Five weeks out from the running of the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland, bettors will have a chance to lock in enticing win odds on their favorite contender(s) in Breeders’ Cup Classic Future Wager Pool 2, which opens for betting on Friday at noon ET.

The second and final future wager pool offered in advance of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Classic, Pool 2 features 17 individual horses plus an “All Other Starters” option covering horses not listed.

The morning-line favorites are defending Breeders’ Cup Classic winners #3 Forever Young (5-2) and 2025 Horse of the Year #16 Sovereignty (3-1), but their potential odds are unenticing this far out from race day. Although Forever Young exits a comfortable triumph in last week’s Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, becoming only the second horse in 43 years to win the Classic twice won’t be easy. And Sovereignty is recovering from a foot abscess that forced him to miss the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Rather than back the favorites, we’ll look for betting value with a horse who has already proved capable of beating Forever Young and Sovereignty: #7 Magnitude (10-1).

Magnitude wins Stephen Foster Stakes (Eclipse Sportswire)

Magnitude won four straight stakes races between November and June. Most notably, he upset Forever Young in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline, winning by one length. Then he led all the way to win the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Stakes over a field that included Sovereignty.

So why is Magnitude a 10-1 shot in Pool 2? It’s because he faltered in his most recent start, finishing a distant sixth behind Sovereignty in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes. But a stumbling start didn’t help his chances.

Magnitude has been rested since the Whitney and will enter the Breeders’ Cup Classic off a nearly three-month break. He’s repeatedly run well off similar layoffs in the past — including in the Stephen Foster — so Magnitude is eligible to rebound in the Classic.

He’ll have an especially strong chance to shine if some of his potential Classic pace rivals opt for other races. #6 Knightsbridge (6-1) and #8 Napoleon Solo (15-1) are under consideration for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, while #10 Nitrogen (40-1) has the Grade 1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff in her sights.

For all these reasons, I believe Magnitude at 10-1 offers the best betting value in Breeders’ Cup Classic Future Wager Pool 2.

Wagering Strategy

$20 to win on #7 Magnitude

What to say at the betting window: Breeders’ Cup Future Wager, 2nd race, $20 to win on 7

Good luck!