Breeders' Cup 2021: See the latest futures odds

There is no separating Essential Quality and Knicks Go when it comes to betting on the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Less than 12 weeks before the $6 million race at Del Mar, one international bookmaker has made the two stars of Brad Cox’s stable the co-favorites.

After his 4 1/2-length victory this month in the Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, 5-year-old Knicks Go shortened from 8-1 to 5-1 at Costa Rica-based Bovada. That put him on equal footing with Essential Quality, the Belmont Stakes winner who drifted from 4-1 to 5-1 despite his win in last month’s Jim Dandy (G2).

The nine Breeders’ Cup races for 3-year-olds and up have been open to futures bets this summer at Bovada. Those races are scheduled for Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Classic

While Cox trains the top two betting choices, Happy Saver curiously made the biggest move when his odds were cut from 12-1 to 7-1. That flew in the face of the Todd Pletcher-trained 4-year-old’s third-place finish in the Suburban (G2).

Following are the current Bovada odds (with July 26 prices in parentheses):

  5-1   (4-1) Essential Quality

  5-1   (8-1) Knicks Go

  7-1 (12-1) Happy Saver

  7-1   (7-1) Mystic Guide

  8-1   (7-1) Maxfield

11-1 (10-1) Life Is Good

12-1 (10-1) Hot Rod Charlie

14-1 (14-1) Max Player

16-1 (16-1) Country Grammer

16-1 (16-1) Medina Spirit

16-1 (16-1) Royal Ship

16-1 (16-1) Silver State

18-1 (18-1) Rombauer

20-1 (20-1) Express Train

20-1 (20-1) Jackie’s Warrior

20-1 (20-1) Midnight Bourbon

20-1 (20-1) Rock Your World

25-1 (25-1) Concert Tour

25-1 (25-1) Fulsome

25-1 (25-1) Idol

25-1 (25-1) Tacitus

33-1 (33-1) Dr Post

33-1 (33-1) Known Agenda

40-1 (40-1) Dream Shake

40-1 (40-1) Jesús’ Team

50-1 (50-1) Owendale*

  --   (12-1) Mandaloun

*Deceased; still listed by Bovada.

Turf

Even though he was upset as the odds-on favorite Saturday in the Mister D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park, Chad Brown-trained Domestic Spending held his ground in betting for the $4 million Turf. The Ireland-based colt State of Rest, trained by Joseph O’Brien, moved into the futures with his score Aug. 7 in the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1).

  4-1   (4-1) Domestic Spending

  9-2   ( -- ) State of Rest

  9-2   (5-1) Tarnawa

  6-1   (6-1) Love

  7-1   (6-1) St Mark’s Basilica

10-1 (10-1) Lord North

14-1 (12-1) Bolshoi Ballet

16-1 (12-1) Al Aasy

16-1 (16-1) Channel Maker

16-1 (16-1) Mogul

16-1 (33-1) United

18-1 (18-1) Somelikeithotbrown

20-1 (20-1) Arklow

20-1 (20-1) Colonel Liam

20-1 (20-1) Japan

25-1 (25-1) Channel Cat

25-1 (25-1) Say the Word

33-1 (33-1) Serpentine

33-1 (33-1) War Like Goddess

Distaff

The six shortest-priced fillies and mares have not changed for the $2 million Distaff. Idle from racing since her Fleur de Lis (G2) triumph June 26 at Churchill Downs, Letruska remains the 5-2 favorite. Trainer Fausto Gutiérrez is pointing the 5-year-old mare to the Personal Ensign (G1) on Aug. 28 at Saratoga.

  5-2   (5-2) Letruska

  3-1   (3-1) Monomoy Girl

  6-1   (6-1) Malathaat

13-2 (13-2) Search Results

  7-1   (7-1) Swiss Skydiver

10-1 (10-1) Gamine

11-1 (10-1) Maracujá

14-1 (14-1) As Time Goes By

14-1 (14-1) Ce Ce

16-1 (16-1) Clairière

16-1 (16-1) Crazy Beautiful

16-1 (16-1) Shedaresthedevil

25-1 (25-1) Blue Stripe

25-1 (25-1) Vequist

33-1 (33-1) Travel Column

40-1 (40-1) Dayoutoftheoffice

Mile

Palace Pier and Poetic Flare finished a neck apart Sunday in the mile-long Prix Jacques le Marois (G1) in France. They moved into the clear as the top two choices to win the $2 million Mile. For 4-year-old Palace Pier, who is 4-for-4 in 2021, it was a case of redemption after recovering from a blood disorder last month.

  3-2   (2-1) Palace Pier

  9-2   (8-1) Poetic Flare

  6-1   (6-1) Domestic Spending

  8-1   (8-1) Lord North

  8-1   (8-1) Tribhuvan

10-1 (10-1) Gran Alegria

10-1 (10-1) Order of Australia

12-1 (12-1) Danon Kingly

12-1 (12-1) Lope y Fernández

12-1 (12-1) Raging Bull

12-1 (12-1) Smooth Like Strait

14-1 (14-1) Master of the Seas

16-1 (16-1) Somelikeithotbrown

20-1 (20-1) Du Jour

20-1 (20-1) Mo Forza

33-1 (33-1) Lucky Vega

40-1 (40-1) Champers Élysées

Sprint

Go figure Nashville being the favorite. The 4-year-old colt trained by Steve Asmussen has not raced or had a timed work all year, yet there he stays at 6-1. Bella Sofia’s victory last weekend in the Test (G1) at Saratoga put her on the board at 8-1, although trainer Rudy Rodríguez could point her to the Filly & Mare Sprint.

  6-1   (6-1) Nashville

  7-1   (7-1) Firenze Fire

  8-1   ( -- ) Bella Sofia

  8-1   (8-1) C Z Rocket

  8-1   ( -- ) Jackie’s Warrior

  8-1   (8-1) Yaupon

10-1   ( -- ) Dr. Schivel

16-1 (16-1) Flagstaff

16-1 (16-1) Mind Control

16-1 (16-1) Whitmore

33-1 (33-1) Lexitonian

Filly & Mare Turf

Even though she won the Irish Oaks (G1) last month at the Curragh, the Coolmore 3-year-old filly Snowfall drifted from 2-1 to 5-2 for the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf. Santa Barbara, also trained by Aidan O’Brien, shortened from 9-2 to 11-4 after she won the Beverly D. (G1) on Saturday at Arlington Park.

  5-2   (2-1) Snowfall

11-4   (9-2) Santa Barbara

  4-1   (4-1) Loves Only You

  5-1 (16-1) War Like Goddess

  6-1   ( -- ) Alpine Star

  6-1   (6-1) Mean Mary

  7-1   (7-1) Aunt Pearl

  8-1   (8-1) Althiqa

12-1 (12-1) Gift List

12-1 (12-1) Gufo

12-1 (12-1) Harvey’s Lil Goil

12-1 (12-1) Jouster

12-1 (12-1) Summer Romance

14-1 (14-1) Lemista

14-1 (14-1) Magic Attitude

20-1 (20-1) Personal

33-1 (33-1) La Signare

33-1 (33-1) Willow

Dirt Mile

Silver State assumed the favorite’s role even though he finished third in the Whitney. Part of the reason is Knicks Go, who had been favored, won the Whitney and now is more likely to go in the Classic rather than the $1 million Dirt Mile. Jackie’s Warrior made the biggest move, going from 12-1 to 5-1 after he won the Aug. 1 renewal of the Amsterdam (G2) at Saratoga.

  4-1   (6-1) Silver State

  5-1 (12-1) Jackie’s Warrior

  8-1 (12-1) Art Collector

12-1 (12-1) Concert Tour

12-1 (12-1) Drain the Clock

12-1 (12-1) Mischevious Alex

14-1 (12-1) By My Standards

14-1 (12-1) Fulsome

14-1 (16-1) Jesús’ Team

  --     (7-2) Knicks Go

Turf Sprint

A triumphant 2021 debut in the Quick Call (G3) at Saratoga shortened Golden Pal, a 3-year-old colt trained by Wesley Ward, from 5-2 to 9-4 to win the $1 million Turf Sprint. The 4-year-old English colt Starman jumped into the mix at 8-1 after he won the July Cup (G1) at Newmarket and finished third in the Maurice de Gheest (G1) last Sunday in France.

  9-4   (5-2) Golden Pal

  8-1   (8-1) Kimari

  8-1   ( -- ) Starman

  9-1   (7-1) Glass Slippers

12-1 (12-1) Casa Creed

12-1 (16-1) Fast Boat

25-1 (25-1) Sombeyay

25-1 (20-1) Supremacy

  --   (13-2) Battaash

Filly & Mare Sprint

Gamine fired two bullets in her last two workouts, but the Eclipse Award-winning 4-year-old filly still drifted from +165 to 2-1 to win the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint. Test winner Bella Sofia debuted as the 5-2 second choice, but she could end up against male rivals in the Sprint.

  2-1   (9-5) Gamine

  5-2   ( -- ) Bella Sofia

13-2 (13-2) Ce Ce

  8-1   (8-1) Souper Sensational

10-1 (10-1) Australasia

14-1 (14-1) Estilo Talentoso