One of the most exciting horse racing events on the international calendar is fast approaching, as the 2025 edition of the Breeders’ Cup gets underway on Friday, October 31.
A fascinating weekend of action on track at Del Mar will see champions crowned, and intriguing battles will be set on both the dirt and turf at Del Mar this winter.
Some of the biggest superstars from across the globe will be in action on the West Coast of the U.S., with the Classic likely to be an interesting clash between older horses such as Sierra Leone and Fierceness and this year’s Classic crop Journalism and Sovereignty.
Bettors will quickly be looking to find the Breeders’ Cup results (Saturday) after the races to discover whether they have found a winner.
But, what are some of the betting strategies that should be followed to ensure that you stand an enhanced chance of gaining returns when betting on the Breeders’ Cup in 2025?
Assess The Field
Before making any bet on horse racing, it is important to assess the field and the runners involved. This includes examining the latest form on offer, and the speed figures that have been recorded.
Horses with proven records over the identical distance will always stand a better chance of success, while runners that are either dropping back or stepping up in distance may struggle with the pace. Furthermore, it is always important to assess the recent strike rates of trainers and jockeys, as a loss of form could point to factors in the barn or a loss of confidence.
Bettors should also examine the run styles of each runner involved, and how that could impact their chances based on the bias at the track. All factors must be considered before making any bet on the racing to enhance your chances of gaining returns.
Track Conditions/Surface
As well as assessing the form in the book, it is also worth studying the track conditions that have brought out the best in a runner. For example, a horse may have a lot of wins to their name, but if they have all come on a sloppy surface, then their chances of success may hinge on heavy rainfall.
For the most part, horses runners at the Breeders’ Cup will have proven records on a fast surface, as connections will be aware that the prospect of sloppy or heavy ground is incredibly slim in California. Bettors should also monitor horses that may be making starts on a different surface for the first time.
For example, City of Troy had been campaigned on the turf throughout the 2024 season, before he was pointed toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic by Aidan O’Brien. Just because a horse has winning form on one surface doesn’t mean that it will successfully transfer onto the other.
Find Key Trends and Stats
Reading up about the latest trends and stats is a vitally important factor when it comes to understanding what it takes to win a race at the Breeders’ Cup.
For example, bettors should have all of the relevant information surrounding draw bias at Del Mar before making a wagering on the sprint races, while it is important to consider the dominance achieved by American-trained runners in races on the dirt. Likewise, European-trained runners have excelled in the turf races due to the better horses for the grass that are found on the continent.
The latter stat is backed up by the fact that the last five editions of the Breeders’ Cup Turf have been won by European trainers, including most recently Rebel’s Romance for Charlie Appleby in 2024.
However, the sprint turf races have been more successful for U.S.-trained runners, with 15 of the last 17 victors being based in North America. Therefore, it is key for bettors to find narratives that fit a betting angle.
Bet On What You Know
The Breeders’ Cup is an incredibly long two-day event, with Future Stars Friday featuring ten races, and Championship Saturday consisting of 12 races. Not all races that are staged during the weekend are Championship events, with the first three races on November 1 being non-Breeders’ Cup events.
Due to the sheer number of races that are staged, it is important that bettors are disciplined when it comes to making selections. If you only follow dirt racing and have limited experience with what it takes to find a winner on the turf, then you should stick with the races that you have an understanding about.
Betting on races where you have limited knowledge is a poor gamble, and it could lead to an unsuccessful Breeders’ Cup from a betting perspective. Therefore, most experienced bettors will avoid betting on all 22 races across the weekend, and instead stake their best bets on the races that they understand fully.