Betting Picks

Breeders' Cup Mile 2018 Odds

When World Approval captured the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile, he was the first favorite to win a Breeders’ Cup race of the seven that had been run that day. He also continued a trend of favorites winning the Mile with five favorites taking the victory over the previous 10 years.

The interesting thing is that in the other five years, the average odds on the winner were 25-1, including a 65-1 bomb by Court Vision in the 2010 race. From a betting perspective, the Mile sets up as a race where using the favorite in exotic bets and multi-race wagers is a must, but there’s also no shame at swinging for the fences with a long shot picked to Win. 

Here’s a look at the probable field for 2018, with the first number indicating the pre-entry odds from Churchill Downs, the second the future bet odds at Bovada’s racebook as of October 22. All horses can be bet at Bovada on request. 

Final entries and morning line odds will be announced Monday, October 29. 

Polydream (9/2, +400)

• One of several expected to ship in from Europe for the race, this three-year-old filly has already beaten the boys in a Group 1 race in France two starts back. You can toss her latest result as she ran up behind a wall tiring horses and never got a chance to make her run.

Recoletos (5/1, +800)

• Beat a good field two starts back in a Group 1 test at Longchamp and has been successful at the distance but hasn’t run as well whenever he raced outside of his native France.

Betting Tips

• 1French Filly Has A Solid Win Record
• 2Long Shots Need to Be Much Better
• 3Bet The Breeders' Cup Mile

French Filly Has A Solid Win Record

Expert Eye (6/1, +500)

• Finished third behind Recoletos in his last start, after taking a Group 3 race in the UK just prior to that. An improving three-year-old colt that will want firm footing on the Churchill turf.

Laurens (6/1, +800)

• Another filly, she sports an impresssive record with four Group 1 wins in seven starts this year. Last time out she faded badly to run seventh at Ascot, but the soft track on that day may not have been to her liking.

Oscar Performance (6/1, +600)

• The top North American hope, won the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and was ninth last year in the 1 1/2 mile BC Turf, comes in off a win in the (G1) Woodbine Mile and faces a much tougher field here.

Lightening Spear (10/1, +1400)

• One of several (Recoletos, Laurens, Lord Glitters) to run in the Group 1 QE II at Ascot on October 20, a seventh-place finish there casts doubt on whether he’ll be coming over for the Breeders’ Cup. 

Fly To Mars (15-1)

• Four-year-old California bred only moved up to graded-stakes racing two starts back and has been competitive with a third (DQd from second) and second last out in the (G2) City Of Hope beaten only a nose by a very good horse. 

Long Shots Need to Be Much Better

Lord Glitters (15/1, +2500)

• Finished in the money in nine consecutive races dating back to May of 2017, but now consecutive sixth-place finishes at the Grade 1 and Group 1 level have put his Breeders’ Cup aspirations in doubt.  

Next Shares (20/1)

• Picked up his first lifetime Grade 1 win in his fourth try at that level last out in the Shadwell Mile at odds of 23-1 and needs to repeat that effort here. 

Best Future Bet Value – Laurens 

Bet The Breeders' Cup Mile

You can bet the BC Mile and all 14 Breeders’ Cup races on November 2 and 3 with an account in your preferred online racebook.