Experts’ Breeders’ Cup Saturday picks

  • userThe Biz
  • dateNovember 4, 2023

We asked our experts to handicap Breeders’ Cup Saturday, starting with the sixth race, which is the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile on the turf.

Also on the docket are the Distaff, Turf, Classic, Turf Sprint, and the Sprint. The Turf Sprint features a pair of Pennsylvania-bred distaffers in defending champ Caravel and Roses for Debra, who had a four-race win streak snapped last out.

It’s the biggest full day of racing of the year in North America, and it includes a strong contingent of non-American horses, including European-bred and -based runners, who always have something to say about the turf races, and Japanese horses who could be prominent in the Classic, as well.

BREEDERS’ CUP MILE

  • 3-year-olds and up, 1 mile (turf)
John PiassekDerby Bill WatsonEric RubinTed BlackJoseph ParisiNick Hahn
Win8. Du Jour14. Master of The Seas1. Shirl’s Speight3. Casa Creed14. Master of The Seas13. More Than Looks
Place3. Casa Creed1. Shirl’s Speight11. Kelina6. Mawj10. Songline2. Gina Romantica
Show14. Master of The Seas10. Songline3. Casa Creed10. Songline6. Mawj3. Casa Creed
While a couple of our ‘cappers land on the Irish-bred Master of the Seas, the rest are sticking closer to home. Bonus points to Eric Rubin, who will blow up the toteboard if he’s right; Shirl’s Speight is 30-1 on the morning line…

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BREEDERS’ CUP DISTAFF

  • Fillies and mares 3yo and up, 1 1/8 miles
John PiassekDerby Bill WatsonEric RubinTed BlackJoseph ParisiNick Hahn
Win4. Idiomatic3. Pretty Mischievous11. Le Da Vida5. Adare Manor4. Idiomatic4. Idiomatic
Place7. Wet Paint4. Idiomatic9. Clairiere4. Idiomatic8. Randomized5. Adare Manor
Show5. Adare Manor9. Clairiere7. Wet Paint3. Pretty Mischievous9. Clairiere9. Clairiere
Plenty of love for Delaware Handicap winner Idiomatic, with three of our ‘cappers picking her on top and two others putting her in the exacta. She’s easily won two Grade 1 events since scoring in the DelCap. Rubin hopes to strike again with 20-1 Le Da Vida, while Derby Bill Watson likes him some Pretty Mischievous (8-1), the runner-up in the G1 Cotillion at Parx last out…

BREEDERS’ CUP TURF

  • 3yo and up, 1 1/2 miles (turf)
John PiassekDerby Bill WatsonEric RubinTed BlackJoseph ParisiNick Hahn
Win11. King of Steel11. King of Steel5. Auguste Rodin11. King of Steel11. King of Steel5. Auguste Rodin
Place5. Auguste Rodin5. Auguste Rodin9. Mostahdaf9. Mostahdaf8. Up to the Mark8. Up to the Mark
Show9. Mostahdaf4. Bolshoi Ballet1. Shahryar8. Up to the Mark9. Mostahdaf2. Onesto
Strictly a 2-horse race is how our ‘cappers see it, with four landing on Group 1 Champion Stakes winner King of Steel and the others on Irish Champion winner Auguste Rodin. Mostahdaf, a multiple Group 1 winner, is the 5-2 favorite for trainer John Gosden…

BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC

  • 3yo and up, 1 1/4 miles
John PiassekDerby Bill WatsonEric RubinTed BlackJoseph ParisiNick Hahn
Win12. Arabian Knight8. Ushba Tesoro3. White Abarrio8. Ushba Tesoro11. Bright Future10. Dreamlike
Place8. Ushba Tesoro2. Zandon8. Ushba Tesoro12. Arabian Knight12. Arabian Knight2. Zandon
Show3. White Abarrio5. Derma Sotogake11. Bright Future3. White Abarrio8. Ushba Tesoro13. Proxy
Lots of ways to go in the Classic with two of our ‘cappers landing on Japanese contender Ushba Tesoro (4-1), a winner of six straight, including the Dubai World Cup. The rest are all over the place with Pacific Classic winner Arabian Knight, veteran White Abarrio, Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Bright Future, and Dreamlike (30-1), still eligible for a first allowance, all getting some love…

BREEDERS’ CUP TURF SPRINT

  • 3yo and up, 5 furlongs (turf)
John PiassekDerby Bill WatsonEric RubinTed BlackJoseph ParisiNick Hahn
Win12. Arzak9. Roses for Debra2. Bradsell3. Caravel5. Live In The Dream5. Live In The Dream
Place8. Aesop’s Fables10. Motorious9. Roses for Debra12. Arzak12. Arzak7. Nobals
Show3. Caravel3. Caravel11. Jasper Krone5. Live In The Dream3. Caravel9. Roses for Debra
Can Caravel defend her crown against the boys in the Turf Sprint? Only Ted Black in our group thinks so, while Derby Bill lands on another PA-bred distaff contender in Roses for Debra. Two ‘cappers landing on Live In the Dream, the tepid 9-2 morning line fave…

BREEDERS’ CUP SPRINT

  • 3yo and up, 6 furlongs
John PiassekDerby Bill WatsonEric RubinTed BlackJoseph ParisiNick Hahn
Win7. Speed Boat Beach6. The Chosen Vron5. Three Technique8. Elite Power9. Gunite9. Gunite
Place8. Elite Power8. Elite Power6. The Chosen Vron9. Gunite8. Elite Power4. Hoist the Gold
Show2. Dr. Schivel9. Gunite2. Dr. Schivel7. Speed Boat Beach7. Speed Boat Beach1. Nakatomi
Morning line choice Elite Power gets only one vote, while Gunite, who bested him in the Forego, gets two. Derby Bill likes horse-for-the-course The Chosen Vron (7-for-8 over the strip), while Eric Rubin again reaches for a price with 20-1 Three Technique…

OUR HANDICAPPERS ARE:

  • John Piassek, The Racing Biz Maryland handicapper
  • Derby Bill Watson, former Colonial Downs on-air handicapper
  • Ted Black, The Racing Biz West Virginia correspondent
  • Nick Hahn, The Racing Biz Virginia correspondent
  • Eric Rubin, host of Better Betting podcast
  • Joseph Parisi, The Racing Biz Delaware handicapper

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