The yearly Breeders’ Cup Racing Festival takes place this weekend with events on Friday and Saturday. As always, the featured race will be the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the final event on Saturday, Nov. 3. Morning line favorite McKinzie could benefit from a jockey change. Is the Bob Baffert trainee this year’s Classic key horse? Keep reading for the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic exacta, trifecta, and superfecta picks! Don’t forget to check out the latest Breeders’ Cup odds before placing your bets!
2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic Trifecta, Superfecta & Exacta Picks
- When: Saturday, Nov. 2 at 8:44pm EDT
- Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA
- TV: NBC
- Live Stream: NBC Sports Live
2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic Odds
- McKinzie +300
- Code of Honor +400
- Vino Rosso +450
- Elate +600
- Yoshida +700
- Owendale +1400
- Higher Power +1600
- Mongolian Groom +2000
- Math Wizard +2500
- Seeking the Soul +2500
- War of Will +2500
Breeders’ Cup Classic Key Horse: Code of Honor
The Claude McGauhey trainee won the 1 ¼ mile Jockey Club Gold Cup after the stewards disqualified Vino Rosso for bumping in the stretch. Although the bump was slight, Code of Honor probably would have taken the trophy if not for the slight bump. So, the disqualification was justified.
This guy has turned into a really nice runner. He should get the optimal setup in the Classic. McKinzie, Higher Power, Mongolian Groom, and Vino Rosso, will all run near the front. Unless Higher Power skips away to an easy lead, Code of Honor figures to provide another great closing run. He’s the best key horse in a deep, tough, rendition of the BC Classic.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Exacta
- Second Place: McKinzie, Vino Rosso
We want to use both McKinzie and Vino Rosso in the exacta. McKinzie has been the best older horse throughout the year. He got a bad ride from Mike Smith in the Awesome Again stakes, which is why Bob Baffert took Mike off and put on Joel Rosario for this. Rosario fits McKinzie slightly better than Smith did. McKinzie should show his best over his home track surface.
Vino Rosso did all the running in the JC Gold Cup and came up just short. Without the slight bump, or if the stewards had ruled differently, he might have won the Gold Cup. The Todd Pletcher trained runner is coming into this in great form.
Use both underneath Code of Honor and on top of the key horse in exactas.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Trifecta
- Win Slot: Code of Honor
- Second Slot: Vino Rosso, McKinzie
- Third Slot: Vino Rosso, McKinzie, Higher Power, Owendale, Elate
Higher Power took the lead in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar over the summer and coasted to an impressive win. He stumbled at the start in the Awesome Again Stakes but still managed to hang on for third behind Mongolian Groom and McKinzie. He could be the speed of the speed and should battle Vino Rosso early.
Owendale has been fantastic in his last couple of races. He’s got a nice closing kick. He’s not as seasoned as Code of Honor. Also, his closing kick isn’t nearly as powerful. With some luck, he could most definitely finish third, though.
Elate, a 5-year-old mare, also has a shot for the show money. She struggled against Midnight Bisou two races ago, but that one is a monster. She might actually prefer running against males instead of facing Bisou in the Distaff. If Elate is on her game, she’ll be able to hang with the dudes.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Superfecta
- Win Slot: Code of Honor
- Second Slot: Vino Rosso, McKinzie
- Third Slot: Vino Rosso, McKinzie, Higher Power, Owendale, Elate
- Fourth Slot: All
Just hit the All button for the fourth slot. There’s no reason to try and handicap among War of Will, who hasn’t come close to repeating the form he showed when winning the Preakness Stakes, Math Wizard, who pulled off a major upset to win the Pennsylvania Derby, Seeking the Soul, who is in awful form, Mongolian Groom, who got lucky when Higher Power stumbled in the Awesome Again stakes, or Yoshida, who isn’t coming up to this race well.
Just hit the All button and hope the rest of the ticket pans out your way.
