2023 Breeders' Cup Saturday Picks

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships are on November 3 and 4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The horse racing festivities get underway Friday with Future Stars Friday, but they get into full swing on Championship Saturday. The second day features nine Breeders’ Cup races at a broad range of distances on both dirt and turf. The richest of the races is the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, but note that unlike in previous years, that is not the final championship race of the day. The Classic is actually the third-to-last festival race, with two Breeders’ Cup races after it: the Turf Sprint and the Sprint.

Naturally, you can bet which of this trainer's horses will win their Breeders Cup race at FanDuel Racing. Also, discover 2023 Breeders’ Cup betting odds and exciting betting Bonus and Promos on FanDuel.

These are our top picks for each of the Breeders’ Cup championship races on the Saturday card.

2023 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Eight horses are expected to run in the Dirt Mile after the tragic loss of Practical Move after his Tuesday-morning gallop. The race goes through Cody’s Wish, who won last year at Keeneland. His only loss in four starts this year came in the nine-furlong Whitney, but he has looked his old self at seven furlongs and a mile. Even though all those wins this year came at a one-turn configuration, and the dirt mile at Santa Anita Park is two turns, he came into Keeneland with the same questions and still got up to win. He has been able to rally smartly whether the pace is slow or hot, and it will take a good effort to beat him.

One horse to take a stand against is Zozos. He’s a bit of a “now” horse with four wins in his last five starts, but his better form comes at a one-turn configuration. Over this two-turn setup, this could be the right place for Stage Raider, second in the Ack Ack (G3) behind Zozos, to turn the tables. Two-turn tries at Ellis and Saratoga, combined with his one-mile form, suggest he could find this spot to his liking at a big price. Skippylongstocking might be the horse everyone has to reel in late and may benefit if Santa Anita is playing as well for speed as it often does on big days; National Treasure may also be forward, though his recent form is suspect.

2023 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Warm Heart and Inspiral are the leaders of the international contingent for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. From this pair, give the advantage to the more stamina-proven Warm Heart. The Aidan O’Brien trainee has won two Group 1 races in a row, the Yorkshire Oaks and the Prix Vermeille, both against older foes. She is tactical, and her form earlier in her career suggests the cut back from 1 ½ miles to 1 ¼ miles should be fine. Inspiral, the morning-line favorite, has the class, but she has distance questions to answer, as she has been a dyed-in-the-wool miler.

Didia has been a classy but unsung presence in the filly and mare turf division: her only defeat in four starts this year was a close second in the New York (G1) at Belmont. Second off the layoff, and with a prep over the local course, she should be ready with her best. Lindy finished well for second behind Mawj in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1). She beat older at Kentucky Downs in her prep before that, and even though she is unproven at this distance, she deserves a try over better footing, since her only try at a distance in this category came over soft ground in a French Group 1. Another who could get a piece is European raider Lumiere Rock, who was a good third to Blue Rose Cen in the Prix de l’Opera (G1) last out and has hit the board in four of five starts at this distance.

2023 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

The only time defending Filly and Mare Sprint winner Goodnight Olive was beaten on the square was last out in the Ballerina (G1); Echo Zulu is recovering from an injury sustained during training, so they will not be able to have a rematch. However, Goodnight Olive was beaten one other time this year: in the Derby City Distaff (G1), after having a badly boxed-in trip. She is by far the one to beat, and her track-and-pounce style may be the right one with Yuugiri, Society, and Eda all likely to be on the engine, but her rail draw makes another badly boxed-in trip possible.

Kirstenbosch comes out of a victory in the Chillingworth (G3), the local prep, over Clearly Unhinged and Eda. As a late runner, she should benefit from the lively pace in front of her, and she has already proven that she can close up ground at Santa Anita Park. Clearly Unhinged needs her best, but this lightly-raced filly is improving with every start, and she has proven that extended one-turn trips are her sweet spot. Add to that her versatility and her affinity for Santa Anita, and she is an exciting prospect for boosting exotic payouts.

2023 Breeders’ Cup Mile

Runners from Japan have shined on the international stage in recent years, and the Japanese racing program should have its Breeders’ Cup moment this year with Songline. She has won Japan’s top mile race, the Yasuda Kinen (G1), the last two years; she also won the Victoria Mile (G1) this year. She missed by a nose last out in the Mainichi Okan (G2), but that covered a mile and an eighth first off the lay. The start should have her first and ready at the mile now, second off the break.

Casa Creed has been a top-class turf sprinter, but he is even better at a mile, and this is the right Breeders’ Cup spot for him. With plenty of speed in the race, he should have a good trip tracking a few lengths off of it. Though he hasn’t raced since August, he has been able to run excellent races when fresh before, and he and jockey Luis Saez have excellent rapport. Gina Romantica upset stablemate In Italian in the First Lady (G1) in a performance that marked the mile as the right distance for her. Her form is trending in the right direction, and the price should be right to bet that trainer Chad Brown (who does his best Mile work with fillies, anyway) has found the right place for her. Mawj is a top-class horse, winning the 1000 Guineas (G1) and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Up (G1) in her last two starts. Males and older horses are new challenges, and she’ll have other speed to tussle with, though she has been able to win without making the top at the beginning.

2023 Breeders’ Cup Distaff

The pace stands to be sharp in the Distaff with Idiomatic, Hoosier Philly, Adare Manor, and Randomized, all given to hit the accelerator from the start, with the advantage going to Idiomatic. Not only is she so sharp early, but she has been facing the best company and is versatile enough to win from just off the pace if others decide to go entirely too fast. Adare Manor also tracked the pace and won last out, though these foes are deeper than any group she saw out west this year.

Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous faces older foes for the first time, but she has been fast enough to be competitive. She is tractable enough to run a good race from a stalking or midfield spot, she has never been out of the exacta this year, and she should have even more pace to chase than she did over the often speed-loving Parx course last out. Clairiere comes into the Breeders’ Cup Distaff off an empty effort in the Personal Ensign, despite a previously good season … so, exactly like she did last year before bouncing back and finishing third, beaten a head for the whole thing. This was likely the goal all along, and she belongs in exotics.

2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf

It took a special Arc winner like Enable to also win the Arc and the Turf in the same year, but Breeders’ Cup history reveals that horses who run underneath in the Arc tend to do very well in this race. Enter Onesto, whose Breeders’ Cup odds should be square because so many other horses are being talked about. Still, he should fit nicely. The Arc was only his third start this year, suggesting the son of Frankel is just now rounding into form for the year. Yes, he was well beaten by Auguste Rodin two back in the Irish Champion (G1), but with a better trip, he could put a more competitive effort up at several times the price.

Up to the Mark is the best American hope, and we still don’t know just how good he is. He won by a nose in the Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland last out, but he looked even better at nine and ten furlongs earlier this year, making this longer trip look like the right call as compared to the Mile. With so many good overseas shippers, he could be bettable, even with the distance questions. If Auguste Rodin brings his best, he should be among the win candidates. Consistency is not his strong point, but a mile and a half on good ground should be the right conditions for him. Compare this to morning-line favorite Mostahdaf, who is far better proven at ten furlongs than twelve, and just doesn’t have a Breeders’ Cup race that is quite right for him. There may not be a more specialized twelve-furlong horse here than War Like Goddess, who finished third in this race last year and could get a piece again after a win in the same prep, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) against males.

2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic

The Breeders’ Cup Classic is the most important race in the handicap division, perennially the most prestigious division in American Thoroughbred racing. The race initially drew a field of 13, though with the defection and retirement of Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo on Tuesday morning, the field is down to 12.

The pace in the Breeders’ Cup Classic could be a hot one, with both Saudi Crown and Arabian Knight really only proven on the front end. If one of them gets loose, it could go well, but if they both catch a flyer, it could set up very well for someone lying in wait. The up-and-coming Bright Future held on to win by a nose over this distance in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), and he should have the tactical speed to work out the right trip in this as well. White Abarrio has trained since an impressive victory in the Whitney (G1); he isn’t proven with the extra furlong, but he has every right to get the trip.

Zandon is mired on the rail, but he has run well from the inside before. In fact, his consistency is his strong point: he doesn’t always win, but he always puts up a strong try from anywhere in the pack, and he should be a rock-solid exotic key for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Proxy also falls into that category of consistent horses who don’t always win but often get a piece against this quality of competition; he finished second over this course and distance in March.

2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

On paper, you’d think that the cheekily-named Nobals would want to go long, but he has been a turf sprint horse from the start for trainer Larry Rivelli. And, though Rivelli’s runners tend to be speed, speed, and more speed, Nobals proved tractable last out in the Da Hoss at Colonial, where he tracked the pace and got up to win by a head. He has freshened since; he runs well off a break, and the flat five furlongs should be perfect.

The price will be short on Live In the Dream, but based on his overseas form, the 5 ½ furlongs of the Woodford may have been too long for him. He was fast enough early to show he can hang with American speed at the start, and the cutback in trip is a positive. Tony Ann, now five years old, is as good as she ever has been. She came close in a couple of stakes races at Del Mar and Kentucky Downs before downing last year’s Turf Sprint winner Caravel in the Franklin (G2) at Keeneland. This will be her first try against males, but her versatility and local form from earlier in her career could get her in the picture. Roses for Debra faltered last out over yielding ground, but the firmer footing in California should suit her, and she should get a nice trip drafting just off the speed.

2023 Breeders’ Cup Sprint

The Chosen Vron has strung together an eight-win streak over the last year. Though most of those scores came against California-breds, he showed up in the Bing Crosby (G1) and punched his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. With tactical versatility, excellent local form, and rock-solid consistency, he could take the next step up. Dr. Schivel just missed to The Chosen Vron two back, but proved a gutsy winner in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) in his next start. He doesn’t have to be right on the front end; Juan Hernandez has ridden him multiple ways and should be able to both judge the setup and get the best out of him.

Elite Power will be the favorite, and he fits well this year. Though he comes into the Sprint off of a rare defeat, that came at seven furlongs. The cut back to six furlongs helps him as compared to Gunite, as Elite Power is at his best over the flat six furlongs. However, at his likely short Breeders’ Cup odds, there are locals who appeal a bit more just in case Elite Power can’t close as well at Santa Anita as elsewhere. For exotics, consider Hoist the Gold. This pace-versatile type fits if he can run back to his Phoenix (G2), and hit the board in Grade 1 company in his only previous visit to Santa Anita Park.

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