Breeders’ Cup Betting Odds

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races organized by Breeders’ Cup Limited, established in 1982.

Breeders’ Cup 2025: The Premier Championship Event Returns to Del Mar

The Breeders’ Cup is an annual event held in late October/early November offering whopping prize purses totaling over $34 million. The 2025 edition runs October 31st-November 1st, 2025 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California – marking the fourth time the track has hosted this prestigious event.

This top horse-racing event has grown from a one-day, seven-race event into a two-day, 14-race extravaganza. The Breeders’ Cup starts proceedings with Future Stars Friday on October 31st, which showcases horse racing’s brightest rising stars.

Championship Saturday on November 1st awards over $23 million in purses across nine races, culminating in the defining event of the international racing season – the $7 Million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Classic purse was increased from $6 million to $7 million in 2024, while the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf saw its purse rise from $4 million to $5 million, bringing total purses to over $34 million across both days.

Breeders’ Cup 2025 – Key Info

• When: October 31st-November 1st, 2025
• Location: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Del Mar, California
• Distance: Various
• Surface: Dirt and Turf
• Prize purse: $34,000,000+
• Total Races: 14 Championship races

Recent Breeders’ Cup Classic Winners

2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic Highlights

Sierra Leone captured the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar, winning by 1½ lengths over favorite Fierceness in a thrilling finish. The 3-year-old colt, trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Flavien Prat, completed the 1¼ miles in 2:00.78 and paid $15.80 to win as the 6-1 fourth choice. This victory was particularly sweet for Sierra Leone, who had suffered a heartbreaking nose defeat to Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby earlier in the year.

The win gave trainer Chad Brown his first Breeders’ Cup Classic victory in his 19 total Breeders’ Cup wins, while jockey Flavien Prat secured his second Classic triumph after piloting Flightline to victory in 2022. Sierra Leone’s connections announced he will continue racing as a 4-year-old in 2025, setting up potential rematches with his rivals.

Common Types of Bet at the Breeders’ Cup – Straight Bets

In horse racing, a straight bet is a bet on a single horse to win, place, or show. Here are the three types of straight bets in horse racing which are commonly placed at the Breeders’ Cup:

• Win: This is a bet on a horse to finish first in a Breeders’ Cup race.
• Place: This is a bet on a horse to finish either first or second in the race.
• Show: This is a bet on a horse to finish either first, second, or third in the race.

The Road to the 2025 Breeders’ Cup

Horses qualify for the Breeders’ Cup through the Challenge Series, a collection of major races held throughout the year where winners receive automatic berths into corresponding Breeders’ Cup races. The 2025 Challenge Series is currently underway, with qualifier races taking place at tracks across North America and internationally, offering horses the opportunity to secure their spots in the World Championships at Del Mar.