The Breeders Cup is one of the most-anticipated horse racing events of the season with sports fans around the world tuning into the top class action. It takes place at various racetracks around the US with popular venues such as Del Mar, Santa Anita and Churchill Downs hosting the event in recent years. It takes place across two days at the beginning of November and showcases some of the hottest talents in thoroughbred racing.

The various races attract entrants from the US but many also come from further afield. French, Irish and English runners also visit the track to see if they can compete with the home representatives.

It has been in existence since 1984 and whilst it may not be steeped in history, there are always plenty of narratives at work. Headlines are always created by the Breeders Cup and new superstars are often unearthed over the course of the two days.

There are three listed races which are staged during the meeting and several Group 1 contests. It’s one of the jewels in the crown of the racing calendar and it grows in stature with every passing season.

Trainers such as Bob Baffert, William Mott and Aidan O’Brien hold enviable records at the Breeders Cup and their mounts should always be taken seriously. Around $3.3 million is available to the winner of the Breeder’s Cup Classic and it unsurprisingly attracts a number of top stables.

2018 Prediction Reports

There were a number of runners who had excelled in 2017 that looked set to return to the track twelve months later. Gun Runner was given a 20% implied probability in the race but unfortunately he was sent to stud after the Pegasus World Cup and didn’t take part. The bookies were taking no chances until that announcement and they’d priced the 2017 Classic winner towards the top of the betting.

Breeder’s Cup Distaff winner Forever Unbridled was also given a healthy chance at the top of the betting and was given an implied probability of 22.22% alongside West Coast. The latter had warmed up for this race by coming second in the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita in September and was highly likely to put in another big performance.

Bob Baffert has a terrific record at the Breeders Cup and he had another strong string. Abel Tasman, who is named after a National Park in New Zealand was one of the bigger names entering the Breeders Cup and looked likely to be featuring in the Distaff. He was given a 9.09% chance of success. That was the same implied probability as Collected, who had previously disappointed at the PA Derby Champion Stakes in Philadelphia.

Despite recent successes, Mendelssohn was given just a 1.94% implied probability of success in the race.

With the previously unbeaten Justify retired two months previously, it was a chance for some of the newcomers to shine in Louisville.

2018 Breeders Cup Result

The betting suggested a wide-open race once again and the Breeders Cup Classic was a suitably entertaining affair. Accelerate, who went off amongst the favourites was the eventual winner under a fantastic ride from Joel Rosario.

Antonio Sano’s Gunnavera was close behind, finishing just a length behind the hugely talented five-year old. UK raider Thunder Snow, representing Godolphin was third whilst the aforementioned Mendelssohn could only come fifth. Bob Baffert’s West Coast couldn’t improve upon a seventh place but still managed to collect a decent prize purse.

In the Distaff, it didn’t fall right for Abel Tasman who finished last. The race was won by Brad Cox’s Monomoy Girl.