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2022 Breeders’ Cup By The Numbers

Breeders' Cup by the Numbers
A look at the 2022 Breeders' Cup by the numbers. (Photo: Scott Serio/Breeders’ Cup/Eclipse Sportswire/CSM).

The Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships set sail on Friday Nov. 4 with two days of championship races covering two days.

There are 14 races and a nearly unlimited number of ways for horseplayers looking to make a big score. Over $180 million was wagered on the races last year at Del Mar.

Check out Playbook for the latest Breeders’ Cup news.

Let’s take a quick look at each race by the numbers:

Breeders’ Cup Classic

Knicks Go took the Classic last year returning $8.40 to win as the co-second choice. The Brad Cox trainee went gate to wire, the sixth frontrunner in the last 10 editions of the Classic.  The race has been on the chalky side in recent years, with five of the last seven winners paying less than $9.00. Can Flightline add to that total?

Classic by the Digits: (last 12 years)
Avg. Win payoff: $11.83
Avg. Exacta payoff: $122.17
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 112.7
Betting Favorites All time: 10 for 38
2021 Winner: Knicks Go ($8.40)
$2 Exacta: $65.20  $1 Trifecta: $83.90
Winner final prep: Won Lukas Classic (G3)
Runner up: Medina Spirit
Runner up final prep: Won Awesome Again (G1)

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

The toteboard lit up last year with the Japan based Marche Lorraine pulling off the huge upset and returning $101.80. The only higher payoff in the history of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff was the D. Wayne Lukas trained Spain who paid $113.80 in 2000. Overall the race has been relatively formful in recent years, eight of the last 11 winners paying $9.40 or less. We have not seen a wire job in the race since Royal Delta led every step of the way back in 2012 and return $5.40 as the defending champ.

Distaff by the Digits: (last 12 years)
Avg. Win payoff: $17.25
Avg. Exacta payoff: $130.30
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 102.6
Betting Favorites All time: 16 for 38
2021 Winner: Marche Lorraine ($101.80)
$2 Exacta: $1026.60  $1 Trifecta: $4010.00
Winner final prep: Won Breeders Gold
Cup (Jpn)
Runner up: Dunbar Rood
Runner up final prep: 2nd Spinster (G1)

 

Breeders’ Cup Turf

The Euro invaders hold the edge in this race, taking it in six of the last seven years. The lone exception was the Chad Brown trained Bricks and Mortar who won in 2019 as the betting favorite. It is usually not the “obvious” Euro that gets the job done. Recent winners from overseas including Yibir last year ($19.00), Tarnawa ($11.40) in 2020, Talismanic ($30.20) in 2017 and even Found paid $14.80 in 2015.

Turf by the Digits: (last 12 years)
Avg. Win payoff: $17.10
Avg. Exacta payoff: $91.07
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 106.5
Betting Favorites All time: 11 for 38
2021 Winner: Yibir ($19.00)
$2 Exacta: $171.80  $1 Trifecta: $1166.10
Winner final prep: Won Jockey Club Derby
Runner up: Broome
Runner up final prep: 11th Arc de Triiomphe (G1)

 

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Breeders’ Cup Mile

The Euros have won three of the last four and the one exception is, you guessed it, Chad Brown with Uni in 2019 who paid $9.20. Space Blues got the job done last year for trainer Charles Appleby, paying $6.20. Speed is not exactly an asset in this race. We have not seen a  gate to wire winner since Lure in 1993. The biggest upset in this race came with the three-year-old Euro invader Order of Australia in 2020 at Keeneland, the Aiden O’Brien charge paying a whopping $148.40.

Mile by the Digits: (last 12 years)
Avg. Win payoff: $35.87
Avg. Exacta payoff: $455.60
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 106.5
Betting Favorites All time: 13 for 38
2021 Winner: Space Blues ($6.20)
$2 Exacta: $58.20  $1 Trifecta: $518.20
Winner final prep: Won Prix de la Foret (G1)
Runner up: Smooth Like Strait
Runner up final prep: 2nd City of Hope Mile (G2)

 

Breeders’ Cup Sprint

Aloha West came from off the pace last year at Del Mar to post a $24.60 upset. He prepped in the Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland, a key race for the Sprint where he ran second. We have not seen a wire winner since the Bob Baffert trained Drefong at Santa Anita in 2016. The race was actually run true to form from 2015 to 2019 with the biggest exacta at $51.60. We have seen upsets in the last two editions with the exactas coming back at $276.00 in 2020 and $99.20 last year.

Sprint by the Digits: (last 12 years)
Avg. Win payoff: $17.50
Avg. Exacta payoff: $114.77
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 105.7
Betting Favorites All time: 8 for 38
2021 Winner: Aloha West ($24.60)
$2 Exacta: $99.20  $1 Trifecta: $422.50
Winner final prep: 2nd Phoenix (G2)
Runner up: Dr. Schivel
Runner up final prep: Won SA Sprint Champ. (G2)

 

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Japan took down the Filly & Mare Turf last year with Loves Only You paying $10.60 as the third choice in the wagering. Overseas runners have dominated this race in recent years, taking five of the last six editions. Once again, the home team winner was the Chad Brown trained Sistercharlie in 2018 at Churchill Downs who returned $37.20. This is another race where it is tough to go gate to wire, the last wire job going to Dayatthespa in 2014 for Brown, who has won this race four times.

F&M Turf by the Digits: (last 12
years)
Avg. Win payoff: $27.93
Avg. Exacta payoff: $146.82
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 101.8
Betting Favorites All time: 5 for 23
2021 Winner: Loves Only You ($10.60)
$2 Exacta: $312.60 $1 Trifecta: $466.60
Winner final prep: 2nd in Sapporo Kinen (G2)
Runner up: My Sister Nat
Runner up final prep: Won Waya (G3)

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

Only five entered this race last year, won by Cee Cee who paid $14.40 as the heavy chalk Gamine had to settle for a disappointing third. We saw chalk in the two previous years, Gamine paying $4.20 in 2020 and Covfefe paid $5.00 in 2019. We have seen some bombs in recent years, Shamrock Rose paying $53.80 in 2018 and Bar of Gold returned $135.40 in 2017. This race has seen just one wire winner, Finest City in 2016 at Santa Anita, paying $19.40.

F&M Sprint by the Digits: (last 12
years)
Avg. Win payoff: $27.95
Avg. Exacta payoff: $324.72
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 100.5
Betting Favorites All time: 5 for 15
2021 Winner: Ce Ce ($14.40)
$2 Exacta: $111.00  $1 Trifecta: $119.20
Winner final prep: Won Chillingworth (G3)
Runner up: Edgeway
Runner up final prep: Won R. Bernardo (G3)

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

Corniche ($4.80) gave trainer Bob Baffert his fifth win in the Juvenile last year. The winner went gate to wire, with five winners in the last 11 runnings being first or second at first call. The winner should have a route race under his belt, just three Juvenile winners stretched out from sprints.

Juvenile by the Digits: (last 12 years)
Avg. Win payoff: $19.82
Avg. Exacta payoff: $189.12
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 94.4
Betting Favorites All time: 13 for 38
2021 Winner: Corniche ($4.80)
$2 Exacta: $50.20  $1 Trifecta: $538.70
Winner final prep: Won American Pharoah (G1)
Runner up: Pappacap
Runner up final prep: 2nd American Pharoah

 

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

More betting favorites have won the Juvenile Fillies than any Breeders’ Cup race with 19. Among those was Echo Zulu who returned just $3.60 last year topping a $2 exacta that paid $9.80. While chalk has been tough to beat, when we can beat them, you can get paid. Champagne Room paid $69.20 in 2016 and in 2014 the D. Wayne Lukas trained Take Charge Brandi paid $125.40. Fillies up front have fared well in this race, winning six times in the last 12 years.

Check out the Trust the Prophets YouTube page and Playbook for the latest Breeders’ Cup betting news.

Juv. Fillies by the Digits: (last 12
years)
Avg. Win payoff: $30.55
Avg. Exacta payoff: $306.58
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 88
Betting Favorites All time: 19 for 38
2021 Winner: Echo Zulu ($3.60)
$2 Exacta: $9.80  $1 Trifecta: $16.40
Winner final prep: Won Frizette (G1)
Runner up: Juju’s Map
Runner up final prep: Won Alcibiades (G1)

 

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

We have had just four editions of this race and trainer Wesley Ward has won the last three. He saddled last year’s winner Twilight Gleaming who paid $12.40 in a gate to wire score with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard. Irad was aboard all three of Ward’s winners and they each went gate to wire. Golden Pal in 2020 and Four Wheel Drive in 2019 were both the betting favorites. Todd Pletcher saddled the first winner of the race. Bulletin paid $10.60 going gate to wire. Ward had three in that race running second, 10th and 12th.

J. Turf Sprint by the Digits: (last 5
years)
Avg. Win payoff: $12.40
Avg. Exacta payoff: $120.48
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 88.4
Betting Favorites All time: 2 for 5
2021 Winner: Twilight Gleaming ($12.40)
$2 Exacta: $135.00  $1 Trifecta: $844.70
Winner final prep: Won Vallee d’Auge
Runner up: Go Bears Go
Runner up final prep: 7th Dewhurst Stakes (G1)

 

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Ward and Irad teamed up to win last year’s race with Golden Pal, who paid $7.00. Surprisingly it was the first win for Ward, who now sports a record of 1 for 13 in this race. Trainer Peter Miller has dominated this race, winning it three years in a row from 2017 to 2019. He runners paid as well, Stormy Liberal paying $62.40 in 2017 and $16.00 in 2018 and Belvoir Bay paying $31.60 in 2019. Horses coming from off the pace have fared well including the two editions run at Keeneland.

Turf Sprint by the Digits: (last 12 years)
Avg. Win payoff: $20.40
Avg. Exacta payoff: $221.28
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 102.8
Betting Favorites All time: 5 for 14
2021 Winner: Golden Pal ($7.00)
$2 Exacta: $32.00
$1 Trifecta: $295.70
Winner final prep: Won Woodford (G2)
Runner up: Lieutenant Dan
Runner up final prep: Won Eddie D. (G2)

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

The home team has fared very well in this race, taking 12 of the 14 runnings. Trainer Chad Brown has won the race four times, the last coming with Newspaperofrecord in 2018. Favorites have won this race just three times. Stalkers and closers have had the best of it, although two frontrunners that have won this race did it at Keeneland, catch a Glimpse ($14.80) in 2015 and Aunt pearl ($7.20) in 2020.

J. Fillies Turf by the Digits: (last 12
years)
Avg. Win payoff: $15.87
Avg. Exacta payoff: $146.07
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 87.7
Betting Favorites All time: 3 for 14
2021 Winner: Pizza Bianca ($21.80)
$2 Exacta: $394.00
$1 Trifecta: $1756.20

Winner final prep: 2nd Natalma (G1)
Runner up: Malavath
Runner up final prep: Won Maisons-Laffitte (G2)

 

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

While the home team tends to fare well in the Juvenile Fillies, this race has been won by Euro invaders nine times including four times by trainer Aiden O’Brien. Last year the Charles Appleby trained Modern Games won the race but ran for purse money only after a terrible misjudgment by the attending Vet led him to be scratched by mistake. This race pays, with just two betting favorites getting to the winner’s circle.

Juvenile Turf by the Digits: (last 12
years)
Avg. Win payoff: $19.45
Avg. Exacta payoff: $242.83
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 86.7
Betting Favorites All time: 2 for 15
2021 Winner: Modern Games (*)
$2 Exacta: $93.60
$1 Trifecta: $958.70

Winner final prep: Won Somerville S. (G3)
Runner up: Tiz the Bomb ($17.60)
Runner up final prep: Won Bourbon (G2)
*Modern Games ran for purse only

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Life Is Good paid a paltry $3.40 last year and won’t defend his title as he is headed to the Classic this year. Frontrunners have done quite well in this race, accounting for seven winners including the last three. While we have seen three winners in the last eight years pay $3.40 or less, this race has produced six winners that have paid $20+ led by Dakota’s Phone who returned $77.40 in 2010 at Churchill Downs.

Dirt Mile by the Digits: (last 12 years)
Avg. Win payoff: $19.52
Avg. Exacta payoff: $155.27
Avg. Beyer Speed Figure: 107.2
Betting Favorites All time: 4 for 15
2021 Winner: Life Is Good ($3.40)
$2 Exacta: $12.20  $1 Trifecta: $67.50
Winner final prep: Won Kelso Hcp (G2)
Runner up: Ginobili
Runner up final prep: Won Pat O’Brien (G2)

 

Breeders Cup Challenge