Triple Crown winner Justify is the early betting favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.
Triple Crown winner Justify is the early betting favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) which will be held this year at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.
The colt is currently at betting odds of 6-4 at Bovada for the year-end championship race as he goes for racing’s “Grand Slam” which American Pharoah accomplished in 2015.
The colt landed back at Churchill Downs on Monday and will stay a week before heading back to trainer Bob Baffert’s barn at Santa Anita.
No plan has been set for how the Triple Crown winner will get back to Churchill Downs. A logical spot for the colt would be the $1.25 million Travers (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 25. That is a race American Pharoah lost after sweeping the Triple Crown.
Another possibility would be the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park on July 29, a race that Baffert has won a record eight times including with American Pharoah in 2015.
With six starts under his belt since his debut in February the colt likely will make just two starts before the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
West Coast is the current second choice in early Breeders’ Cup Classic betting at Bovada at 8-1. The colt is also trained by Baffert and made his last start in the Dubai World Cup (G1) where he ran second to Thunder Snow.
West Coast won six of his nine starts last year and ran second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic behind Gun Runner and Collected.
Hofburg and Gronkowski Taking Action
Three-year-olds Hofburg and Gronkowski are getting plenty of respect in early Classic betting, both colts listed at 10-1.
Hofburg is trained By Hall of Famer Bill Mott and was second in the Florida Derby (G1), seventh in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Belmont Stakes.
Gronkowski made his U.S. debut in the Belmont and his first start after landing in the Chads Brown barn. After breaking slowly, the colt rallied up the inside to finish a solid second in the Belmont at 24-1.
At 12-1 is last year’s Classic runner up Collected and this year’s Derby runner up and Preakness fourth place finisher Good Magic.
The top three-year-olds likely will meet up in the Travers. Justify is the early betting favorite at Bovada at 2-3 while Hofburg is 5-1. Gronkowski is not yet listed but Brown said the colt may end up at the Spa later this summer.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Betting Odds Via Bovada:
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Justify | 6/4 |
| West Coast | 8/1 |
| Hofburg | 10/1 |
| Gronkowski | 10/1 |
| Collected | 12/1 |
| Good Magic | 12/1 |
| Audible | 14/1 |
| Accelerate | 16/1 |
| Thunder Snow | 20/1 |
| Mendelssohn | 20/1 |
| Vino Rosso | 25/1 |
| Mckinzie | 33/1 |
| Bolt DOro | 50/1 |
| Toast Of New York | 66/1 |
| Pavel | 66/1 |
| Magnum Moon | 100/1 |
| Gunnevera | 100/1 |
| Hoppertunity | 100/1 |
| Mubtaahij | 100/1 |
| War Story | 100/1 |
Road to the Breeders’ Cup Package
Michael’s two day Breeders’ Cup Report includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations for every race on the two-day championship event.
