Breeders’ Cup 2020: Playing the multi-race bets Saturday, Nov. 7

Looking to play the appealing multi-race wagers on Breeders’ Cup Saturday? Then you’ve come to the right place.

The Nov. 7 card at Keeneland is stacked with challenging exotic wagers, like the Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, and Pick 6. If you can string together enough winners in a row, there’s a chance you’ll be rewarded with massive wagering scores, like the $1.8 million Pick 6 payoff generated on Breeders’ Cup Saturday in 2009.

To help guide your wagering strategy, we’ve taken a $500 budget and put together proposed tickets for every Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, and Pick 6 offered on the nine Breeders’ Cup races Saturday. You can play along with every bet, pick and choose the ones you like best, or modify the tickets to match your own opinions.

Good luck!

Race 4: Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1, 12:02 p.m. ET)

I’ll take a stand against #2 Gamine (7-5), who will cut back in distance, off a third-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The frontrunning daughter of Into Mischief posted impressive victories in the Acorn (G1) and Test (G1), but the Filly & Mare Sprint figures to unfold at a much faster pace than she is accustomed to facing.

I’m more interested in backing #7 Serengeti Empress (3-1), who looms as the “speed of the speed,” after she survived sub-:44 half-miles to win the Ballerina (G1) and finish second by a nose in the Derby City Distaff (G1).

And just in case a destructive speed duel unfolds, we’ll cover with with the stretch-running Derby City Distaff winner #9 Bell’s the One (6-1) and the 3-year-old #1 Speech (6-1), who set a Keeneland track record in the Ashland (G1).

$1 Pick 3: 1,7,9 with 1,7,8,12 with 1,2,5 ($36)
50-cent Pick 4: 1,7,9 with 1,7,8,12 with 1,2,5 with 4,6 ($36)

Race 5: Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1, 12:39 p.m. ET)

#7 Leinster (4-1) will be a popular “horse for the course” play. A three-time graded stakes winner, Leinster employed tracking tactics to win the Shakertown (G2) and Woodford (G2) over this course and distance earlier this year.

But the Grade 1-winning mares #12 Got Stormy (7-2) and #8 Oleksandra (12-1) likewise boast major sprint wins over the Keeneland turf, and the frontrunning #1 Big Runnuer looms as a wildcard from the West, after he wired the Siren Lure S. and Eddie D. (G2) with sub-:44 half-mile splits.

We’ll use all four equally in multi-race wagers.

$1 Pick 3: 1,7,8,12 with 1,2,5 with 4,6 ($24)

Race 6: Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1, 1:18 p.m. ET)

I’ll take a stand against morning-line favorite #10 Complexity (2-1), who enjoyed a perfect trip when he prevailed in the Kelso H. (G2). The son of Maclean’s Music has campaigned primarily around one turn, so the two-turn configuration of the Dirt Mile is a question mark.

I’ll favor #5 Knicks Go (7-2), the runner-up in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). The gray 4-year-old has found new life under the care of trainer Brad Cox and enters off a spectacular allowance victory at Keeneland, where he won by 10 1/4 lengths in a track-record time of 1:40.79.

Blue Grass (G2) winner #1 Art Collector (6-1) and Pacific Classic (G1) runner-up #2 Sharp Samurai (15-1) are other accomplished two-turn performers worth including.

$1 Pick 3: 1,2,5 with 4,6 with 1,2,3,10,12 ($30)
50-cent Pick 4: 1,2,5 with 4,6 with 1,2,3,10,12 with 2,5,9,11 ($60)

Race 7: Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1, 1:57 p.m. ET)

We’ll take a stand with #6 Rushing Fall (5-2) and #4 Mean Mary (7-2), who ran first and second in the Diana (G1) at Saratoga during the summer. Rushing Fall won the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) and brings a 5-for-6 record at Keeneland for trainer Chad Brown, a four-time winner of the Filly & Mare Turf.

The only question mark for Rushing Fall is the 1 3/16-mile distance. If she falters over the longer trip, then Mean Mary — a powerful, frontrunning winner of the 1 1/4-mile New York (G2) — can turn the tables.

$1 Pick 3: 4,6 with 1,2,3,10,12 with 2,5,9,11 ($40)
$1 Pick 6: 4,6 with 2,10,12 with 2,5,9,11 with 5 with 10 with 2,4,10 ($72)

Race 8: Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1, 2:36 p.m. ET)

There is a lot of speed drawn in outside posts, including Metropolitan H. (G1) winner #14 Vekoma (3-1), who has very little experience sprinting 6 furlongs. A fast pace should ensue, which could lend an edge to late-running Grade 1 winners #1 Echo Town (20-1), #3 Collusion Illusion (20-1), and #12 Hog Creek Hustle (30-1).

Among the speed horses, I prefer the chances of #10 Yaupon (7-2), an improving 3-year-old fresh off a four-length score in the Chick Lang (G3). But the biggest threat of all might be #2 C Z Rocket (7-2), who has gone undefeated in five starts since he was claimed in April by trainer Peter Miller.

The son of City Zip set a track record for 6 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland during the summer and has the versatility to win from anywhere in the pack, which sets the stage for a perfect trip, no matter what kind of pace unfolds.

$1 Pick 3: 1,2,3,10,12 with 2,5,9,11 with 5,10 ($40)
50-cent Pick 5: 1,2,3,10,12 with 2,5,9,11 with 5 with 10 with 2,4,10 ($30)

Race 9: Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1, 3:15 p.m. ET)

In a deep field with plenty of logical contenders, I’m keen to play #9 One Master (12-1), who was beaten just a length when she finished fifth in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Mile.

A three-time winner of the 7-furlong Prix de la Foret (G1), One Master has the turn of foot to be competitive in a tight-turn U.S. mile and will offer appealing odds.

But we won’t stand alone with One Master. We’ll also throw in Two Thousand Guineas (G1) victor #2 Kameko (6-1), eye-catching Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) winner #11 Ivar (4-1), and the improving Old Forester Turf Classic (G1) winner #5 Digital Age (8-1).

We’ll oppose defending Mile winner #12 Uni (5-1), who hasn’t been quite as sharp this season.

$3 Pick 3: 2,5,9,11 with 5,10 with 10 ($24)
$1 Pick 4: 2,5,9,11 with 5,10 with 10 with 2,4,10 ($24)

Race 10: Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1, 3:54 p.m. ET)

#10 Monomy Girl (8-5) won this race in 2018 and boasts a undefeated record three starts this season, culminating with a victory in the La Troienne (G1). But the durable 3-year-old #5 Swiss Skydiver (2-1) looms as a formidable opponent, after she upset Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic in the Preakness (G1).

We’ll use both for Pick 3 and Pick 4 wagers, but to keep costs down in the Pick 5 and Pick 6, we’ll single Swiss Skydiver.

$4 Pick 3: 5,10 with 10 with 2,4,10 ($24)

Race 11: Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1, 4:33 p.m. ET)

#2 Magical (5-2) finished second in this race two years and enters the Turf with a trio of 2020 Group 1 wins. Four-time Turf-winning jockey Ryan Moore will retain the mount for trainer Aidan O’Brien, who has won this race six times.

But Magical has campaigned primarily in 1 1/4-mile races, and she is running back just three weeks after she slogged her way through extremely soft ground to finish third in the Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot.

I’m more intrigued by her stablemate, #10 Mogul (4-1). This improving 3-year-old was a dominant winner of the 1 1/2-mile Grand Prix de Paris (G1) at Longchamp, where she defeated future Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) runner-up In Swoop by 2 1/2 lengths.

Mogul enters the Turf off an eight-week layoff, so he should be fresh for a maximum effort at Keeneland. We’ll take a chance and single him in all our wagers.

Race 12: Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1, 5:18 p.m. ET)

#8 Improbable (5-2) is a deserving favorite, after he rattled off consecutive victories in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), Whitney (G1), and Awesome Again (G1), but the 4-year-old son of City Zip has enjoyed perfect trips in small fields, so I’ll take a shot against him in the Classic.

I’m keen to support #4 Tom’s d’Etat (6-1), who defeated Improbable in the Oaklawn Mile S. earlier this season. A runaway winner of the Clark H. (G1) last fall, Tom’s d’Etat has posted nine straight triple-digit Brisnet Speed ratings, in the 101-112 range, plus six straight triple-digit Brisnet Late Pace ratings from 101-120.

Tom’s d’Etat was compromised by a stumbled start and a slow pace when he finished third by 2 1/2 lengths in the Whitney, so I’m optimistic he’ll rebound with a clean journey in the Classic.

We’ll use Belmont Stakes (G1) winner #2 Tiz the Law (3-1) and Saudi Cup winner #10 Maximum Security (7-2) to round out our tickets.

Enjoy the racing!