First look at Breeders' Cup 2019 odds: Classic, Distaff and more
Absent a go-to source for advanced Breeders' Cup odds domestically, we perused the prices in international books leaving the final round of major preps for the Nov. 1-2 championships at Santa Anita Park.
Below, see via OddsChecker.com, an aggregate of overseas race books, the best available prices as of Tuesday for some likely Breeders' Cup contenders. Of course, there's plenty of shaping up still left to go, especially in the turf divisions, which figure to gain more European participants in the coming days.
This article focuses Saturday races ahead of Breeders' Cup pre-entries being announced Oct. 23. The true morning line then arrives the Monday of race week along with post positions.
As with last year, five juvenile races will comprise Friday's championship events before 3-year-olds and up run in these Saturday events culminating with the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Now, here's an early look at the odds:
There appear to be more questions than answers going into this year’s Classic than in recent years. How will Elate do agains the boys? Will a victory by Code of Honor be enough for Eclipse Awards consideration? Who will ride McKinzie? Is there any chance Omaha Beach goes here off a six-furlong win in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1)? Essentially, while there's no superstar present, story lines are aplenty.
| Horse | Trainer | Odds |
| McKinzie | Bob Baffert | 4-1 |
| Code of Honor | Shug McGaughey | 5-1 |
| Vino Rosso | Todd Pletcher | 10-1 |
Elate | Bill Mott | 10-1 |
| Omaha Beach | Richard Mandella | 12-1 |
| Yoshida | Bill Mott | 16-1 |
| Higher Power | John Sadler | 18-1 |
| Math Wizard | Saffie Joseph Jr. | 25-1 |
| Owendale | Brad Cox | 25-1 |
| Mongolian Groom | Enebish Ganbat | 33-1 |
| War of Will | Mark Casse | 33-1 |
| Tax | Danny Gargan | 40-1 |
| Seeking the Soul | Dallas Stewart | 50-1 |
Until connections completely shut the door, it's worth considering the prospect that Enable returns for a repeat against some familiar European competition. Domestically, Bricks and Mortar is said to be more likely for the Mile, but could be cross-entered. Aiden O’Brien looks poised to add to his record number of victories in this race with more European entries likely out of Ascot's champions weekend.
| Horse | Trainer | Odds |
| Enable | John Gosden | 7-2 |
| Japan | Aiden O'Brien | 4-1 |
| Magical | Aiden O'Brien | 6-1 |
| Bricks and Mortar | Chad Brown | 8-1 |
| Old Persian | Charlie Appleby | 12-1 |
| Broome | Aiden O'Brien | 20-1 |
| Arklow | Brad Cox | 22-1 |
| Ya Primo | Chad Brown | 25-1 |
| Acclimate | Phil D'Amato | 25-1 |
| Sadlers Joy | Tom Albertrani | 40-1 |
| Zulu Alpha | Mike Maker | 40-1 |
| Channel Maker | Bill Mott | 50-1 |
Midnight Bisou, who's already locked up divisional honors, can further her Horse of the Year chances with a victory here. Her top overseas price is an outlier in a market that's seeing her closer to even money on consensus, with second choice Elate more likely to go in the Classic. All others are near or in the double digits with this looking more like a hunt to see who will finish out the exacta.
| Horse | Trainer | Odds |
| Midnight Bisou | Steve Asmussen | 7-2 |
| Elate | Bill Mott | 7-1 |
| Guarana | Chad Brown | 8-1 |
| Street Band | Larry Jones | 8-1 |
| Dunbar Road | Chad Brown | 8-1 |
| Paradise Woods | John Shirreffs | 14-1 |
| Ollie's Candy | John Sadler | 20-1 |
| Wow Cat | Chad Brown | 20-1 |
| Serengeti Empress | Tom Amoss | 22-1 |
| Blue Prize | Ignacio Correas | 33-1 |
Bricks and Mortar should be the definitive favorite in this race, even if it's not fully reflected yet in the overseas market that's going to downplay an American threat on the turf. Got Stormy is a recent market mover even off a defeat in the Woodbine Mile to be the prospective second choice ahead of the top Europeans. Big additions last weekend included Bowies Hero, the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) hero, and Uni, who won Keeneland's First Lady (G1) in record time.
| Horse | Trainer | Odds |
| Bricks and Mortar | Chad Brown | 5-1 |
| Got Stormy | Mark Casse | 10-1 |
| One Master | William Haggas | 10-1 |
| Circus Maximus | Aidan O'Brien | 12-1 |
| Romanised | K J Condon | 12-1 |
| Uni | Chad Brown | 12-1 |
| Iridessa | Joseph O'Brien | 14-1 |
| Magna Grecia | Aiden O'Brien | 14-1 |
| Raging Bull | Chad Brown | 16-1 |
| Bowies Hero | Phil d'Amato | 16-1 |
| Catholic Boy | Jonathan Thomas | 16-1 |
| Valid Point | Chad Brown | 20-1 |
| El Tormenta | Gail Cox | 33-1 |
| Bolo | Carla Gaines | 50-1 |
There’s always the possibility of losing some of the top contenders of the Sprint to the Dirt Mile, but regardless of which horses take the gate facing six furlongs, this edition of the Sprint is shaping up to be contentious. Many would like to see Mitole and Imperial Hint tangle again as they did in the Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga in July. Shancelot could also look to turn the tables on Omaha Beach in a rematch of the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1). Will Engage parlay his Phoenix Stakes victory into a Sprint win? Many race decisions need to be made before this one fully shapes up.
| Horse | Trainer | Odds |
| Mitole | Steve Asmussen | 3-1 |
| Imperial Hint | Luis Carvajal Jr. | 4-1 |
| Shancelot | Jorge Navarro | 9-2 |
| Omaha Beach | Richard Mandella | 5-1 |
| Firenze Fire | Jason Servis | 10-1 |
| Catalina Cruiser | John Sadler | 12-1 |
| Engage | Steve Asmussen | 20-1 |
| Promises Fulfilled | Dale Romans | 25-1 |
| Whitmore | Ron Moquett | 33-1 |
| Lexitonian | Jack Sisterson | 50-1 |
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf
This is Sistercharlie’s race to lose. She’s entering with six straight Grade 1 wins and looks to defend her title as Filly & Mare Turf champion. The European invaders always seem to perform well in the turf races on Breeders’ Cup weekend, but the favorite here is definitely from this side of the Atlantic. Sistercharlie has never raced at Santa Anita previously, however, and her speed figures from her latest victory were her lowest since her U.S. debut in July of 2017. Vulnerable? The market doesn't believe so.
| Horse | Trainer | Odds |
| Sistercharlie | Chad Brown | 7-4 |
| Deirdre | Mitsuru Hashida | 7-1 |
| Iridessa | Joseph O'Brien | 8-1 |
| Magic Wand | Aiden O'Brien | 10-1 |
| Star Catcher | John Gosden | 10-1 |
| Mirth | Phil D'Amato | 10-1 |
| Beau Recall | Brad Cox | 14-1 |
| Fleeting | Aidan O'Brien | 16-1 |
| Mrs. Sippy | Graham Motion | 20-1 |
| Vasilika | Jerry Hollendorfer | 25-1 |
As noted with the Sprint, there are some horses on this list that could opt out into another division. Either way, this shapes up as a deep race highlighted by some of the crop's better 3-year-olds taking on older competition. The tote board indicates a wide-open race, especially considering the top choices may end up elsewhere. Note particularly Mitole as a much higher-priced Dirt Mile contender going two turns.
| Horse | Trainer | Odds |
| Omaha Beach | Richard Mandella | 9-2 |
| Catalina Cruiser | John Sadler | 9-2 |
| Mitole | Steve Asmussen | 5-1 |
| Coal Front | Todd Pletcher | 12-1 |
| Mr. Money | Bret Calhoun | 12-1 |
| Math Wizard | Saffie Joseph | 12-1 |
| Owendale | Brad Cox | 14-1 |
| Firenze Fire | Jason Servis | 14-1 |
| Catholic Boy | Jonathan Thomas | 14-1 |
| Hog Creek Hustle | Vickie Foley | 14-1 |
| Gray Magician | Peter Miller | 25-1 |
| Giant Expectations | Peter Eurton | 33-1 |
Stormy Liberal has won back-to-back runnings of the Turf Sprint, but it looks like there will be a new winner this year, as the 7-year old gelding is 0-for-6 since his victory last year at Churchill Downs. European Battash and World of Trouble, the 2018 runner-up, are both out entirely, sapping some star power from this event. But going five furlongs, as usual, it looks like it's anybody's race, with plenty of determinations still to be made about who gets in.
| Horse | Trainer | Odds |
| Pee Wee Reese | Phil d'Amato | 5-1 |
| Eddie Haskell | Mark Glatt | 9-1 |
| So Perfect | Aiden O'Brien | 8-1 |
| Imprimis | Joseph Orseno | 10-1 |
| Fairyland | Aiden O'Brien | 10-1 |
| Stubbins | Doug O'Neill | 11-1 |
| Glass Slippers | K A Ryan | 12-1 |
| Stormy Liberal | Peter Miller | 12-1 |
| Belvoir Bay | Peter Miller | 14-1 |
| Leinster | Rusty Arnold | 14-1 |
| Totally Boss | Rutsy Arnold | 20-1 |
| Pure Sensation | Christophe Clement | 15-1 |
| Om | Peter Miller | 25-1 |
| Disco Partner | Christophe Clement | 25-1 |
| Legends of War | Doug O'Neill | 25-1 |
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
While 3-year-old Covfefe will claim favoritism, Come Dancing, whose only loss this year came going longer than this against Midnight Bisou, certainly deserves respect in this talented bunch. Note that the Kentucky Oaks winner, Serengeti Empress, has the Distaff as her preference. The way she came back to win the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) at Keeneland, Spiced Perfection also cannot be overlooked. A number of potential contenders, including Danuska's My Girl, Fighting Mad and Heavenhasmynikki, aren't listed on the overseas markets.
| Horse | Trainer | Odds |
| Covfefe | Brad Cox | 7-2 |
| Come Dancing | Carlos Martin | 5-1 |
| Guarana | Chad Brown | 7-1 |
| Serengeti Empress | Tom Amoss | 10-1 |
| Spiced Perfection | Peter Miller | 10-1 |
| Bellafina | Simon Callaghan | 12-1 |
| Chalon | Arnaud Delacour | 20-1 |
| Dawn the Destroyer | Kiaran McLaughlin | 25-1 |
| Minit to Stardom | Jose Camejo | 33-1 |
| Mia Mischief | Steve Asmussen | 33-1 |
| Talk Veuve to Me | Rodolphe Brisset | 40-1 |