The best sprinters in the world all come together for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, but there's a wonder whether there is a sprinter out there that belongs in the same league as Drefong. The defending Breeders' Cup Sprint champion is back for another run at his crown, and he'll have nine competitors looking to knock him off his throne.
The $2,000,000 Breeders' Cup Sprint is the second event on Saturday, November 4 at the Breeders' Cup and shouldn't be missed by bettors. Post-time from Del Mar Racetrack is scheduled for 5:37 p.m. ET, and all of the action can be seen live on NBC Sports Network.
Breeders' Cup Sprint Opening Odds
#2 Drefong +250
#8 Roy H +350
#10 Imperial Hint +450
#7 Takaful +500
#6 Mind Your Biscuits +600
#3 American Pastime +1200
#9 Ransom the Moon +1200
#5 Whitmore +1500
#1 Calculator +2000
#4 B Squared +3000
Top Contenders
The Breeders' Cup Sprint is going to be all about Drefong this year. The champ is the champ until he's knocked off of his pedestal, and Drefong has done nothing to suggest that he's going to take a step back this year.
Horses don't toss their jockeys often, but Drefong did just that in the Bing Crosby Stakes to spoil his return from an eight-month layoff after the Breeders' Cup Sprint. You'd think that he would have slowed down just a bit in the Forego Stakes, but instead, he was brilliant, going wire-to-wire with a 106 Beyer Speed Rating.
It's tough to bet on a horse who has only effectively run in one race in a year, but Drefong is a special talent for sure.
Roy H is a bit of a paradox in his own right. He never would have been thought about as a Breeders' Cup horse at the ages of two, three or four. Yet here at five, he won the "Win and You're In" Saratoga Sprint Challenge, and now, he's the second-favorite in the biggest race of his career.
The biggest race of his career can also be said for Imperial Hint, the third choice. The biggest problem Imperial Hint has is that he has to start way on the outside, and he's definitively a starter. Getting to the rail or near it is going to be incredibly tough, so his sprint is going to be a little longer than those who are closer to the inside.
Beyond these three, it'll be tough to find a capable winner. Maybe Mind Your Biscuits or Takaful can come from outside positions to challenge, but both are wildly inconsistent, and you never know what you're actually going to get out of either horse.
Breeders' Cup Sprint Pick
This is an interesting race, but we don't think it's one that's all that tough to handicap.
Del Mar's dirt has generally favored starters all summer long, and here in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, a good start is crucial since there isn't much in the way of time to make it up.
That's why we think Drefong really isn't beatable unless he beats himself. He has been beaten in just one race in his life when he has kept his job onboard, and he's never even been remotely challenged in a clean run.
This field isn't one of these hulking 14-horse fields, and the post draw put Drefong into a position where he shouldn't really be challenged in the first handful of strides by fellow speed balls. We think he should probably be closer to an odds-on favorite against a field that feels like it has a lot of good horses, but not a lot of great ones to challenge him.
Breeders' Cup Sprint Pick: #2 Drefong
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
