For the first time in the 26-year history of the Breeders’ Cup Santa Anita Track will be hosting the Breeders’ World Championship for . Officials have dropped prices and spruced up Santa Anita in hopes of luring fans out for the two-day championship. This could be a great opportunity for horse racing fans across the nation to be witnesses of great races and may be history in the making …

Though two of racing’s biggest stars, the 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra and the 3-year-old European superstar Sea The Stars, are not coming to the Breeders’ Cup, more than 30 foreign-campaigned horses are expected, along with the unbeaten mare Zenyatta, who has won all 13 of her races. Now who will be the favorite in the big race and who will be also right next to this horses, let’s check it out:

Zenyatta: Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic last year, she is undefeated in 12 starts so far. In 2009 she has won Milady and Vanity Handicaps at Hollywood and the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar, then the Lady’s Secret at Santa Anita last out. She makes it look easy against the girls, so maybe this year she will try the Classic. Trainer John Shirreffs is confident this incredible lady will come on top at the end of this race and jockey Mike Smith will be the lucky rider to take her to her place in history. She is by far the biggest favorite.

Summer Bird: Unraced as a 2-year-old, he was 3rd in the Arkansas Derby then 16th in the Kentucky Derby. Skipped the Preakness then won Belmont Stakes. Next out he was 2nd in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth to Rachel Alexandra, then won the Travers in the slop at Saratoga. Showed again how much he likes a sloppy track in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, winning by a length to become the first 3-year-old in 20 years to win that race, the Belmont, and the Travers in the same year. Now this horse has proven already that he deserves the chance to be here, this will be the second biggest favorite in this race and he has done it in quite a fashion, this will be the greatest chance and his trainer Tim Ice and his jockey Kent Desormeaux are more than ready.

Mine That Bird: Named the Champion 2-year-old male in Canada, he won four straight races before fading to finish 12th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year. This year he was a surprise winner in the Kentucky Derby at odds of 50-1, then 2nd in the Preakness to Rachel Alexandra, and 3rd in the Belmont Stakes to Summer Bird. Finished 3rd in the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer in August. Last out he was a disappointing 6th in the Goodwood, never mounting his usual late close. Perhaps he doesn’t like California? Well this is the horse that could have won it all but he couldn’t, his trainer Bennie Woolley Jr. has been trying to overcome the California deal and jockey Mike Smith is the chosen one to try and break the disappointing season in California.

Rip Van Winkle: Irish-bred colt has been racing in Ireland and England and was a stakes winner at 2 last year. He has 2 wins in 5 starts so far this year including the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Sussex Stakes, plus a second in the Coral Eclipse Stakes. Earned a spot in the Mile in his last start, but they plan to send him to the Classic instead. This foreign horse will be the biggest threat from overseas, this horse is the highest favorite and by the looks of it, it will give the rest a run for their money. The trainer is Aidan O’Brien and the jockey will be John Murtagh, good luck to them.

This is a list of the horses for the event and the odds listed early:

Awesome Gem 50/1
Bullsbay 25/1
Colonel John 20/1
Einstein 20/1
Gio Ponti 9/1
Mastercraftsman 10/1
Mine The Bird 20/1
Quality Road 11/1
Regal Ransom 25/1
Richard’s Kid 18/1
Rip Van Winkle 3/2
Summer Bird 6/1
Twice Over 10/1
Zenyatta 4/1
Chocolate Candy 50/1
Girolamo 30/1

THE PREDICTION WILL BE TOUGH BUT I HAVE LIKED SUMMER BIRD AND I WILL STICK WITH HIM ON THIS PARTICULAR RACE, MY PICK WILL BE SUMMER BIRD TO WIN THE BREEDER’S CUP CLASSIC AND A 5 MILLION DOLLAR PURSE.

CHECK OUR ODDS ON 2009 BREEDERS CUP RACES AND OUR BONUS PROMOTIONS AT GAMBLERS PALACE SPORTSBOOK & CASINO.

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2009 Breeders Cup Odds and Predictions

Here is the list of entrants with their money lines in the sportsbook:

Curlin +170

Henrythenavigator +600

Go Between +700

Duke of Marmalade +800

Colonel John +1000

Ravens Pass +650

Casino Drive +700

Smooth Air +2200

Tiago +1400

Champs Elysees +2100

Fairbanks +2500

Student Council +1300

My Pick:  As in all horse races you have to spread some money around on the long shots and especially Tiago which is at an insane 14 to 1.  I would take $150 and put $50 on Curlin and then spread out $100 in $20 increaments on Tiago, Colonel John, Smooth Air, Fairbanks, and Student Council.  You never know when a long shot can come in and really make your day.

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2008 Breeders Cup Betting Lines and Picks

The pole positions for Saturdays Breeders Cup Classic race have been anounced and are as follows:
                                      Â
1 Lawyer Ron           Â
2 Street Sense              Â
3 Any Given SaturdayÂ
4 Curlin                         Â
5 George Washington Â
6 Awesome                  Â
7 Diamond Stripes      Â
8 Hard Spun                 Â
9 Tiago                           

Any Given Saturday and Lawyer Ron are the current favorites at +390 (risk $100 to win $390) with Preakness Champ Curlin coming in at +430 (risk $100 to win $430) and Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense at +475 (risk $100 to win $475).  The rest of the field will payout huge, however I think that you have your winner out of these 4 top rated thoroughbreds. 

I like to pick the longshots in races like this, the potential for big upsets is huge in horse racing and it just makes sense to throw a few fun bucks at the lesser known horses like Diamond Stripes who at +1650 (risk $100 to win $1650) would make for a nice little comeup, however for the serious bettor that boxed trifecta with horses 1, 2, 3 would be my bet.

GamblersPalace.com is pleased to offer sportsbook odds for all the horses running up until Saturday morning where you will then find them listed in the Race Book section of GP.

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24th Running of the Breeders Cup