The richest race of the 2023 Breeders’ Cup meeting at Santa Anita Park is coming up Saturday, November 4 with the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1)! The race covers a mile and a quarter on dirt, the same American classic distance as the Kentucky Derby, and the race features stars of both the sophomore division and the handicap division.
The likely favorite is Arabian Knight, winner of the Pacific Classic (G1). However, it won’t be easy. He’ll have Saudi Crown to handle up front, and major older horses like White Abarrio, Ushba Tesoro, and Proxy trying to chase him down.
Betting the Breeders’ Cup Classic is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year for serious horseplayers. Keep reading to find out the best bets in the races, as well as the best places to play the race online.
2023 Breeders' Cup Classic Field
This is the official field for the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:
- Arcangelo (Jena Antonucci/Javier Castellano) - 7/2 - SCRATCHED
- Zandon (Chad Brown/Frankie Dettori) - 12/1
- White Abarrio (Rick Dutrow/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - 4/1
- Missed the Cut (John Sadler/Luis Saez) - 30/1
- Derma Sotogake (Hidetaka Otonashi/Christophe Lemaire) - 20/1
- Saudi Crown (Brad Cox/Florent Geroux) - 12/1
- Clapton (Chad Summers/Tyler Gaffalione) - 20/1
- Ushba Tesoro (Noboru Takagi/Yuga Kawada) - 4/1
- Senor Buscador (Todd Fincher/Geovanni Franco) - 30/1
- Dreamlike (Todd Pletcher/Jose Ortiz) - 30/1
- Bright Future (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez) - 10/1
- Arabian Knight (Bob Baffert/Flavien Prat) - 3/1
- Proxy (Mike Stidham/Joel Rosario) - 12/1
Keep in mind that these morning-line odds are just the track’s best bet about what the tote board will look like. They can be useful for gauging which horses are expected to take money or not, but they are not a guarantee about what price you will get if you bet on track.
Your best bet in the Breeders’ Cup Classic is to play the race at an online sportsbook. Since online sportsbooks let you lock in your odds at the moment you bet, you can be confident that the overlay you see before the race is the same price you will get when your horse wins.
These are the odds at the top of the market for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic:
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabian Knight | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Ushba Tesoro | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| White Abarrio | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Bright Future | +800 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Saudi Crown | +800 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Derma Sotogake | +1200 | +2000 | +2000 |
Betting the Breeders' Cup Classic Online
It is fun and easy to bet the Breeders’ Cup Classic online, as well as major horse races all year long. Online betting makes it possible to play the races from home or on the go, with just a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
There are many options out there, making the choice seem a little hard at first. Fortunately, our expert betting site reviews make your choice easy. Take a few minutes to read them, and then you can make a confident decision.
All of the recommended betting sites have the basics: market-leading odds, intuitive user interfaces, and trusted payouts. Our experts also give you the details about racebook bonuses. Taking a few minutes now to find the best bonuses for how you like to play can build your Breeders’ Cup bankroll by hundreds or even thousands of dollars!
Maximize your profit from betting the Breeders’ Cup Classic by signing up for one or more of these trusted racebooks:
Free Breeders' Cup Classic Picks
With your online betting account set up, it is time to meet the horses in detail. These are the best horses for your bets in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic.
Breeders' Cup Classic Favorites
The favorite will likely be Arabian Knight, especially after the defection of Arcangelo. However, Arabian Knight will not have the best of it from a pace perspective. He has to hit the gas early: but, so does Saudi Crown. And, with both of them having so much early speed, that could spell trouble.
It would not be a surprise for Arabian Knight to hang on for a lower-exotic rung; he has won at 1 ¼ miles and is more likely to stay than Saudi Crown. However, others can get better trips at better prices.
Take a stand against Ushba Tesoro completely. Though horses from Japan have done well at international meetings and he did win his prep race, the Dubai World Cup (G1) field he beat was not a vintage group and he has never faced a dirt field anywhere near as deep as this one.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Contenders
Bright Future is getting good at just the right time. This four-year-old son of Curlin has a stalking style that should translate well to racing at Santa Anita, and he dug in gamely to hold over the more experienced Proxy in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) last out. He should be able to work a good and clean trip, and the price will be right to bet he continues his upward trajectory.
White Abarrio is another serious win contender. He announced his presence in the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga, where he stalked, pounced, and won by 6 ¼ convincing lengths. It’s a race both visual players and speed figure players can love. He still needs to prove himself at the Classic distance, but he has had a lot of time to acclimate to Santa Anita and he is a better horse now than he was a year and a half ago when he tried the distance in the Kentucky Derby.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Exotics Horses
Zandon and Proxy are both old hands in top-level dirt route races. Even though they both have a reputation for finishing underneath more often than actually winning, that consistency combined with their abilities to show up at different track and pass horses mean they both figure for a share in the Breeders’ Cup Classic this year.
Zandon broke a year-and-a-half-long losing streak with a victory in the Woodward (G2) last out, and though this is a deeper field he should still be able to handle the rail post and chase on to find the frame. Proxy almost tagged Bright Future in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last out, and he finished third over the Breeders’ Cup course and distance earlier this year.
Breeders' Cup Classic Best Bets
You’ve gotten to know the contenders, and you have your new online betting account ready to go. All that’s left to do is place your wager: here are your best bets for the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic!
- $20 to win - #11 Bright Future
- $1 exacta box - #2 Zandon, #3 White Abarrio, #11 Bright Future
- $0.50 trifecta box - #2 Zandon, #3 White Abarrio, #11 Bright Future, #13 Proxy
- $0.20 superfecta key - #2 Zandon, #3 White Abarrio, #11 Bright Future, #12 Arabian Knight, #13 Proxy
