As in any Breeders’ Cup, there are dark horses and longshots. As opposed to any regular race day, though, there is a quality dark horse or longshot in each race. Check out the best under the radar horse offering value 2019 Breeders’ Cup odds in every BC race on Friday and every race on Saturday!
2019 Breeders’ Cup Dark Horses & Longshots
- When: Friday, Nov. 1 & Saturday, Nov. 2
- Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA
- TV: NBC Sports / NBC
2019 Breeders’ Cup Friday – Nov. 1
Race 5 – Juvenile Turf Sprint
- Time: 4:12pm EDT
- Age: 2-year-olds
- Distance: 5 furlongs
- Surface: Turf
Betting Longshot: 11-King Neptune +1500
It’s always a good idea to look to back a European invader to win Breeders’ Cup turf races. The Europeans do very well with their grass runners. King Neptune is trained by Aidan O’Brien. He heads into this after a fourth-place finish in a Group 1 at Newmarket. That form might be good enough to win on Friday.
Race 6 – Juvenile Turf
- Time: 4:52pm EDT
- Age: 2-year-old
- Distance: 1 mile
- Surface: Turf
Betting Dark Horse: Hit the Road +1000
The Dan Blacker trained runner must make a trip from post 14. If he does, watch out! This guy has a victory at this distance over the Santa Anita turf course.
Race 7 – Juvenile Fillies
- Time: 5:32pm EDT
- Age/Gender: 2-year-old fillies
- Distance: 1 1/16 miles
- Surface: Dirt
Betting Longshot: Two Sixty +1500
Mark Casse knows how to get his horses ready for the biggest races. Two Sixty took the lead in her last and ran off for a 6 ¼ length victory at this 1 1/16 mile distance. She could surprise if she gets an easy lead.
Race 8 – Juvenile Fillies Turf
- Time: 6:12pm EDT
- Age/Gender: 2-year-old fillies
- Distance: 1 mile
- Surface: Dirt
Betting Longshot: Etoile +1200
Like Hit the Road in the Juvenile Turf, Etoile must make a trip going a mile breaking from post-position 14. Aidan O’Brien trains, which is a huge positive. At the odds, she’s worth a look.
Race 9 – Juvenile
- Time: 7:03pm EDT
- Age: 2-year-old
- Distance: 1 1/6 miles
- Surface: Dirt
Betting Dark Horse: Scabbard +800
The Bob Baffert trained Eight Rings, and the Dale Romans trained Dennis’ Moment will go off as massive favorites. Scabbard had to steady at the half-mile pole in the Grade 3 Iroquois. If he hadn’t, the Eddie Keneally trainee might have run right by Dennis’ Moment.
2019 Breeders’ Cup Saturday – Nov. 2
Race 4 – Filly & Mare Sprint
- Time: 2:55pm EDT
- Age/Gender: 3+, fillies/mares
- Distance: 7 furlongs
- Surface: Dirt
Betting Dark Horse: Lady Ninja +1000
It will be difficult for any horse to beat Covfefe and Come Dancing in this. Lady Ninja has a 6-2-1 record from 10 races at Santa Anita. If the favorites falter, she could use home-field advantage to pull off the upset.
Race 5 – Turf Sprint
- Time: 3:33pm EDT
- Age: 3+
- Distance: 5 furlongs
- Surface: Turf
Betting Longshot: Om +1500
Om has won races over the Santa Anita turf for what feels like a decade. He’s more of a miler than a sprinter, which might be to his advantage in this. If he gets the trip, he can win.
Race 6 – Dirt Mile
- Time: 4:10pm EDT
- Age: 3+
- Distance: 1 Mile
- Surface: Dirt
Betting Dark Horse: Spun to Run +600
On paper, favored Omaha Beach looks like a lock. Spun to Run has won twice at this distance from two attempts. He heads into this in great form. If there’s any horse that can beat Omaha Beach, it’s probably this guy.
Race 7 – Filly & Mare Turf
- Time: 4:54pm EDT
- Age/Gender: 3+, fillies/mares
- Distance: 1 ¼ miles
- Surface: Turf
Betting Dark Horse: Fleeting +600
Sistercharlie feels like a vulnerable favorite in this even though she’s won 6 in a row. The horse that can beat her is Fleeting, an Aidan O’Brien runner who has run in Group 1 races in her last 4.
Race 8 – Sprint
- Time: 5:36pm EDT
- Age: 3+
- Distance: 6 furlongs
- Surface: Dirt
Betting Longshot: Landeskog +1200
There is a ton of early speed in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Landeskog might be the speed of the speed. He should get the perfect trip tracking pace-setter Shancelot. If he can hold off Imperial Hint and Mitole, he might pull off the upset.
Race 9 – Mile
- Time: 6:20pm EDT
- Age: 3+
- Distance: 1 Mile
- Surface: Turf
Betting Longshot: Lucullan +1200
The Breeders’ Cup Mile is always wide-open. This year is no exception. Lucullan finished second in the Woodbine Mile. He won the Grade 2 Knickerbocker in his last. The great Luis Saez rides.
Race 10 – Distaff
- Time: 7:00pm EDT
- Age/Gender: 3+, fillies/mares
- Distance: 1 1/8 miles
- Surface: Dirt
Betting Longshot: Serengeti Empress +1200
The Kentucky Oaks champ heads into the Distaff under the radar. Any rival that wants to test her early will burn up in a duel. If she gets an easy lead, she could take Midnight Bisou and the rest of her foes gate-to-wire.
Race 11 – Turf
- Time: 7:40pm EDT
- Age: 3+
- Distance: 1 ½ miles
- Surface: Turf
Betting Longshot: Channel Cat +1500
The BC Turf looks like a two-horse race between Bricks and Mortar and Old Persian. The Todd Pletcher trained Channel Cat is in excellent form. He might not be good enough to beat either Bricks and Mortar or Old Persian. He does represent the longshot with the best chance of upsetting those two, though.
Race 12 – Classic
- Time: 8:44pm EDT
- Age: 3+
- Distance: 1 ¼ miles
- Surface: Dirt
Betting Longshot: Owendale +1500
Unless jockeys pull their steeds back to rate, the Classic pace should be crazy fast. The best closer is likely second choice Code of Honor. But Owendale is a decent closer as well. His past performances imply he runs the best race of his life on Saturday. If he does, it might be good enough to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
