Accelerate is the early betting favorite for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). (Photo by Kazushi Ishida/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders Cup)
The John Sadler trained Accelerate is the current favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3 but with two major preps coming up on Saturday, the future wagering odds on the race could shift dramatically.
The $300,000 Awesome Again (G1) at Santa Anita, with Accelerate as the likely short priced favorite and the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park are on tap on Saturday and both are Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” races for the Classic.
Accelerate will be making his first start since his 12 ½ length win in the Pacific Classic (G1) on Aug. 18. The race was his fourth win in five starts this year. His lone loss was in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in April where he was beaten a neck by City of Light.
The John Sadler trainee is currently the 13-10 betting favorite in early Breeders’ Cup Classic betting at USRacing. At Bovada the five-year-old is listed at a more generous 7-2.
Baffert Has Several Classic Contenders
The Bob Baffert trained West Coast is the second choice in early Classic betting at USRacing at 4-1, but the colt has not raced since running second to Thunder Snow in the Dubai World Cup (G1) on March 31. The colt returned to the work tab last month but has a lot of catching up to do.
Not to say Baffert can’t get them to fire off the bench. That is exactly what he did in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) with McKinzie, who won the marquee race at Parx Racing off a long layoff on Saturday.
The colt was making his first start since crossing the wire first in the San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita on March 10 and getting disqualified for interference in deep stretch. The colt is 15-1 in early Classic betting at USRacing while getting hammered down to 5-1 at Bovada.
Catholic Boy is listed at 5-1 at both USRacing and Bovada. The colt won the Travers (G1) at Saratoga on July 7 and will work up to the Classic. The Jonathan Thomas trainee has won three in a row, taking the Belmont Derby (G1) on turf in his previous outing.
Jockey Club Gold Cup Attracts Strong Field
The Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Saturday figures to draw a strong field led by defending champ Diversify, who is currently listed at 6-1 in early Classic wagering at USRacing and 8-1 at Bovada.
The Rick Violette trainee took the field gate to wire to win the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga in his last outing. His lone start over the Churchill Downs main track was a fourth in the Clark handicap (G1) last fall.
Among his likely foes on Saturday include Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow, the Chad Brown trained Gronkowski, who was second in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and then eighth in the Travers, and Mendelssohn, who ran second in the Travers in his last start.
Latest Breeders’ Cup Betting Odds via USRacing:
Accelerate 13-10
West Coast 4-1
Catholic Boy 5-1
Diversify 6-1
Thunder Snow 7-1
Yoshida 10-1
Pavel 10-1
Hofburg 10-1
Collected 10-1
Gunnevera 11-1
Mendelssohn 12-1
Tenfold 14-1
McKinzie 15-1
Gronkowski 20-1
Bravazo 20-1
Hoppertunity 24-1
Honorable Duty 30-1
Vino Rosso 30-1
Elate 30-1
Check out USRacing for an entire list of odds for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
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