The world of betting horse racing is about to take a massive leap in 2025, with major changes on the horizon that will impact bettors and fans alike. From new racing formats to the evolution of online platforms, this year promises to elevate the excitement surrounding the sport.

 

What Will Happen in Horse Racing in 2025?
2025 Horse Racing: The Biggest Upsets and Surprises to Watch For!

2025 Top Stakes Races | MyBookie Racing Limes

 

Betting Horse Racing Events with MyBookie

Horse racing in 2025 is about to step up a level.

Thoroughbred racing heads into one of its most important stretches this week when three year olds throw down in the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway and the Grade 3 Rebel at Oaklawn Park.

The Grade 3 Rebel is one of the first true Triple Crown prep races of the year.

Not only does the Rebel take place this weekend but so does the Saudi Cup Racing Festival, a 2-day event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that kicks off the older horse thoroughbred racing season.

Check out info on horse racing bets and the year’s biggest horse racing events and individual races in our 2025 Horse Racing Guide.

 

MyBookie’s Rundown on the 2025 Horse Racing Guide

Bet Types in MyBookie for the Races

Horse Racing Bets: Win, Place, Show to Horizontal and Vertical Exotics

Horseplayers have a multitude of ways in which to bet the ponies.

The most obvious is to make straight bets, which are wagers on a horse to finish first, or to win, second, or to place, and third, or to show.

Newbies to horse racing should start out by betting horses to finish first, second, or third.

Then when the new horseplayer gains experience, they can bet horizontal and vertical exotics.

Horizontal exotics are bets like the exact, trifecta and superfecta, exotics that happen in a single race.

   

Betting Horizontal Exotics

• Exacta
  Bet on the first two finishers in a race
• Trifecta
  Bet on the first three finishers in a race
• Superfecta
  Bet on the first four finishers in a race

There are also vertical exotics.

   

Betting Vertical Exotics

The most popular vertical exotics are the Daily Double, the Pick 3, the Pick 4, and the Pick 6.

• Daily Double
  Bet the winner in two consecutive races
• Pick 3
  Bet the winner in three consecutive races
• Pick 4
  Bet the winner in four consecutive races
• Pick 6
  Bet the winner in six consecutive races

 

Horse Track Have a Betting Edge?

Unlike a Vegas Casino, the track doesn’t have an edge.

In fact, the track has no stake in any race.

Racetracks take a percentage of every dollar bet.

Winning come from betting pools.

The more money in the pool, the bigger the payout in most cases.

Payouts are determined by odds.

So, for example, over 20 million might be wagered into the win pool for the Kentucky Derby this year.

Often, the amount of money is much more than 20 million.

But let’s say the total is 20 million.

Churchill Downs’s cut from every win pool on every race, including the Derby, is 17.5%.

So Churchill Downs makes $3,500,000 from $20 million bet into a win pool.

The takeout rate is baked into the odds of the horses.

After the tracks’ cut, the money left over in the win pool is distributed based on the odds on the winning horse and how much each horseplayer bet on the winning horse.

The method of money distribution doesn’t change from win pool, to Pick 3 pool, to Pick 4 pool, superfecta pool, trifecta pool, etc.

The track takes its cut and winning tickets divvy up the rest of the pool based on odds and how much money horseplayers bet.

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Horse Racing Betting Tips

Always look for value.

The favorite wins 30% of the time.

So on a 10-race card, favorites will win 3-of-10.

Betting favorites leads to losing money.

So look to put money on mid-tier favorites, 3-1 or higher to win, and straight up longshots, 10-1 or higher to win.

When creating exotics, keep cost low by utilizing a key horse except when playing exactas.

Play exacta boxes by including your top two choices along with your favorite longshot.

You won’t have to hit too many exacta boxes to profit if the longshot finishes first or second.

Don’t put too much money into any single race.

Betting on horses is probably the toughest type of gambling you will ever do in your life.

So stick to sound strategy, always look for value, and manage your horse racing bankrolls.

 

2025’s Biggest Horse Racing Events

Now that we understand how horse racing works, it’s time to get to 2025, which promises to bet a banner year for thoroughbred racing.

Check out the next big horse racing event, which happens on Saturday in Saudi Arabia, as well as a list of the year’s most important events and individual races.

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Next Big Horse Racing Event

What is the Next Big Horse Racing Event?

The 2-Day Saudi Cup Festival starts on Friday, February 21 and extends into Saturday, February 22.

$38.1 million in purse money will be up for grabs in four races.

The Saudi Cup, the richest horse race in the world, offers a $20 million purse.

 

When is the Next Major Horse Race?

This Saturday’s Saudi Cup is the next major horse race.

Check out a list of the top three starters in this year’s Saudi Cup.

• Forever Young
  The Japanese horse’s two third place finishes happened in the 2024 Kentucky Derby and the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
  Forever Young has nothing but Ws on the resume after those two thirds.
• Romantic Warrior
  The 7 year old gelding has won 8 straight graded races.
  Of the 8 graded races, 7 are Grade 1 events.
  All of Romantic Warrior’s wins have come on turf.
  So RW is trying something new on Saturday.
• Ushba Tesoro
  The 2024 Saudi Cup second place finisher might be rounding into form.
  Ushba finished fourth behind Forever Young in the Grade 1 Tokyo Daishoten in the last.

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Biggest Racing Events in the World

What are the major horse races?

Check out a list of the major horse races in the U.S. we follow this section with a list of the most prestigious horse races of the year.

 

Top U.S. Based Horse Races

• Pegasus World Cup – January 25 – White Abbario won
• Santa Anita Handicap – March 1
• Kentucky Derby – May 3
• Preakness Stakes – May 17
• Belmont Stakes – June 7
• Travers Stakes – August 23
• Pacific Classic – August 30
• Breeders’ Cup Racing Festival – October 31 and November 1

 

Breeders’ Cup Races

Check out a list of this year’s Breeders’ Cup races.

• Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint
• Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
• Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
• Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
• Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
• Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint
• Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf
• Breeders’ Cup Distaff
• Breeders’ Cup Dirt Sprint
• Breeders’ Cup Mile
• Breeders’ Cup Turf
• Breeders’ Cup Sprint
• Breeders’ Cup Classic

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Most Prestigious Horse Races in the World

The Kentucky Derby (USA)

• Location: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky
• Distance: 1¼ miles
• Date: First Saturday in May
• Grade: Grade I
• Purse: $3 million+

Known as "The Run for the Roses," it’s the most famous horse race in America, attracting millions of viewers and a celebration of the sport.

Betting Kentucky Derby

 

The Grand National (UK)

• Location: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England
• Distance: 4 miles 514 yards (National Hunt Steeplechase)
• Date: First Saturday in April
• Grade: Grade I

One of the toughest and most iconic steeplechase races, attracting global attention due to its challenging fences and large field.

Betting Grand National

 

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (France)

• Location: Longchamp Racecourse, Paris
• Distance: 1½ miles
• Date: First Sunday in October
• Grade: Group 1

The premier race in Europe for older horses, often considered one of the most prestigious turf races in the world.

Betting Prix de l’Arc

 

The Melbourne Cup (Australia)

• Location: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne
• Distance: 2 miles
• Date: First Tuesday in November
• Grade: Group 1

Known as "The Race that Stops a Nation," it’s Australia’s most famous race and one of the richest in the world.

Betting Melbourne Cup

 

The Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA)

• Location: Varies (rotates between different venues in North America)
• Distance: 1¼ miles
• Date: Last weekend of October or first weekend of November
• Grade: Grade I

A key event in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, this race attracts the best horses from around the globe.

Betting Breeders’ Cup Classic

 

The Dubai World Cup (UAE)

• Location: Meydan Racecourse, Dubai
• Distance: 1¼ miles
• Date: Last Saturday in March
• Grade: Group 1

One of the richest races in the world, attracting top horses from around the globe to compete in an extraordinary setting.

Betting Breeders’ Cup Classic

 

The Japan Cup (Japan)

• Location: Tokyo Racecourse, Fuchu, Japan
• Distance: 1¼ miles
• Date: Last Sunday in November
• Grade: Grade I

One of the most significant international races, bringing together top horses from Japan and around the world.

Betting Japan Cup

 

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (UK)

• Location: Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire, England
• Distance: 1½ miles
• Date: Late July
• Grade: Group 1

This is the most prestigious flat race in the UK outside of the Derby and features some of the world’s best horses.

Betting King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes

 

The Hong Kong International Races (Hong Kong)

• Location: Sha Tin Racecourse, Hong Kong
• Date: Early December
• Grade: Group 1

Comprising four major races, these are among the richest and most competitive races globally.

These races not only carry significant purse money but also have rich histories and are considered milestones in a horse’s career.

The winners often become legends in the Sport of Kings.

Betting Hong Kong Derby

 

Horse Racing in February this Weekend | Bet the Horses MyBookie Betting Lines for the Races

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Betting Horse Racing this Year with Your MyBookie Account

Keep up with the latest horse racing betting odds and place your online horse racing bets on the most anticipated events of 2025. Check out the racebook odds now and sign up to get in on the action!

Don’t miss out—explore the best racebook odds and sign up now to start betting today!

   

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I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

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MyBookie Betting Lines for the Horse Races

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Updated Horse Racing Betting Odds | Online Betting Lines

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