The 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic: A Decisive Moment for the Horse of the Year

October 31, 2024 TruthUSA

The 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic will take place on Saturday at Del Mar Racetrack, where Horse of the Year honors are expected to be up for grabs.

While horse racing in the United States peaks during the summer with the Triple Crown races, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships is arguably the biggest thoroughbred event. The event features 14 races, with the highlight being the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be held this year on Saturday. Del Mar Racetrack in San Diego will host the prestigious event, which has almost reached the same level of importance as the Triple Crown races, collectively known as the Grand Slam of Thoroughbred Racing.

The field for the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic does not include any horses that have won a Triple Crown race. Instead, it consists of a diverse group of 14 horses with varying levels of experience. Unlike the Triple Crown races, the Breeders’ Cup Classic is open to horses aged 3 and older, with many horses peaking between the ages of 4 and 5.

The top three favorites for the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic are all 3-year-olds. City of Troy, with odds of 5-2, is the favorite and boasts a strong pedigree as the son of 2018 Triple Crown champion Justify and a descendant of legendary horse Secretariat. City of Troy has won six out of seven career races, including four Graded I races.

Following City of Troy is Fierceness (3-1), the second-favorite in the field. Despite disappointing in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, Fierceness has won both of his starts since then, including the Travers Stakes, which is the same distance as the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Also among the favorites is Forever Young at 6-1 odds. Bred in Japan, Forever Young seeks to become the first Japanese horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. With victories in all his races on foreign soil, Forever Young finished third in his only American race, this year’s Kentucky Derby.

In addition to the favorites, there are seven mid-shot contenders in the field, each bringing unique strengths to the race. Ushba Tesoro (12-1) relies on age and experience, having raced an impressive 35 times in his career. His highlight win came at the 2023 Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest race.

Another contender worth noting is Newgate (20-1), whose father Into Mischief has been named the Leading Sire in North America for the past five years. Newgate has strong genetics in his favor, along with the guidance of renowned trainer Bob Baffert, who holds an impressive record in Triple Crown races and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

For the longshots in the field, there are four horses with 30-1 odds to win. One notable longshot is Mixto, based in California, who has raced extensively at Del Mar Racetrack. Mixto’s familiarity with the track could give him an advantage in the race.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic 2024 carries more than just a $7 million prize pool. With different winners at the Triple Crown races, the race could determine the Horse of the Year, the MVP of thoroughbred racing. Over the years, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic has often gone on to claim this prestigious title.

The 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic is the 10th race in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and is scheduled to start at 5:41 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 2. The race will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

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