 3 f |
| Native Trail | 10-1 | 10-1 | Charlie Appleby | 3 c |
| Spendarella | 10-1 | 10-1 | Graham Motion | 3 f |
| Ivar | 12-1 | 12-1 | Paulo Lobo | 5 h |
| Maljoom | 12-1 | 12-1 | William Haggas | 3 c |
| Tenebrism | 12-1 | 12-1 | Aidan O'Brien | 3 f |
| Casa Creed | 14-1 | 14-1 | Bill Mott | 6 h |
| Santin | 14-1 | 14-1 | Brendan Walsh | 4 c |
| Smooth Like Strait | 25-1 | 25-1 | Michael McCarthy | 5 h |
| Lusail | 33-1 | 33-1 | Richard Hannon | 3 c |
| Pizza Bianca | 33-1 | 33-1 | Christophe Clément | 3 f |
Filly & Mare Turf. Eight days after her win in the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational (G1) at Aqueduct, McKulick made a big move from 14-1 to 8-1 to finish first in this 1 3/16-mile race. Dual Group 1 winners Inspiral and Nashwa, both trained by John and Thady Gosden, remained the co-favorites at 7-2.
| BC F&M Turf | Now | Was | Trainer | Age-sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inspiral | 7-2 | 7-2 | John & Thady Gosden | 3 f |
| Nashwa | 7-2 | 7-2 | John & Thady Gosden | 3 f |
| Homeless Songs | 6-1 | 6-1 | Dermot Weld | 3 f |
| War Like Goddess | 6-1 | 6-1 | Bill Mott | 5 m |
| Emily Upjohn | 7-1 | 7-1 | John & Thady Gosden | 3 f |
| Dreamloper | 8-1 | 8-1 | Ed Walker | 5 m |
| McKulick | 8-1 | 14-1 | Chad Brown | 3 f |
| Saffron Beach | 8-1 | 8-1 | Jane Chapple-Hyam | 4 f |
| Spendarella | 10-1 | 10-1 | Graham Motion | 3 f |
| Tuesday | 10-1 | 10-1 | Aidan O'Brien | 3 f |
| Bleecker Street | 12-1 | 12-1 | Chad Brown | 4 f |
| Regal Glory | 12-1 | 12-1 | Chad Brown | 5 m |
| With the Moonlight | 12-1 | 12-1 | Charlie Appleby | 3 f |
| Haughty | 14-1 | 14-1 | Chad Brown | 3 f |
| Technical Analysis | 14-1 | 14-1 | Chad Brown | 4 f |
| Consumer Spending | 25-1 | 25-1 | Chad Brown | 3 f |
| Dalika | 25-1 | 25-1 | Al Stall Jr. | 6 m |
| Rougir | 25-1 | 25-1 | Chad Brown | 4 f |
| Concert Hall | 33-1 | 33-1 | Aidan O'Brien | 3 f |
Distaff, Dirt Mile and Turf Sprint. These three divisions were unchanged from last week. Three-time Grade 1 winner Nest was firm at plus 135 (6-5) to win the 1 1/8-mile Distaff. Jack Christopher held steady at 3-2 to win the two-turn Dirt Mile. Triple Group 1 winner Highfield Princess from England continued to be the 2-1 top choice to earn the trophy in the 5 1/2-furlong Turf Sprint.
| BC Distaff | Now | Was | Trainer | Age-sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nest | 6-5 | 6-5 | Todd Pletcher | 3 f |
| Malathaat | 9-2 | 9-2 | Todd Pletcher | 4 f |
| Clairière | 6-1 | 6-1 | Steve Asmussen | 4 f |
| Search Results | 8-1 | 8-1 | Chad Brown | 4 f |
| Goodnight Olive | 10-1 | 10-1 | Chad Brown | 4 f |
| Letruska | 10-1 | 10-1 | Fausto Gutiérrez | 6 m |
| Blue Stripe | 16-1 | 16-1 | Marcelo Polanco | 5 m |
| Kathleen O. | 16-1 | 16-1 | Shug McGaughey | 3 f |
| Obligatory | 16-1 | 16-1 | Bill Mott | 4 f |
| Secret Oath | 16-1 | 16-1 | D. Wayne Lukas | 3 f |
| Shedaresthedevil | 16-1 | 16-1 | Brad Cox | 5 m |
| Desert Dawn | 20-1 | 20-1 | Phil D'Amato | 3 f |
| Echo Zulu | 20-1 | 20-1 | Steve Asmussen | 3 f |
| Matareya | 25-1 | 25-1 | Brad Cox | 3 f |
| BC Dirt Mile | Now | Was | Trainer | Age-sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Christopher | 3-2 | 3-2 | Chad Brown | 3 c |
| Life Is Good | 3-1 | 3-1 | Todd Pletcher | 4 c |
| Cody's Wish | 4-1 | 4-1 | Bill Mott | 4 c |
| Epicenter | 5-1 | 5-1 | Steve Asmussen | 3 c |
| Olympiad | 5-1 | 5-1 | Bill Mott | 4 c |
| Taiba | 5-1 | 5-1 | Bob Baffert | 3 c |
| Art Collector | 7-1 | 7-1 | Bill Mott | 5 h |
| Country Grammer | 8-1 | 8-1 | Bob Baffert | 5 h |
| Jackie's Warrior | 10-1 | 10-1 | Steve Asmussen | 4 c |
| Hot Rod Charlie | 12-1 | 12-1 | Doug O'Neill | 4 c |
| Speaker's Corner | 14-1 | 14-1 | Bill Mott | 4 c |
| Zandon | 14-1 | 14-1 | Chad Brown | 3 c |
| Americanrevolution | 16-1 | 16-1 | Todd Pletcher | 4 c |
| Happy Saver | 16-1 | 16-1 | Todd Pletcher | 5 h |
| Early Voting | 20-1 | 20-1 | Chad Brown | 3 c |
| Fulsome | 25-1 | 25-1 | Brad Cox | 4 c |
| BC Turf Sprint | Now | Was | Trainer | Age-sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highfield Princess | 2-1 | 2-1 | John Quinn | 5 m |
| Golden Pal | 9-4 | 9-4 | Wesley Ward | 4 c |
| Lieutenant Dan | 6-1 | 6-1 | Steve Miyadi | 6 g |
| Campanelle | 7-1 | 7-1 | Wesley Ward | 4 f |
| Casa Creed | 8-1 | 8-1 | Bill Mott | 6 h |
| Big Invasion | 11-1 | 11-1 | Christophe Clément | 3 c |
| Emaraaty Ana | 14-1 | 14-1 | Kevin Ryan | 6 g |
| Arrest Me Red | 16-1 | 16-1 | Wesley Ward | 4 c |
| A Case of You | 20-1 | 20-1 | Kate DeMasi | 3 f |
| Creative Force | 20-1 | 20-1 | Charlie Appleby | 4 g |
| King's Lynn | 20-1 | 20-1 | Andrew Balding | 5 g |
| Naval Crown | 20-1 | 20-1 | Charlie Appleby | 4 c |
| Gear Jockey | 25-1 | 25-1 | Rusty Arnold | 5 h |
| Perfect Power | 25-1 | 25-1 | Richard Fahey | 3 c |
| Royal Aclaim | 25-1 | 25-1 | James Tate | 3 f |
| Mooneista | 50-1 | 50-1 | Jack Davison | 4 f |