2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic Preview, Predictions, and Betting Odds

The Breeders’ Cup is on the schedule at Del Mar on November 5 and November 6. The action begins on Friday with nine stakes races. There are five races with at least a million dollars on the line on November 5.

The feature race on Friday is the $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Gr. 1) and $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Gr. 1). The three other graded $1,000,000 races are all on the turf. This is a nice appetizer for the real show on Saturday.

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The Breeders’ Cup card on Saturday has nine graded races on the docket. The Breeders’ Cup Classic is a $6,000,000 event covering 1 ¼ miles on the dirt. Besides the Classic, the $4,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Turf (Gr. 1) is a big race on the grass. The Breeders’ Cup has it all.

The giant elephant at Del Mar is going to be Bob Baffert. There are a lot of people that aren’t going to care to see him there, including race 먹튀검증사이트   fans and fellow horsemen. He has plenty of friends at Del Mar, one of his home tracks, so it’s not like Baffert is going to be lonely.

The odds of Baffert being barred from running this weekend was zilch to no chance. Unlike Kentucky and New York, California has been quiet for the most part regarding Baffert.

They weren’t going to do anything, and I don’t think anyone expected it. We’ll touch on more regarding Baffert later.

We will begin with recapping the Breeders’ Cup Classic from last year. The Breeders’ Cup was at Keeneland last year, so fortunately for Baffert, he catches a break at Del Mar in 2021. Head below for our complete Breeders’ Cup Classic preview for 2021.

Breeders’ Cup Classic 2020 Recap

2020 was the year of Authentic. This colt had plenty of respect at the beginning of last year. He was regarded as one of the horses to beat in the Kentucky Derby in January and February.

However, Authentic was missed along the way during the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Tiz the Law was hammering the competition, and he was the one to beat while Authentic just seemed to be good, but not great.

The Baffert trainee pulled away from Tiz the Law in the stretch to clear, setting up a Triple Crown bid. That didn’t happen, but the next best scenario did happen.

Authentic won the two biggest races of the year in the US. He came back in November to win the Classic by 2 ¼ lengths over Improbable.

It was the perfect ending to a 6 for 8 career, and Baffert had another big win to flaunt. A lot has changed for Baffert since then. He will send one horse to the gate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Bob Baffert Strikes Back?

In Bob Baffert’s mind at least, I think he believes this is a revenge race for him. Since the Kentucky Derby this year, he’s been in the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons. It was the Kentucky Derby, so the failed drug test for Medina Spirit made it to the mainstream media.

Churchill Downs reacted swiftly and was banned for the next two years at the Kentucky Derby. The NYRA in New York didn’t waste any time either, as they suspended Baffert as well. Thanks to an appeal, he’s been allowed to race in New York in the meantime.

The Breeders’ Cup had the ultimate control over Baffert. Even if Del Mar is fine with Baffert, and of course they are, as he’s been running at Del Mar since the failed drug test, the Breeders’ Cup could have said no. They aren’t saying no, but Baffert is under further scrutiny. Baffert has 24-hour security and is equipped with a bodycam.

Medina Spirit, who has been the center of the failed drug test, is expected to run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday. 21 picograms were picked up in his system, which Baffert blamed on a skin condition. Medina Spirit has appeared in three races since then.

He has finished 3rd, 1st, 1st in three attempts, showing 3rd in the Preakness Stakes on May 15. Medina Spirit won the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes, and then followed up most recently on October 2 for a 5 length win in the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes (Gr. 1).

Baffert has his back up against the wall in this one, as Medina Spirit is not regarded as a top contender. Max Player, Hot Rod Charlie, Essentially Quality, and Knicks Go all have better odds to win. He has won races without a favorite in the past, so you can’t overlook Medina Spirit.

There are three horses that I’m circling 먹튀검증 사이트 추천   for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Despite Baffert’s problems, he is going to have a contender in Medina Spirit.

He’s motivated more than ever to have a winner in this race, and Medina Spirit has been in good form in workouts.

Medina Spirit is coming off an impressive 5 length win in the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes (Gr. 1) on October 2. He had the lead at the ¼ pole by a length and never gave up the lead.

He’s completed a couple of workouts in good form since then. Medina Spirit was clocked at 59.60 seconds at 4 furlongs on October 15, and then 1:11.60 most recently at 6 furlongs on October 29.

That 6-furlong workout really made me pay attention to Medina Spirit. This is a tough race, but Medina Spirit has been there or close in all of his races.

Essential Quality

Essential Quality is 8 for 9 with only one loss in his career. Brad Cox has a good one in Essential Quality, with his only loss on May 1 in the Kentucky Derby.

He finished 4th, but responded to win the Belmont Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths over Hot Rod Charlie. Since then, Essential Quality has finished 1st in the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (Gr. 2), and then most recently on August 28 in the $1,250,000 Travers Stakes (Gr. 1).

Essential Quality held on by a neck over a determined Midnight Bourbon. He recently breezed 4 furlongs at 59.40 seconds in an impressive looking workout.

Essential Quality has raced in New York for his last three races at Belmont Park and aratoga twice. In his debut in California, expect the colt to be a top contende