The Breeders' Cup horse race lasts just two days, but the preliminaries for the championship are a year-long affair. This makes sense because the event is one of the premier horse racing spectacles in the world. When it convenes, it's an extravaganza of equine speed and endurance. The finest Thoroughbreds from the U.S. and abroad compete in multiple races of various types, all vying for top honors in their division. And in these financial times, you can bet on them, too.
Changes to the Breeders Cup World Championships since its inception in 1984 have made for an increasingly exciting event. Originally a one-day affair, the format was changed in 2007 to allow for more races and more opportunities to crown champions. The Breeders Cup World Championships now offers 14 opportunities to wager on the world's best Thoroughbreds, beginning with the Distaff and ending with the classic race, the Cup. Betting sites, legal and otherwise, have sprung up all over the Internet to offer wagering opportunities, to the dismay of some horse owners and a handful of outraged trainers.
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What is the Breeders' Cup?
The grand finale of the flat and jumping season in the United States is the Breeders' Cup World Championships. These prestigious races are usually held on the first Friday and Saturday of November. For the 2025 event, horse racing bettors will be eager to learn which of America's many racetracks has been selected to host that year's Breeders' Cup. The schedule has rotated since its inception in 1984.
When considering whether to bet on the 2025 Breeders' Cup, my advice is to know what you're getting into. This event, like all Breeders' Cups, will feature some of the best Thoroughbreds from around the world competing on a variety of surfaces (dirt and turf). The qualifying process for this event is no picnic - it is by invitation only. But for the horses that do qualify, and for the myriad betting opportunities you'll have, be sure to consider these five factors.
How to Bet on Breeders’ Cup Races
Each horse racing bet is tied to the horse racing experience level of the person placing the bet. This directly relates to the types of bets that can be made and who they can be made for at any given time. Basically, there are horse race bets that are made for beginners, such as those who are betting on the Breeders' Cup for the first time. This group has the opportunity to make a very simple and straightforward bet that requires them to simply name the horse they believe will finish first, second or third in the race.
Breeders Cup Odds 2025
The history of the Breeders Cup provides clear indicators of the prep races leading up to the main event. By studying this history, one can determine which races are the general giveaways leading up to the finale. These races, it seems, are set up to allow pit after pit of big-time bettors to wager large piles of money for a seemingly certain and generous return on their investment. Exactly which races serve this function is a closely guarded secret of the horse racing betting industry.
- The Breeders' Cup exacta payout is usually large because it requires the bettor to pick not only the top two finishers in the race, but in the correct order.
- Live Breeders' Cup wagering requires following the series of qualifying races to really know which horses are the good ones to bet on. Because in this case, you're not just betting on a horse that's likely to win. You're also betting on the horse's likely performance in the context of the race that's coming up. And that's a whole other level of consideration.
- A bet on a contest between two jockeys is a prediction about which one will get up in time to win the race.
Breeders' Cup 2025 Challenge series
As we look ahead to the 2025 Breeders' Cup, we know that there are some special races during the season that guarantee a spot in the Cup to any horse that wins them. These special races are called "Win and You're In" events. They are great races to bet on if the winner is your horse because that win guarantees an entry into the Breeders' Cup. But even if the horse you bet on doesn't win, you still had a good chance of betting on a race with quality competition. There are a few things to keep in mind when betting on Breeders' Cup races: Most races allow a limit of fourteen horses, except for two races that only allow twelve horses.
Beginning in 2025, the European portion of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series will be even more exciting! Twenty-five races in England, France and Ireland make up the series, and each race will be run in a different location and manner - giving horses an even better chance to qualify for the Breeders' Cup. The series in England is particularly rich, with thirteen must-see moments for bettors and spectators.
The Breeders' Cup will take place in 2025, and betting on the outcome is expected to be substantial. The meeting will include horse racing from the United States, Canada, Japan, South America, and even Kenya. In all, fifty-two races will make up the so-called Challenge Series - forty-six of them in the United States and Canada, and another six outside of those countries. The latter include two races in Argentina, Japan, and Kenya, and one each in Brazil, Chile, and Peru.
Breeders Cup Betting Tips
The first Breeders Cup race was run in 1984. Over the years, a few strategies have emerged that seem to work for a number of online gamblers. In the next section, we'll take a look at some of them and see what makes them tick. After that, we'll get back to the business of collecting Breeders Cup picks and help you figure out some of the will pays for this year's edition.
- European horses and their riders have done quite well in the Breeders' Cup in recent years. Therefore, it would be a good bet to pick a European rider to win the Breeders' Cup Championship.
- Explore the Breeders' Cup website to discover expert opinions on the race's contenders. You will find invaluable details about the horses' recent performances.
- Each of our selections for the 2025 Breeders' Cup takes into account the experience of the jockey and trainer, as well as how the horse earned its spot in the race. We also encourage bettors to review Breeders' Cup wagering history for some much-needed insight before placing their bets.
Breeders' Cup Future Wagers
The Future Wagers are typically offered in two or three pools, each with its own set of betting options.
The first opportunity to wager on Breeders' Cup contenders generally occurs in mid to late summer. A second opportunity typically occurs in early to mid-fall. Some tracks even add a third opportunity just before the big event.
Each pool offers betting on its individual horses, as well as an "all other" option for any horses not listed. The amount of money wagered on each option determines the odds.
While it can be fun and exciting to get in on the action by placing early wagers on the Breeders' Cup Future Wagers, it is important to remember that these wagers are typically placed many moons before the final field of horses is known. As a result, some of the horses listed in the Future Wagers may not actually run in the various Breeders' Cup races scheduled during World Championships weekend.
Breeders Cup Winners
Here’s a list of the Breeders’ Cup jockeys with the most wins in the competition:
| Jockey | Number of Wins |
| Irad Ortiz Jr. | 17 |
| Mike Smith | 26 |
| John R. Velazquez | 16 |
| Jerry Bailey | 15 |
| Frankie Dettori | 14 |
| Garrett K. Gomez | 14 |