Last year's field in the Breeders' Cup Turf was considered to be one of the best ever. Though this year's race doesn't have quite the same depth, there are several key players who were involved in last year's barnburner that could once again find a way to steal the show from the Breeders' Cup Classic that will follow.
The $4,000,000 Breeders' Cup Turf is the penultimate 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 7:37 p.m. ET, and all of the action can be seen live on NBC Sports Network.
Breeders' Cup Turf Opening Odds
#5 Ulysses +350
#12 Beach Patrol +400
#3 Highland Reel +500
#14 Oscar Performance +1000
#10 Fanciful Angel +1200
#13 Sadler's Joy +1200
#1 Talismanic +1500
#2 Bullards Alley +1500
#4 Decorated Knight +1500
#7 Itsinthepost +1500
#8 Bigger Picture +1500
#11 Hunt +1500
#6 Cliffs of Moher +2000
#9 Seventh Heaven +2000
Top Contenders
Maybe the most important thing to remember about the Breeders' Cup Turf this year is that there doesn't feel like there's a horse in the field who is just brutally overmatched by the rest of his competitors. Of these 14, two are set at 20 to 1, and the rest of the field had morning lines of 15 to 1 or better. This will all change, of course, but it's still telling just how tight this crop really is.
The favorite is Ulysses, a 7 to 2 choice who could just as easily go off the board as the third favorite. He's one of Britain's top turfers at this point, and he's here at the Breeders' Cup to try to make amends for his fourth-place finish last year in this race.
Ulysses might be the favorite this year, but he isn't the most notable returner. Highland Reel, also a tremendous turfer in his own right, is back with the big boys once again. He was a wire-to-wire winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf last year, albeit by the hair on his chin. At 5 to 1, Highland Reel is the third-favorite at this point, though again, the margin between him and Ulysses is awfully small.
Beach Patrol is crammed into the middle of these two. He's running in his 17th race in his career and is being asked to go a mile and a half for just the second time. The first? He won by five lengths.
These horses all have some early speed, but they aren't going to be alone. Oscar Performance, once wondered if he was going to be on the Kentucky Derby trail after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last year, is back for more in his first big run with the older crowd. He hasn't historically raced well against his elders, but Oscar Performance has a slew of speed. With a better post than the far outside, we would have been much higher on his chances and been all over his 10 to 1.
Breeders' Cup Turf Pick
Though we certainly couldn't fault anyone for backing any of the four horses that we just highlighted above, the one that we love the most is Highland Reel.
Every time this horse gets beaten, it's usually in suspect track conditions. It happens all the time in England. It's not happening at Del Mar. Assuming the grass isn't ripped apart by the plethora of grass races before it, there won't be a thing wrong with that surface in San Diego on Saturday night. That's a great sign for Highland Reel to perhaps go wire-to-wire for a second consecutive year.
Breeders' Cup Turf Pick: #3 Highland Reel
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!
