2020 Breeders Cup Horse Racing Expert Analysis for Nov. 6

2020 Breeders Cup Horse Racing Expert Analysis for Nov. 6

Written by on October 13, 2020

The Super Bowl of horse racing happens in early November. The 2020 Breeders’ Cup takes place on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7. It can be difficult for the most seasoned horseplayer to find winners in Breeders’ Cup races. Check out what to look for when deciding on the equine you like in races on horse racing’s biggest two days of the year! Check out also top plays and Horse Racing Odds from Breeders Cup for Friday, Nov. 6 – Saturday, Nov. 7. You can also visit our Online Racebook to place your bets on active racetracks.

Breeders Cup Horse Racing Betting: How to Pick Winners

2020 Breeders Cup

  • When: Friday, Nov. 6 – Saturday, Nov. 7
  • Where: Keeneland Racecourse, Lexington, KY
  • Weather: Mostly Cloudy

Top Ways to Find a Breeders’ Cup Winner

  • Look at recent form . . . but beware last out winners 

Rarely does a horse win a Breeders’ Cup race after having run poorly in it’s prep. But looking for recent form doesn’t always mean the horse that won its prep is the horse to back. Recent form could be sneaky.

For example, Swiss Skydiver beat Authentic to win the Preakness Stakes. The Derby winner couldn’t hold off the filly. But Swiss Skydiver is likely to run in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and not in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Even though Authentic lost the Preakness, his form suggests he will be at the top of his game to win the BC Classic.

So will Tiz the Law who lost the Derby to Authentic. Both Improbable and Maximum Security are in good form. Improbable beat Maximum Security in his last but ran a lifetime best Beyer figure to do so. Will Improbable bounce, run a worse race than his last? Will Maximum Security step it up after finishing second?  

  • Look at trainer Breeders’ Cup past success

Trainers that have had success in the Breeders’ Cup often continue that success. Think about Bob Baffert. The best trainer in the history of U.S. horse racing saddled three straight Breeders’ Cup Classic winners, Bayern, American Pharoah, and Arrogate. 

This year, Baffert could have the top 3 betting choices to win the Classic, Improbable, Maximum Security, and Authentic. That gives Baffert a strong hand to win yet another BC Classic. 

  • Consider competition in the horse’s last race

Runners like the ones we’ve already mentioned, Swiss Skydiver, Authentic, Improbable, etc., have proven they can hang with the best in the world. Grade 1 winning horses aren’t scared of a fight. Watch the Preakness Stakes where Authentic and Swiss Skydiver fought to the wire for proof.

Grade 1 winning horses often perform well at the Breeders’ Cup. Circle Grade 1 winners on your past performances when you start handicapping a race. 

  • Move international horses up in turf races

By move up, we mean give international turf horses the benefit of the doubt. This is especially true for turf horses trained by Aidan O’Brien. Aidan is in charge of Ballydoyle in Ireland. Most consider O’Brien the top trainer in the world because unlike Baffert, O’Brien ships horses everywhere to run. 

More than once, Aidan O’Brien has saddled a longshot turf winner in a Breeders’ Cup race because horseplayers concentrated on American runners. Don’t be fooled. If Godolphin, Ballydoyle, or any other top European or international racing outfit spends money to ship a horse to run in a Breeders’ Cup turf race, that horse is well-meant.  

  • Look for anything new about the horse this time around

Anything could qualify. Changes like new jockey, Lasix, blinkers, etc, could all be things that affect how a horse runs at the Breeders’ Cup. Never forget that the best horses, Grade 1 champions, develop a rapport with specific jockeys.

If a trainer breaks that rapport by saddling a new jockey, sometimes, the horse doesn’t want to perform. Horses that aren’t used to blinkers could run much worse the first time with blinkers. Consider if a change will help the horse run better or not when you handicap the 2020 Breeders’ Cup.