Even someone who doesn’t follow horse racing particularly closely has probably heard of the Breeders’ Cup.

This is a great opportunity to learn a bit more about the horse racing market and perhaps place some bets on a high-profile race or two.

The Different Races

The Breeders’ Cup is actually a series of races, rather than just one. It is one of the top meetings held in the US, with a history going back to 1984. The runs are held over 2 consecutive days, with Nov. 5 and 6 the dates in 2021.

Del Mar racetrack in California is the location this year. If you have heard of just one of these races then it is probably the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which is the richest and most prestigious of them. However, there is a total of five races on Friday, Nov. 5, and then nine on Saturday, Nov. 6.

The Breeders’ Cup Turf, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint are some of the biggest races. These are all prestigious events, with the purse standing at at least $1 million for each of them.

The Changing Odds

If you are new to horse betting, you may wonder why the odds change so much. The truth is that the markets for big races like this open well in advance, often long before the final field is known.

This means that you can look to try and get better odds early on, or else wait until closer to the day before putting any money on one of the horses.  Of course, you take the risk that the horse loses form or misses the race if you bet in advance like this.

At the time of writing, some of the biggest names in horse racing are among the favorites. These include horses like Mishriff, Tarnawa, and St Marks Basilica in the Breeders’ Cup Turf event.

If we turn our attention to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Essential Quality, Knicks Go, and Max Player are some of the names you will see near the top of the list. Emaraaty Ana looks to be heading to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint after a recent win at Haydock.

How the Horses Qualify

How do the organizers ensure that only the best horses take part in these races? It is done by giving them points for their performances in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. These are races held throughout the year at different venues.

In this way, only the best horses are entered in the races. A horse can come into form and win a spot in the starting gate thanks to some strong performances just before the meeting, or they could build up a good position earlier in the year, it doesn’t really matter.

Find the complete list of the 2021 Breeders' Cup Contenders & Qualifiers here.

Types of Bet

Choosing the right type of bet is vital. The classic type of bet in horse racing is a straight wager on the horse you think will win. In this case, you place the amount of your stake on a single horse. Exotic bets like superfecta and trifecta involve you trying to predict the first few places rather than just the winner.

Put on a show bet and you win if the chosen horse finishes in any of the top three spots. A place bet is very similar, but it only covers the first two positions. As you would expect, these wagers pay out less than a straight win bet or one of the exotic bets where you are predicting more exactly what will happen.

If you have always wanted to get involved in horse racing, there are few better times to do so than when the Breeders’ Cup comes along. The excitement of the big races and the quality of the horses make this an outstanding opportunity to enjoy the sport of kings.