2024 Breeders’ Cup Exacta, Trifecta, and Superfecta Picks
At the 2024 Breeders' Cup World Championships on November 1 and 2 at historic Del Mar, you can bet on the full range of horse racing wagers. Win, place, and show bets on individual horses are popular, but with the deep fields of world-class horses that you'll only find at the Breeders' Cup, you get some of the best opportunities for life-changing exacta, trifecta, and superfecta wagers.
With double-digit field sizes the norm in each Breeders' Cup race, there are always world-class horses who get ignored in the betting pool and outrun their odds on each of the two days. Finding those horses and playing them in exotic wagers is a great way to make your Breeders' Cup weekend rewarding.
Naturally, you can bet which horses will win their Breeders’ Cup races at FanDuel Racing. Also, discover 2024 Breeders’ Cup betting odds and exciting betting bonuses and promos on FanDuel.
If you are new to betting exotics or just need a refresher, here are the exotic bets you can make on any of the Breeders' Cup races.
- Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place horses in order.
- Trifecta: Pick the first-, second-, and third-place horses in order.
- Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third-, and fourth-place horses in order.
Most players will play multiple combinations in a race. You can box any of these bets, meaning the horses can finish any order. However, since you are covering every possible combination, boxes can get expensive, and they do not necessarily maximize opinions on a particular horse.
You can focus more on specific opinions by using a key or wheel. By keying or wheeling, you can select a particular horse to win (or come second, or come third), or "wheel" a specific horse or two through each position along with some other horses. These cover fewer combinations than a box, but both cost less and focus your opinions on specific horses you think are more likely to run well.
Exotic Bets for Friday Breeders' Cup Races
Future Stars Friday at Del Mar, November 1, features five Breeders' Cup races for two-year-olds. With huge fields and lightly raced horses liable to take a big step up at any time, the juvenile races at the Breeders' Cup are some of the best opportunities for exotic betting.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, Race 6
The Juvenile Turf Sprint has been kinder to Europeans in recent years, and Aesterius (9-2) is emerging as a five-furlong dynamo. He has real five-furlong speed, he consistently runs well, and his inside post should allow him to save every inch of ground over this short distance.
Governor Sam (12-1) is the best hope of the Americans, and can run well at a price. He has led at every call in his last two 5 ½-furlong preps, but the George Weaver trainee won the five-furlong Tyro in stalk-and-pounce fashion, indicating some versatility that he’ll need from a near-outside gate.
Big Mojo (4-1) drew pretty well, just outside of Aesterius, who he has been trading blows with all year. He only missed by a neck in the Flying Childers (G2) to that foe, suggesting he is coming along similarly well, and trainer Michael Appleby won this race last year. Pali Kitten (20-1) has to deal with a far-outside post, but he took a strong step forward in the five-furlong Speakeasy at Santa Anita Park. He has further upside second off a freshening at a huge price.
- Aesterius (9-2)
- Governor Sam (12-1)
- Big Mojo (4-1)
- Pali Kitten (20-1)
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Race 7
As far as live longshots, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies is one of the best races of the weekend. With no clear leader in the division, someone talented is likely to get ignored on the tote. It looks like that horse this year is going to be La Cara (12-1). Though it took her four starts to graduate, she is improving with distance and can win from the front end or off the pace for 2022 winning trainer Mark Casse.
Without a lot of speed in this race, there is a chance that the fastest horse early can steal it on the front end. That looks like Nooni (15-1). She has to improve from her second in the Oak Leaf (G2) at Santa Anita Park, but she is a winner at Del Mar, and she could use that West Coast, Bob Baffert speed to play catch-me-if-you-can.
Play these two as prices around two of the more heralded fillies in the division. Immersive (3-1) is a Grade 1 winner at the distance and can stalk not too far off the pace. Scottish Lassie (5-2) woke up in the Frizette (G1), a race that is only one turn but has been very live in recent runnings of the Breeders’ Cup.
- La Cara (12-1)
- Nooni (15-1)
- Immersive (3-1)
- Scottish Lassie (5-2)
Exotic Bets for Saturday Breeders' Cup Races
Saturday, November 2 at Del Mar is Breeders' Cup Saturday, with nine world championship races for horses aged three and up. On turf and dirt, going short or long, every division gets its chance to shine. From a betting perspective, these are the best opportunities for exactas, trifectas, and superfectas.
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Race 4
Speed is often the name of the game, especially out west. Yes, Society does tend to want to go to the lead, but she isn’t the fastest in this field early and tends to falter if she doesn’t take the top. Pleasant (12-1) makes her stakes debut in the Breeders’ Cup, so she has class to prove, but she has been very fast early. She has been typically pressing or disputing, but against this company, on the stretch from 6 ½ furlongs to seven, she could outsprint Society and lead them around. If she doesn’t start well, One Magic Philly (10-1) is another who has class to prove but may take that kind of initiative.
Vahva (4-1) has been in the upper echelon of the filly and mare sprint division all year long. She has tables to turn on Society from last out, but she is a true seven-furlong specialist, and a return to any of her races earlier this season makes her a serious win contender from a spot just off the pace. Ways and Means (5-2) has the tactical versatility to handle this near-outside gate, and even though she is a three-year-old she had won both her starts against older, including her final prep in the Gallant Bloom (G2).
- Pleasant (12-1)
- Vahva (4-1)
- Ways and Means (5-2)
- One Magic Philly (10-1)
Breeders’ Cup Turf, Race 7
Emily Upjohn (5-1) needs to remember how to find the wire, as her last victory came in summer 2023. However, that was the Coronation Cup (G1) at 1 ½ miles over good ground—with Frankie Dettori aboard, even. Even this year, she has been all class. She has hit the board in three starts, including two straight at 1 ½ miles. Her last-out third is the classiest last-out form line of anyone here, as 1-2 finishers Bluestocking and Aventure ran 1-2 in the Arc de Triomphe (G1) next out.
The best North American hope is Far Bridge (6-1), who was a good horse at three but has continued to progress at four for Christophe Clement. He has won two straight Grade 1 races at 1 ½ miles, he can win from on or off the pace, and he has a good rapport with rider Joel Rosario.
Shahryar (10-1) was a surprise finishing third last year, but comes into this year’s edition off of better form than he showed in his preps last year, meaning he should be ready to flash another good effort in southern California. Two back Shahryar was a good second behind Rebel’s Romance (5-2), the 2022 winner of this race who has had a career renaissance in 2024. He has been traveling the world and showing up every single time for Charlie Appleby, and his consistency merits a spot in exotics even as the favorite.
- Emily Upjohn (5-1)
- Far Bridge (6-1)
- Shahryar (10-1)
- Rebel’s Romance (5-2)
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Race 12
If there’s one race where the pace is likely to fall apart, it’s the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Saudi Crown, T O Saint Denis, Full Serrano, Tumbarumba, Muth, Pipeline, even Mufasa and Skippylongstocking … most of the field likes to go to the front, meaning the smart wager is to key on a consistent closer at a price. Enter Post Time (12-1), who steps up in class from a final prep at Laurel but ran well enough in a pair of two-turn Grade 1 races at Saratoga to suggest he can step up here, especially with such a plum setup.
Preakness winner Seize the Grey (12-1) wired the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) last out, but he is versatile enough to sit a couple of lengths off the pace, especially at this shorter distance. That ability to switch gears can serve this D. Wayne Lukas trainee well. Domestic Product (7-2) is well-proven coming from off the pace, including in his last-out win in the H. Allen Jerkens (G1) last out. He has to prove that he is as effective at two turns as he is at one, though his win in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) showed some two-turn ability. Among the horses who do show speed, Skippylongstocking (4-1) appeals the most to at least hang on for a share, since he is a gritty and consistent type who can keep going while close to a fast pace early.
- Post Time (12-1)
- Seize the Grey (10-1)
- Domestic Product (7-2)
- Skippylongstocking (4-1)
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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.