California Chrome is the sportsbook favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday at the that can be seen on NBC. The horse that won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 2014 is North America’s all-time leading money winner. California Chrome will start from post #4 and he is the even money favorite on the morning line. Only two other horses are listed at single-digit odds at us betting sites with Arrogate at odds of 5-2 and Frosted at 5-1. Let’s look at the field of ten horses for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic and Breeders’ Cup picks.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Odds
1. Effinex 15-1
2. Frosted 5-1
3. Keen Ice 20-1
4. California Chrome 1-1
5. Win the Space 30-1
6. Melatonin 12-1
7. War Story 30-1
8. Shaman Ghost 20-1
9. Hoppertunity 15-1
10. Arrogate 5-2
This race should be all about California Chrome who is unbeaten this year winning all six races in dominating fashion including the Dubai World Cup on March 26th. The horse has won $13.4 million in his career and is a deserving favorite in Saturday’s race.
The post position of #4 should be a good one for jockey Victor Espinoza. Trainer Art Sherman said Espinoza wasn’t worried about the post. “Victor and I were talking about the draw and he told me that it really didn’t matter to him which post we got,” Sherman said, “We’ve all got that long run into the first turn. This horse is ready. He’s better now than he’s ever been.”
California Chrome has just been fantastic this year. “He’s done about everything a horse could do. Should he win the Breeders’ Cup, it would be really a feather in his hat,” said Sherman, “He’s more mature, bigger, stronger, and you can see it in the way he’s running. He’s pretty well focused. He’s kind of awesome to watch, to be honest with you.”
If Chrome wins this race he would break the single-season earnings record set by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah last year.
It is hard to see any horse beating California Chrome but Arrogate is the second choice in the betting at odds of 5-2 at sports gambling sites. The horse is trained by Bob Baffert who has won this race each of the past two years as he beat California Chrome with Bayern two years ago while American Pharoah won last year.
Frosted is listed as the third choice at odds of 5-1 at us betting sites and everyone else is listed at double-digit odds. The field will not include Nyquist who was pulled from the race due to an ankle injury.
If you want to take a chance on a longshot then an interesting horse is Melatonin for trainer David Hoffmans. He has two Grade 1 wins this year and isn’t getting much respect because he is coming off a four-month layoff because he was sick.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Picks
California Chrome is simply a standout horse having a great year and I see him winning this race on Saturday.
