Tips for the Breeders Cup

The Breeders' Cup held in the U.S. in the fall of each year is promoted as the "world championship of thoroughbred racing." Each year more top international thoroughbreds compete against the American horses in the event, which is held over a two-day period with races covering a variety of distances. The meeting is famous for the amount of prize money that is paid out, which has been as high as $25 million in the past, and bettors attend with hopes of choosing a winner.

  1. 2011 Location

    • The Breeders' Cup has traditionally been held in a different location each year. However, in 2008 and 2009 it was held at California's Santa Anita racecourse, and the venue for 2010 was the Churchill Downs racecourse in Louisville, Kentucky. As of the 2011 schedule, the races aired live on both the ABC broadcast and ESPN cable networks and made available to more than 130 countries.

    Choosing Winners

    • The choice of venue gives you the opportunity to check the performance of previous runners on the course, and use the course form to help make your picks for the Cup races. Footage of previous years' Breeders' Cup races is available on the Breeders' Cup Contenders website, along with the places of the winners.

      Research the form of the horses and jockeys in each race, looking at records of previous races to see what the distance is that each horse has run, whether it has been ridden buy the same jockey before and how it performed.

    Betting Tips

    • Betting at the Breeders' Cup is a sport in itself, and racing fans from the U.S. and all over the world place with local bookmakers and betting exchanges. Since 2010 bets may also be placed online with international bookmakers.

      Browse the stats from previous races to see the form of the runners. Visit the Breeders' Cup website regularly ahead of the event for tips from professional tipsters.

    Get Good Odds

    • Racing fans in the U.S. can bet either at the course or their bookmaker, and fans in the UK and Europe can open an online betting account and get free bets in exchange. United States bettors can compare the odds offered by the local tote with those offered online to determine where to get the best deal. Some European and Irish horses have very good followings in the U.S. and it is worth checking out their form as well before making your picks.