Breeders' Cup sets 'Head2Head' bet matchups; takeout just 10%
The Breeders’ Cup has released Head2Head (H2H) wagering matchups, a new addition to the wagering menu ahead of the Friday and Saturday championships at Churchill Downs.
All told, seven Head2Head wagers, with three offered Friday and four Saturday, provide seasoned bettors and potential newcomers an opportunity to handicap intra-race matchups in the hopes of unearthing strong plays in a sports betting type of format.
The $10 minimum wager, with just a 10% takeout, is designed to offer matchups with a theoretical 50/50 chance of winning, that should attract seasoned bettors, but could also in turn appeal to sports bettors, as they are essentially being given an even-money proposition, yet with no points spread involved.
The matchups, listed below, will have a predominantly USA vs. European feel and consist of both individual horses against each other, as well as entire groups from both countries.
Friday, Nov. 2
Race 6 – Juvenile Fillies Turf: USA (1) vs Europe (2)
Race 8 – Juvenile Turf: USA (1) vs. Europe (2)
Race 9 – Juvenile: Complexity (1) vs. Game Winner (2)
Saturday, Nov. 3
Race 6 – Filly and Mare Turf: USA (1) vs. Europe (2)
Race 8 – Mile: USA (1) vs. Europe (2)
Race 10 – Turf: Enable (GB) (1) vs. the Field (2)
Race 11 – Classic: Mendelssohn (1) vs. Thunder Snow (2)
All seven matchups offer plenty of pros and cons for each side that should attract betting dollars from handicappers and fans alike, as Friday’s juvenile turf races figure wide open, with serious contenders from both the USA and Europe, while the Juvenile itself has a great West Coast-East Coast battle between a pair of undefeated colts, Complexity and Game Winner.
Saturday is much the same, as the Filly & Mare Turf and Mile are riddled with contenders from both sides of the pond, while the immortal European filly Enable will go it alone in the Turf, while tackling the entire field. The Classic will pit European-based Mendelssohn and Thunder Snow against each other, but US bettors and Kentuckians are familiar with both, as they each ran in the Kentucky Derby and in the U.S. on multiple occasions.
In individual Head2Head wagers, the winner will be determined by the horse that finishes the finish line first and does not necessarily need to be the horse that wins the race.