Horse Racing

The second of the two main turf races for older horses at the 2017 Breeders' Cup World Championships, the Breeders' Cup Mile differs from the Turf not only in distance, but in the fact North American-based horses have been much more successful than their European cousins.

The Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile has been a very good betting race over the past decade, with an average winning odds of +1100, and high payouts on exactas and trifectas. Here's how the projected 2017 Dirt Mile field stacks up when looking for future bet value.

A wide-open field of 13 fillies and mares go to the gate on Sunday at Keeneland Race Course for the running of the $500,000 (G1) Juddmonte Spinster Stakes. They'll be racing 1 1/8 miles over the Keeneland dirt track, chasing a share of the prize money and a spot in the 2017 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

The final 'Win And You're In' qualifying race for the 2017 Breeders' Cup Classic goes Saturday afternoon with the running of the (G1) $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes from Belmont Park in New York. The race has drawn a field of seven, and they'll be racing 1 1/4 miles over the Belmont dirt course.

Defending champion Miss Temple City is back to take on the males in the $1 million (G1) Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland Race Course on Saturday. The race has drawn a full field of 14 runners, including some intriguing longshots, and the winner earns a spot in the 2017 Breeders' Cup Mile.

Qualifying for the 2017 Breeders' Cup World Championships continues this weekend with a slew of races offering the winner automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup. Among those are the $400,000 (G1) Darley Alcibiades Stakes from Keeneland, with a berth into the BC Juvenile Fillies on the line.

Named for the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic champion, the (G1) Awesome Again Stakes on Saturday from Santa Anita Race Track offers the winner an automatic berth in the 2017 BC Classic. Run over 1 1/8 miles on the dirt course, the Awesome Again has drawn eight starters, chasing a $300,000 total purse.

There are five races on tap at Santa Anita Race Track this Saturday with implications for the 2017 Breeders' Cup World Championships. Included in those is the 1 1/16 mile $300,000 (G1) Zenyatta Stakes, with the winner gaining a spot in the BC Distaff on November 3 at Del Mar.

It's a big weekend for horses trying to qualify for the Breeders' Cup, with 13 races in the US, England and France offering a Breeders' Cup race spot to the winner. One of those races is the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic from Belmont Park in New York, run over 1 1/2 miles for a purse of $500,000.