2025 Breeders’ Cup: Under-the-radar contenders on Friday

Formidable favorites abound in the five championship races for two-year-olds on Breeders’ Cup Friday at Del Mar, but you can bet longshots will factor as well.

Breeders’ Cup races are competitive, and chances are several unheralded horses starting at 8-1 or higher will record top-three finishes, and maybe even win.

Here are three under-the-radar contenders worth betting on Breeders’ Cup Friday:

Race 6: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1): #1 Brussels

#1 Brussels (8-1) has shown promise sprinting in Europe, finishing second by less than one length in the six-furlong Middle Park (G1). That’s a finer piece of form than any of Europe’s three previous Juvenile Turf Sprint winners brought to the Breeders’ Cup.

Drawing the rail affords Brussels an opportunity to save ground behind an expected fast pace. If he can find an opening in the homestretch, Brussels may kick through to give trainer Adian O’Brien a record-extending 21st win at the Breeders’ Cup. 

Race 7: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1): #3 Meaning

For the most part, the entrants in the Juvenile Fillies haven’t been running especially fast. As a result, #3 Meaning (15-1) won’t have to improve a ton to challenge for victory in her stakes and route debut.

Trainer Michael McCarthy doesn’t win all that often with first-time starters, and his runners frequently improve with experience, so it was notable to see Meaning dominate her debut sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos. She wasn’t quick into stride, but she soon unleashed a burst of acceleration to seize the lead. Thereafter, Meaning stayed on nicely to draw off and win by 3 1/2 lengths.

Meaning has the pedigree to stretch out over 1 1/16 miles, and sharp workouts since her debut suggest she’s ready to improve in the Juvenile Fillies. Don’t leave her off your tickets.

Race 10: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1): #8 Stark Contrast

When the Breeders’ Cup takes place in California, local runners have been known to outperform expectations in the Juvenile Turf. Billy Batts ran second at 55-1 in 2019. Mackinnon finished third (second for betting purposes) at 6-1 in 2021. And last year, Iron Man Cal ran second by a neck at 29-1.

Perhaps #8 Stark Contrast (30-1) can continue the trend and secure a top-three finish. He’s 2-for-2 on turf so far. In a one-mile maiden special weight at Del Mar, he clocked his final quarter-mile in a quick :23.73 to score by one length. Then in the one-mile Zuma Beach (G3) at Santa Anita, he closed in an even faster :23.06 to prevail in the sharp time of 1:34.77. For comparison, two-year-old fillies required 1:35.40 to complete the Surfer Girl (G3) on the same card, even though the Surfer Girl unfolded with a faster pace than the Zuma Beach.

Stark Contrast’s strong finishing speed and home-court advantage should help him outrun his odds in the Juvenile Turf.

Good luck!